Which is to say: This isn’t my greatest video, but, if I didn’t do it then, I was never gonna do it.
In this first of three segments — all about the renovation of my small, 1951 master bathroom — I talk about why I chose beige 4″x4″ field tiles, with white bullnose.
Beige ceramic 4″ x 4″ tile:
- A totally accessible color if tile — available immediately and inexpensively from Home Depot, Lowes and other big box stores…
- An everlasting gobstopper timeless tile color — as is light grey, but I’ve never seen that color stocked on the shelf at Home Depot…
- And it’s super easy to punch up with color via wallpaper or a patterned shower curtain and then, with towels.
Yes, I installed a beige bathroom.
Oh, and this is embarrassing: I swear I cleaned the bathroom. But, the yellow cast of light is making the floor grout look pukier than it really appears in real life. And, crikey, I need to figure out how to really clean the non-skid surface of the Kohler tub, which turned that kind of bottom-of-your-feet color within a month of installation and which I’ve never been able to get white again. Anyone? Bueller?
Two more Beige Bathroom videos to come:
- My Beige Bathroom: Features I Like
- My Beige Bathroom: Things I’d Do Differently
Jay says
Pam, the bathroom looks great. I am a fan of beige; easy on the eyes and not as harsh as white. The walls and accessories can be any color you like and it’s wasier to change them then the tile on the walls.
What does Kolher say about cleaning the tub? Since it’s porcelain bleach probably won’t hurt. I will have to remember to think about the non-skid finish when it comes tine to rip out the blue steel tub. I like your med. cabinet; looks like a kolher I saw at Lowes. Unfortunately I did nor have the clearance i needed in the existing opening. Great job all around! Congrats on a job well done!
Lynne says
I’d try the Magic Eraser on the tub first, but get the one especially made for the bathroom. My mom always kept the tub and sinks nice and clean and fresh using liquid bleach. She put just enough water to cover the bottom surface-2 or 3 inches is good. Then, she poured in some good old Clorox. Not a lot, judge the amount on the size of your sink or tub. A cup or so. Just leave it sit for a while, then unplug. Cleans, disinfects, sweetens up the drain/disposal, and its simple.
Pam, that wallpaper is great. Unless its moldy, I’d try sticking it back up. They make all kinds of wallpaper fix-its. The last I bought was to re -glue seams. It was in a handy squeezey tube. it worked very well.
Jordanna says
Found this very encouraging.
You see… I always feel odd about it amidst the pinks and aquas and so on… but I really like soft white tile in bathrooms, with wallpaper that picks up some of the white but has another colour (or three) involved.
Not that I am a fan of colorlessness… but painting the walls or changing the shower curtain is just so much less scary (or expensive) than changing tile. And so many great wallpapers have white or cream or beige in them.
Chase says
Pam, the bathroom looks great! I think that the wallpaper really makes the room.
As for the cleaning of the tub: I usually use a granulated/powdered cleaner for the textured spots, like Ajax or Comet, because the little granules are able to get down into the crevices and scrub at the dirt. Secondly, I’d suggest a circular motion with a scrub brush; a back and forth motion only cleans from two directions. If you think of the area that you are trying to clean as a small depression, a back and forth motion would simply have the bristle cleaning the north and south walls of the depression, while a circular motion would have the bristle cleaning all walls of the depression.
Chase says
Also, I’d suggest using very hot water for the cleaning. It will help with breaking up any residue/oil from skin, since the bottom of the tub is probably acting a little like a pumice stone.
lynda says
Ajax and Comet will scratch off the finish and make the tub more porous and harder to clean. Bar Keepers Friend and Bon Ami can be used when other methods fail. Keeping the porcelain shiny and new is the goal!
JamieAbe says
Ooo, I love that wallpaper! The paper peeling around the shower is a very common thing. You could definitely repair that very easily unless your just ready for a change. You can buy small containers of wallpaper paste at Lowes still, I believe. You can take a dab of paste, mix it with a little water and dab it behind you paper and smooth it back up on the wall. A very quick fix! I need to start a vintage wallpaper collection like yours. That could get me into trouble.
lynda says
I agree that the paper could be fixed. Also, make sure you leave your exhaust fan on long enough to remove all the steam from the bathroom. The paper and the tile look very nice. Some fans have a timer on them. I read the other day that the fan should stay on an hour after a steamy shower. Also, make sure the fan is ducted to the outside, and not just the attic.
lexavline says
A friend swears that vinegar works…
lynda says
I have heard this works, but have not tried–sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda on bottom of tub and then pouring vinegar over the baking soda so it fizzes and then scrubbing the tub.
Sherree says
Oh that wallpaper is so cool. I can’t wait to see the rest.
And your dress is adorable 🙂
lynda says
I was going to suggest the magic eraser too. I also used to use the liquid detergent for dishwashers. I would spread it on and then put wet towels over the bottom of the tub and then left the towels overnight. I then rinsed the tub in the morning. You could try bar keepers friend. Also, a water softener in the house really helps with the cleaning of bathrooms, dishes, and clothes. We have city water that is not that hard, and I have found that the water softener still makes a big difference. My daughter said she rinses and dries the bottom of the tub after every use and that has stopped the problem. She used the dishwasher detergent and the magic eraser to clean the bottom before she started with the daily drying routine
Bonnie says
The only way that I know to clean the bottom of a tub such as yours (which is the way that I clean my 35 year old tub) is to wet the bottom and coat with good old fashioned Comet cleanser and work in with a Dobie sponge. The Dobie is nylon and does a great job. Allow the Comet paste that you have created to sit on the tub bottom (be sure to cover all the areas that you want cleaned) and leave for several hours. Scrub again with the Dobie sponge and rinse. Works every time.
hannah says
I ADORE Dobie sponges!!! My Mom used them in the 70s, and I continue the tradition. Never thought of using them in the bathroom (especially since they’ve become so expensive IMHO) but for dishes, I use NOTHING else.
pam kueber says
Yes, they are my favorites. I actually have a story, sitting in draft status for months, about them!
Morag says
Spray with any cleaner you like, let it set a minute or two, then use a magic eraser type sponge. Wet the sponge, wring it out like a regular sponge, hold the sponge flat in the palm of your hand, and rub the floor with an even steady pressure. Rinse the sponge as it gets goopy. Use a little diluted bleach at the end if it seems helpful.
Don’t get a death grip on the sponge with your fingers and put a lot of pressure on one corner. (Which is what the picture on the package shows. It’s wrong. Ignore it except as an example of what not to do. It’ll tear holes in the sponge and you won’t get your shower floor clean.)