7.20.2007

my new bathroom needs your help

i'm moving into a new place soon and although i'm extremely excited about it there is one huge designer challenge looming over my head.
the main guest bath is covered in what i consider the least attractive tiles ever. they are in great condition, and vintage 1960's style, so i can't complain there. but i'm not exactly a fan of pink (i really don't like it actually. and, no, the irony isn't lost on me), so it already had that against it, but the accent backsplash tiles are pretty unfortunate too.
i'm renting so there is only so much i can do. but i am so baffled by the challenge that i don't know where to start. that's why i'm reaching out to you all today with this major designer challenge.
i can paint some nice shade of taupe on the walls to tone down the white-pink contrast. i can go for a parisian-vintage theme and try to live-it-up in a think-pink way. but honestly all i want to do is paint over the top of all of the tiles and start with a neutral clean slate.
have any of you ever painted tiles? how did that turn out for you?
any great ideas for other ways i can solve this conundrum?
please help a design girl in distress!

{the shower ~ nice pepto-pink & white combo}


{the vanity ~ stained wood base with white tile countertop, pink surrounding tiles and a backsplash that really deserves a close-up ......}

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{the close up ~ teal & periwinkle little daisies on an off-white background, surrounded by the pink abyss. sigh. i guess i just need to increase my appreciation for the 1960's bathroom design aesthetic}

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{this is a pink tiled bathroom i re-vamped for a house flip project. the 1950's tiles had to stay for budget reasons but i painted the walls & changed out the fixtures to modernize it. this i could certainly live with. but my new bath has those contrasting backsplash tiles too. yikes!}

8 comments:

Calie Durant said...

I feel your pain! Have you tried talking to your landlord? When we moved into our apartment, our bathroom needed a vanity and storage. There was underutilized space that was silly to ignore. We ended up asking our landlord if we could revamp it a bit. We told him our plans and he agreed to it. I think it was because we approached it as a benefit to his property. The only caution here is not to go over board on the fixings that you spend too much money on someone else's property. Or ask for a rent discount to cover expenses. Yes, you can paint tile, I've seen it done before. If you google it you will find out the best way to do it. What about brightening up the cabinetry below the sink as well?

Anonymous said...

Hi!
I abhore pink as well - and once rented an otherwise great apartment with a flesh pink bathroom.

I just threw a lot of white at it to tone it down. I wish I had thought of this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32724560@N00/773849757/
You could have some real fun with yours - by copying the mod daisy design.

Another woman with a pink tile bathroom, (tiles halfway up the walls with a kitchy black border tile) painted the upper walls black. I'd go for black and white stripes over solid black.

Currently, I have the sherbert version of the same tiles http://www.flickr.com/photos/singleclickchick2/306336772/in/set-72157594392114578/ and I love it!

Unknown said...

Personally I don't mind the pink, but the backsplash is less than attractive. You could just do something with the backsplash, say, installing white tiles instead to tone the whole pink thing down, or go with a service like "Miracle Method" that refinishes tubs as well as tiles as long as they are in good condition. They can also do any color you like (although white is cheapest). You can't use harsh abrasives, but it works quite well (had it done on my tub and it looks new) and is durable enough for day to day use.

DomesticDiva said...

I just saw a program addressing this same exact dilemma on HGTV last week, I thnk the show was Designed to Sell or Buy Me

What they did was used BOLD complemenary and contrasting colors (reds, blues/ purples) in the shower curtain and acessories to take the focus away from the pink tile and more on the way the color bring life ot the room. It came out amazing!

studio wellspring said...

thank you SO much for all the great ideas everyone (emailed & blog-commented). i really appreciate it. i'll keep you posted on what i end up doing ~ mostly depends on how much my landlord will let me do. thanks again, anj

Sally Deck said...

Oh dear god, those back splash tiles are awful! I actually dig the pink (I had a pink sink in my old house and totally loved it!) I vote to paint the walls a soft taupe and then add some black or some dark brown accents(depending on which matches the pink better). I also vote for painting the cabinetry white.

Anonymous said...

according to
http://www.askthebuilder.com/651_Painting_Ceramic_Tile.shtml
"The only tile I would never paint is that ceramic tile within a shower or above a bathtub. The high levels of moisture in these areas cause most paints to peel from ceramic tile in a short amount of time."

If I were you, I'd paint the backsplash and vanity countertop and cabinet a shade of ecru. Then use brown or deep beige on the walls. Liven it up with some interesting textiles and artwork. Embrace the pink tile--I wouldn't throw lots of money at it in a rental.

backsplash tiles said...

I like the flower design and colors, very bright to the eyes..