Twenty - Two Bucks

I get bored easily with things around the house, small home decor specifically.  For this reason, I don't like to spend a lot of money on these types of things.  I try to stay neutral in my purchases, but sometimes I go overboard because something is cute, or I can't pass it up because of a sale.  When this happens, I still do good with the things "I got bored with" and either send them to the thrift store (they donate all proceeds to charity), or I have a yard sale and donate to me, hahaha! 

I wanted to change out the guest bathroom with colors that flow with the rest of the house.  So I went to Ross, got lucky enough to find what I was looking for, and only spent $22 to change the room.  I didn't have to paint either, good day for me. 

I purchased the curtain on the left at IKEA for the redo back in 2013.  I purchased the new shower curtain, in a dark teal swirl pattern for $12.99, and it came with roller ball hooks, love them, and a shower liner too, SCORE for me!

 Switched out the old green towels for light turquoise ones that I already had tucked away.

 I also had the ribbed light turquoise bath towels tucked away, I found them on clearance at TJMaxx.

The new turquoise and cream runner was $8.99 at Ross, it replaced a red and beige runner.  So in a matter of 15 minutes, room complete.

Be My Guest!

Come on in and be our guest!  The room is finally done, it only took me about 4 days to finish it.  I ran into a few problems that still need to be addressed, one is a lamp and the other is the draperies.  The draperies are 96 inches long and I needed 108 inches.  So what I am going to do is sew a coordinating fabric to the bottom of each panel, because I fell in love with them and don't want to give them up.  My lamp I think is too small, I need a little more drama on the table. These problems will be fixed next week as we have guests staying with us for the next four days, so I can't do it while they are here.  Whew, I got the room done, just in time!

I made this little chalkboard sign from an old vanity mirror I found at the thrift store.  It had a gold frame, so I painted it silver.  I reversed a removable hook on the other side of the door to attach the sign with some cute ribbon.

I recycled some artwork, that my daughter didn't want in her newly painted room, for the wall above the bed.  The grate I had so I just painted it black.  The star was hanging in the room before, so I reused that too.  New bedding from IKEA along with the floral pillow, the other two pillows are from Target.  The gray  "SMILE" pillow was $16.99 and the dark teal flower one was on clearance for $7.98, had to scoop that one up.  The white matelasse shams and blanket I already  had, so I reused them in this room.  The luggage rack at the bottom of the bed is old.  It was brown, I painted that black too, the cotton webbing on it is black and white.

This is the lamp that was in the room.  I used one of my favorite sample colors from Valspar to paint it white.  Lowe's sells these in a variety of colors for $2.98.  I scoop them up when I see them to use for craft projects instead of buying a quart of paint that I don't need.  

 This is the newly painted lamp with a shade from IKEA.  Although it's cute I think It's too small.

The black metal frame bed was from IKEA a few years back.

 I also found this trio of canvas artwork at IKEA.

Door leading to the full bath on the first floor....

And the entry door too the room.  I picked up the keyhole medallion at JoAnn Fabric for $7.99 they had a few different kind, and the typewriter picture for $3.49 on clearance at Ross, the quote on it reads "A moment lasts all of a second, but the memory lives on forever".

 Hobnail floral vase at Marshall's for $6.99, Paris boxes were recycled, as was the rooster lamp, silver tray and metal scrolled tissue box.

Have to make the guest(s) comfortable while they are here, so I stock up on toiletries they may need as well as soft fluffy towels.  I hung this ornate, wrought iron towel rack in the room, so they have fresh towels, hand towels and washcloths, at their fingertips at all times, extras are in the basket.

Here are those curtains that I am not happy with, but I will fix them, because like I said I fell in love with them!  They are a soft yellow and light gray with a white background.

Glass canisters at TJMaxx $7.99 for a set of three.  I had the shells and sea glass stones.

The gray and white rug at IKEA for $19.99.  So the complete redo cost about $240 dollars with the draperies, of course, being the most expensive at $59.98 for both pair.

Window Dressing

WHY, OH WHY, do builders put these big windows near soaking tubs?  It makes no sense to me at all.  When you're in the tub bathing, because that's what you are supposed to do in the tub, and you stand up to get dried off and get out, guess what, the whole neighborhood can see what you own!!!!  Why put a big window, that brings in a lot of light, in front of a tub?  You have to keep it covered up! And when you do that, NO LIGHT COMES IN! Every house that I have been in, that has a tub like this, has had the same window.  I even saw one that was right smack in the front of the house!  This window has been a thorn in my side for 10 years. Not only is it right on top of the tub, it's directly across from my shower, so everybody can see what you're doing in your bathroom!  It's crazy.  I covered the window up the best I could for 10 years, I even took showers in the dark, n-u-t-t-y.  I put blinds on it, then a set of white curtains, couldn't find anything pretty of course.  The window is an odd size and I am not a sewing girl, never have been, nor do I want to spend a lot of money on curtains. 

My light bulb went off recently, I know, it only took 10 years, right.  The window is 50 inches long by 64 inches wide, really an odd size.  The easiest thing to do was to set the rod at 72 inches, that's the highest I could go because of the cathedral ceiling in the room.  You used to be able to buy curtains that were 72 inches long, not anymore, you can barely find 63's.  SO the gears were turning, what can I do to fix this window without spending a lot of money for custom curtains?  Well guess what I discovered, a shower curtain is 72 inches long! I mean I did know that, but never thought to put them on a regular window.  And so my pain and agony about this window is finally gone, a shout out to my brain for giving me an answer on how to fix it.

This is that awful window.  Blinds don't even fit it unless you spend lots of money getting them custom made.  I'm sorry, but I will not give in to that, I hung two side by side.

I bought 2 of these pretty fabric shower curtains at Target.

I also purchased 2 sets of rings at Target so I could hang it on the curtain rod. I figured since I was hanging new curtains I may as well get a new shower curtain too.  I wanted to match it somewhat to the curtains.  I found this one at TJMaxx.  The coral striped runner, also at TJMaxx, was on clearance.

These are the white curtains that were hanging before, and now the shower curtains are hung.  I never opened the white curtains or pulled the shades up, because even closed and down you could still see through them.

I think it looks much better now, I can open and close them if I want by just pulling them, they glide easily. 

View of the neighbors, but at least when the curtains are closed they can't see me now!

Pulled up the old rug and just put a runner down, makes the room look bigger.

A couple of new towels and a new decorative plant to brighten things up.

Then it was time to switch out the shower curtain.  The old shower curtain was aqua, gray and white, the new one is coral, beige and white.  Right now the shower curtain will do, hopefully next year the new doors will be on the shower stall.  They are very expensive and have to be custom made because of the size of the shower.  

I'm all done this room now and the total cost was $106.94.  

This is what I purchased on a budget to change my room:

Target - 2 Shower Curtains - $19.99 each

Target - 2 Sets of Shower Hooks - $7.49 each

TJMaxx - Shower Curtain - $14.99

TJMaxx - Striped Runner - $12.00 (clearance)

Marshall's - 2 Coral Bath Towels - $5.00 each (clearance)

Marshall's - 2 Coral Hand Towels - $2.50 each (clearance)

Kirkland's - Decorative Plant - $9.99