Have you ever walked into a guest bathroom that was stark white and extremely boring?  That was my guest bathroom (until recently.)  You can see it in the picture below…ugh, I hate even showing the picture.

If you really think about it, a guest bathroom is not something that should go ignored.  It is the one place that a visitor has a bit of time to look all around the room, by themself, with the door closed.  Come on, you know it’s true.

Yet, for some reason, I kept procrastinating when it came to decorating that room.  I knew I wanted something that felt fresh and clean.  I loved the idea of beadboard in that bathroom but didn’t have the time (or the tools) to put it up.  When I discovered beadboard wallpaper, I knew that it was the perfect, easy way to get the ‘elegant cottage’ look I was craving.

I picked this Allen + Roth Beadboard Wallpaper up at my local hardware store.  (I ended up using two rolls to do my bathroom and the entry off my garage.)

I applied the wallpaper and painted it white.  I gave the walls a coat of pale blue (Carefree by Sherwin Williams.)  And….a breath of fresh air!

I added a white and light pink chandelier I found a long time ago at Anthropologie (because who doesn’t LOVE a chandelier in the bathroom??)  I replaced the builder standard mirror with one I found at ReStore and refinished.  We borrowed my brother’s miter saw and my husband put chair rail up.  I also added additional small, distressed mirrors to reflect light in the room and make it feel bigger.

I needed some clean, simple artwork to add character without a lot of fuss.  I remembered I had these two frames sitting in my garage.

I took some fabric scraps (a leftover printed fabric from a failed project and a bit of burlap) and framed them.  With a gallery mat, anything looks like art. 

 Next, I painted this fleur-de-lis iron door knocker with Annie Sloan Chalk paint in Pure White.  I distressed it a bit, mounted it on the wall beside the sink, and hung a hand towel from it.

It went from being my “blah” room to being my favorite.  Stay tuned for a beadboard wallpaper tutorial!  (I LOVE this stuff.)

By Courtney Ronay of Southern Nest

When we moved into our home, I knew there were some things I wanted to change.  For instance: this builder standard light fixture.

I mean, it was ok…at some point I actually liked it.  It was just…so…standard? I certainly didn’t love it and therefore, it had to go.  So, I hunted for a replacement.  I found this old thing at the ReStore (for $5) and decided to give it new life by sprucing it up (similar to my nursery chandelier.)

I bought a ceiling medallion from a hardware store and the hubs put it up for me.  (Don’t you know he LOVED me taking pictures of him doing all of this?!?  In this picture, he literally was saying “WHAT are you doing?!?”  Taking his pic midsentence makes it look like he is happily smiling while putting it up, so I’ll go with that one instead.)

I gave the sad little chandelier new life with a few coats of white spray paint.  Mr. CLN hung it with help from his Mini Me.

And ta-daaaaa!

 I chose a white silk cord cover from Pottery Barn Kids for an elegant touch.  Pottery Barn (not PBK) also has cord covers, but only in ivory.  I needed a pure white.

I also went with the Universal Mini Shades from PBK.   Why?  They were less expensive than the ones at Pottery Barn, yet had the same look.

I’m all about contrasting features when it comes to decorating.  (Black counters with white cabinets, chippy white furniture with glamourous accessories…… the list could go on and on.)  In this case, I LOVE the simplicity of the plain ceiling medallion (the beaded edge gives it a bit of a “Cottage in the Hamptons” vibe) paired with the glamour of the silk, ruched cord cover. Mixing contrasts creates such an interesting look and gives it an elegant feel.

Also keeping the lampshades a simple, clean white lets the eye choose one place to rest.  One of the lights on the chandelier is a little cockeyed, but, eh, who cares.  It gives it character??? 

And of course, a new light fixture deserves an equally fresh centerpiece.  I put one of my moss wreaths at the base of a huge hurricane filled with hydrangeas, and fell in love instantly.

See?  It doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg to replace a light fixture…and you can make EXACTLY what you want.

By Courtney Ronay of Southern Nest