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A Dream Come True!
How fortunate am I to get to build my dream addition?! I love the primitive decoration in the bathroom.
Our little home was cozy and compact. Our bedroom was upstairs, small and cramped. Knowing that we aren’t getting any younger, the stairs became a concern. Trips to the bathroom were becoming more frequent. That bathroom wasn’t much bigger than a closet! We decided it was time to move downstairs. We are getting another bathroom and a bigger bedroom in the first floor!
This post probably contains affiliated links. My full disclosure policy is boring, but you can find it HERE.
In the Beginning
Harry gave me the honors of designing the floor plan. OMG! My dream bathroom would have a whirlpool tub big enough for me to stretch out in and a steam shower. Would he go for that? We could have a walk in closet big enough for all our clothes. Our bedroom could accommodate a king size bed. Why not have a 10′ bay window with a window seat enclosed by shelves? I’ll get to the bedroom a little later in Primitive Decorating Ideas.
First thing I did was comb through many Pinterest pins for ideas and finally had the floor plan drawn up. Harry was going to let me have the tub and steam shower. We were going to be able to turn around in the bathroom without touching a wall! No more cracker box area for a bathroom any more!
Using What I Have to Decorate
As I’m sure many of you have done the same, I have a lot of things I’ve collected over the years that I’m not using and are stored away because they are too good to get rid of. I’m going to use them “someday”. My someday finally came for several of my pieces!
I worked at a furniture making plant once and was fortunate enough to get to make and bring home the mirror that hangs over the tub. The mirror had a tiny imperfection that made it unusable for sale and the owner of the plant let me have it. I drug that thing from move to move for several years never finding a good place to use it. When I moved up here, once again, no good place to use it, until now! It wasn’t planned, but fits perfectly over the tub hanging horizontally. Finally get to use my cherry mirror!
While shopping the thrift stores, I scored the shelf for $3! I cleaned it up and another perfect fit right under my mirror. I painted one side of some wood blocks and glued stars on them. They have served in several tablescapes throughout the house, but found their permanent place here on the shelf. The votive that I bought at a yard sale for 50 cents have battery tea lights in them that run on a timer. Night time in the bathroom is twinkly!
Picture of a dove, had for many years and it just happened to be matted in the same color we painted the bathroom. Totally unplanned, but worked out wonderfully! The lantern and the frog on the tub were birthday present
Dress Things Up
My lace curtain is a nice frame to the view outside; flowers or snow, it’s a pretty sight. There is a roller blind for guest who are shy! We leave it up all the time because it sets down away from the road. No one can see in really. There’s not a lot of traffic up here anyway! My marble covered sun catcher frame glistens in the sun. Learn how to make one here.
On a few trips back home to Indiana, I stopped at the Tamarack in West Virginia and was drawn to the woodworkers pieces. These turned vases made from chestnut posts are among some of my most prized possessions! Stick a few pip berries in them and flank the wicker box my daughter Sara gave me for my birthday one year, it’s great.
My goal was to make the bathroom feel like a woodland stream, so you must have some animals, right? That little bunny has been with me for 20 years. My grandson Matthew broke one of the ears when he was a baby, which was perfectly alright because that precious boy could do NO wrong! First grandchild. There are also a few swans hanging around. A co-worker from my lumber days made the bench from wormy oak. I had it outside for several years and it weathered beautifully. To the right out of the picture is a bark box I picked up at a yard sale for $3. I store towels in it. You can see it in the photo at the top.
Love Primitive Decoration in the Bathroom
I tend to be cheap, not buying any decoration items that cost more than $30. You can bet I can’t live without out it if I spend that much on something! I prefer to wander the thrift stores for treasures and finds then use them to decorate. Our bathroom is a blend of both with the addition of things I already had collected.
Wall sconces were $1 a piece. The shelf was $12. Everything on the shelf, I had here. Tied the rusty bells on twine for a primitive look and I made the fabric star in the middle. I have quite a collection of small houses that seemed to go well on the ledge.
My fancy grandma had the ice cream chair in her bathroom so I’m carrying on the tradition. A well aged doily holds a twig basket for washrags and a tarnished silver creamer (maybe) holds a grungy tea candle. Top it off with a strand of pip berries and it works as a fancy. little focal point.
Down the Hall
One of the first primitive things I made when I came here was the star that hangs in the hallway to the bathroom. I say I made it, but Harry cut the strips I had and put it together. I set it out in the weather and waited for it to turn grey. Put a strand of pip berries and a checked fabric bow on to finish it. It’s hung several places in the house also, but will be staying here for a good while I suspect! More of my small house collection sit on the ledge that lead you to my nail keg barrel. My good friend Angie put the burlap, fabric and rusty star on it and gave it to me for my birthday. My grandson Bryce and I cut the woolly buggers and I think they are perfect in the barrel.
So what do you think? Pretty good to not have spent much money to decorate. Granted I had some good stuff already, but don’t you also? How are you going to use those put away pieces? Do you have a thrift store find your proud of? Share them in the comment section below. I’d love to see your projects!
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