Guest Post: Tiny Half Bath Reno

hey y'all! we're on vacation and doing our best to pick up on those laid back cali vibes 😎 (as soon as we leave disney lol) but in the meantime, i've got a guest post from amy of life on hill st. amy is a fellow design lover who is in the midst of a home renovation with two little kids. aka a saint! she actually approached me a month or so ago and her timing couldn't have been better! after i looked at her site, i quickly knew what i wanted to hear more about - her teeny half bath from the hill st house. it's a good one. thank you amy!!

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Hello all! This is Amy from Life On Hill Street and I'm super excited to be guest blogging for Meredith today! She asked me to write a short post about a bathroom renovation I did on my last house. I honestly didn't write enough about it at the time so I'm thrilled to have the opportunity now!

A few years ago, my husband and I bought a 150-year-old Dutch Colonial and decided to do a DIY renovation/restoration of the whole thing. One of the coolest projects we did (and the only one we outsourced to the pros) was our half bathroom.

Like most old houses, ours didn't come with a bathroom on the first floor. It was pretty much a no-brainer that we would add one, there was just the problem of where to put it. Although we didn't have adjoining neighbors, our house was essentially a tiny, three-story row house and space on the first floor was at a premium. After much consideration and an, "are you sure about that?" comment from our realtor, we decided to rip out the entry hall closet and make it a bathroom.

Easier said than done.

The closet was 3 1/2' by 3'. After plumbing and framing went it, the entire room was less than 10 square feet! This of course created some design challenges, and the nagging worry that once everything was installed, nobody would be able to fit inside! Luckily, I found this amazing toilet from Toto where the tank system hangs in the wall between 2x4s. And I found a tiny European sink (similar to this one) that was so small I originally thought it was a water fountain!

The finishing touches included black and white penny tile on the floor, glossy black bead board half way up the walls and fun Scalamandre zebra wallpaper in Serengeti green.

I knew the bathroom would make a statement simply because it was so small, so I thought I would add to the fun by including some memorable paper. I'm always finding wallpapers, patterned tile or dramatic paint colors that I love, but simply couldn't commit to having everywhere. So when I have a small, relatively confined, space I tend to take bigger risks with the design.

In the end, we got a lot of compliments on the "tiny" bathroom. Even the inspector came back and took extra pictures to show future renovators what they can do with a closet. Mostly though, we were just happy to have an extra bathroom in a more convenient location.

...ok, and we liked the wallpaper too!

To read more about the mini half bathroom project check out this post, or this one! 

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thank you again amy, i love what you did with this closet and the design choices! 

Guest Post: Wonderful Ways With Wallpaper

guest post today from arcadian home. i had heard of their lighting store but didn't know that they sell all kinds of stuff! hope you likey :)

Hi, all. It's Joanna Crain here from Arcadian Home blog, a fantastic place to find lots of interior design inspiration for using decorative accessories and an array of light fixtures from fabulous contemporary floor lamps to crystal chandeliers. I'm so happy to be with you here at View From My Heels with a guest post about wonderful ways to use wallpaper.

To inspire your wallpaper dreams, I've pulled together eight images of rooms with wallpaper as a design element. From the charming look of Chinoiserie to contemporary metallic, they all illustrate wonderful ways with wallpaper. Enjoy! 



In a traditional application, a pretty green and black Thibaut wallpaper is seen here covering the walls. For a pulled together look, the Chinoiserie pattern is repeated in the textile used for the long drapery panels.

 

Wallpaper has been cut to provide a charming "birds on branches" background for a decorative plate display. What a clever DIY idea!

 

Retro wallpaper is perfect for a Mid-Century modern living room. White furnishings look pretty against the green and white vintage-look wallpaper.

 

Another wonderful way to use wallpaper is seen in a traditional dining area. Lining the backs of shelves with a geometric patterned paper can bring a space to life and make the found objects, books and decorative accessories in the bookcase pop.

 

A contemporary gold and silver metallic wallpaper is used very successfully on one wall of this pretty bedroom. From the chunky black-framed mirror to the deep yellow buffet lamps with silver trimmed black shades on either side of the bed, this chic space is nicely tied together.

 

 This white on white library wallpaper has become one of my favorites. It's very versatile and can be seen around the blog world in living rooms, dining rooms and libraries (of course.) Recently, I ran across a project board for a wonderful nursery that included this wallpaper - unexpected but gorgeous.

 

A lovely brown and white David Hicks wallpaper takes this unassuming entryway to another design level. Creating a wonderful contrast between chocolate and pure white, then adding a single red chair is brilliant in its simplicity.

 

A deep turquoise wall provides a beautiful backdrop for an array of framed wallpaper samples in bright hues pulled from the room's color palette. This eclectic dining space is topped off by a sleek contemporary glass pendant light.

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

What do you think about these wallpapered spaces? Leave us your thoughts below and be sure to stop by our website for more home decor, lighting and interior inspirations!

thanks joanna! i think the david hicks vase wallpaper is my fav!

Guest Post: Design Shuffle

i was so excited when design shuffle reached out to me about doing a guest post on vfmh! and as you'll see, this post is very apropos for what's going on in my life right now :) thanks to the design shuffle team for some great inspiration! enjoy! ...

Hi, all! I'm Mari, a writer for Design Shuffle, the fantastic social networking site where interior designers share their work and design enthusiasts find decorating ideas and inspiration for their projects. As a writer for Design Shuffle, I'm so excited to be visiting with you at view from my heels to share some of my favorite rooms. Today, we're going to explore bedrooms for two or more kids - very appropriate since Meredith has beautiful twin boys in the house. Creating a comfortable room for two, three or more is a challenge for both designers and parents. However, the results, like the eight we're sharing here, often show us they're up for the task and leave us in awe of their creativity and resourcefulness. Please enjoy!   

 

This crisp blue and white room would work beautifully for boys or girls. Bunk beds were chosen to allow room for comfy seating on the opposite wall. I love the combination of stripes and checks and the custom pendant light.

   

By fitting two beds and overhead storage on one wall, there's plenty of room for play in the rest of the space. Of course, as with bunk beds, safety measures for toddlers might have to be taken with that cute little ladder.

   

A bedroom space any mother could love, it's chic and offers lots of toy storage. The color palette is bright and cheerful, while the tall draped window adds a touch of grown-up charm.

 

It seems red and blue is a perennial favorite in interior designs for children's rooms. This open airy space can easily grow with the kids from toddler to teen room.

   

What a charming coastal feel this bedroom has. Again, we see the benefit of placing both beds on one wall, this time with a center divider that allows for a bit more privacy.

   

This lovely room seems fit for royalty, two little princes or princesses. With a formal feel, it's still comfortable and child friendly. I love the simple, but elegant canopies.

   

An inspired design for quadruplets, this one is quite adorable. The beds are charming, the upholstered benches offer cool storage and the oversized animals want to follow me home.

   

Soft pastels are perfect for this unique beach cottage style bedroom design for four. I love the cool minty color of the window trim. 

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

Which kid room is your favorite? If you check out Design Shuffle here, there are even more great ideas and inspiration to decorating your kid's rooms!