BOHEMIAN NECESSARY ROOM

HOW TO HAVE A FUNKY FABULOUS CHIPPY BATHROOM

So you want a "fun" bathroom with a signature theme of Bohemia, shabby chippy and your own personal touch.  No problem....well except... if you have a man around the house, he will not be happy or impressed.  Okay then,  you must have a bathroom which is strictly your own to start with or a fella who loves you so much that he will look past all the funky little things we chippy girls like so much.

I call my little bit of private paradise The Necessary Room.  It is absolutely necessary that I have my own little space to get up close and personal with a hundred year old claw foot tub..full of bubbles and lovely scented oils, of course.

THE SINK OF MANY COLORS

I found this sink years ago and have moved it around with me many times until I found the perfect old table to "sink" it into for the best pairing ever.  If you do not want a conventional vanity area then I suggest you look for an old table, buffet or sideboard which will work with a sink, faucets and all the plumbing "stuff" needed. This table has only one shelf which I have used fabric to hide all the "girly" necessities.  I sanded the table top, stained it to a color I liked and then coated it with several coats of polyurethane.  The final step is to put a really good coat of paste wax on the top after the poly has cured a day or two.  I think a copper or zinc sink would look nice also. I just happened to love the  hand painted colors in mine.  It is not as durable as a metal sink, so I have to be somewhat careful of dropping anything heavy into it.
My Necessary Room is long and narrow.  I am compelled to fill up every bit of space in all my rooms and also on most of my walls.  This little narrow hide-a-way is no different.

LOVING ALL THINGS SHABBY AND CHIPPY

I love the pure chippiness of this cabinet. Since there are no built ins in my room, I must use other means of storage.  Oh, I hate that. What fun to find just the right piece to hold all my absolutely necessary products, towels and who knows whats!

This fabulous very old little cabinet once had another life at The Railway Express.  I am betting it is happier with me.

Bath salts, body butters and soaps never had such a cute hiding place.

RUB A DUB DUB TUB

Recycled old tile makes a nice foundation for my ancient and extremely heavy claw foot tub. I found this gem of a tub in Dallas when a developer decided to demolish an old house.  Buying a tub like this is one thing, hauling it home is another story. It took a little doing but mission was accomplished.
First thing I did was to give  it a thorough cleaning. Next I painted the outside a rich coat of gold water resistant paint. If you buy an old tub like this make sure you have all the plumbing parts or know where to get them. I searched the web and finally found a shower kit which would work for me.  I wanted an old fashioned  shower set up. If you don't want a shower, then just make sure you have the faucets. 

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

I wanted one of my walls to look like an old European brick wall.  To do this effect you can use half bricks or Z Brick.  Plaster or any number of wall treatments will work to bed your bricks into. The thing about something like this is that you can do it anyway you desire. Whatever look you are going after can be done. Do it your way. I wanted mine to look old and somewhat dilapidated.

I chose to faux finish my other three walls. This operation took quite some time.  I bought the colored glazes at Lowe's and mixed and matched until I got the colors I wanted.  I first painted all the walls ( which were textured like a mild to thick stucco) a  warm green.  I added three layers of glaze, letting them dry in between coats.  I used  gold, bronze and copper glazes. I used scrunched up plastic bags to manipulate the wet glazes.  I also used a bit of antiquing glaze for an aged finish look.  I did this about nine years ago and have yet to tire of the look.  Still love it.

I LOOK BEST IN CANDLELIGHT

My lighting is old and funky too. I have sconces on each side of my mirror and one overhead chandelier which at one time was a hall light used in a much fancier home. I love almost any light as long as it isn't fluorescent!

Stained glass always offers an interesting element to any room. This particular piece sits above my tub and the ledge holds clear perfume bottles.  Candlelight reflects beautifully off stained glass.

I AM IN LOVE WITH OLD DOORS

 

The door to my "Necessary Room" is an old barn door.  I and a friend dismantled an old barn/shed years ago just to get the cool old doors. I have also moved this door (and many others) with me through the years.  I found the hinges somewhere.  Don't remember where.

I left the original handle on the door.  There is no lock, but since the man in my house has his own Necessary Room, I have no worries about sharing.

I rarely use anything in the way it was originally intended.  I use this coat hanger hook to show off a print I really like.  It is mounted to the inside of the entry door.

WHEN I GET OLD I SHALL WEAR PURPLE

I usually am more of a muted color person, but in this Bohemian room I chose to use lots of bright colored glass. This pretty vase sits next to an artsy  photograph my granddaughter took of me one day when we were goofing off. I like it when a room doesn't have a firm theme.  I may use many ideas, themes and items totally unrelated in one room's atmosphere.

You can see the reflection of many colors in my mirror.  I also used very old crown moldings in this room.  I found a stash of solid wood, hand carved moldings and chose to use them throughout my home. You can a glimpse of one under the window. The window is an old window found at a home recycled place. I had it turned sideways.  I like things a little sideways too:-)

TASSEL NO HASSLE

I love to drape and tassel everything, except curtains!  Go figure.
Thanks for taking this Bohemian tour with me.  I think everyone should do whatever their heart tells them to do with their own personal decorating touch.  I am not one for fashion rules.  Get in touch with your Gypsy spirit and let it fly!

MOONLIGHT AND DAYDREAMS

MOON RISING BRINGS QUIET BEAUTY

As the yellow disk takes her place in the night sky, magic spreads in all the glorious crevices hidden by the brightness of day. Shadows play to the melody of crickets sharpening their instruments for their nightly concert.
A thing of beauty gradually opens with the perfume of sweet lemons, offering me to sit and reflect on my dreams of the day past.

Before she allows her full beauty to take my breath away she shows me that tightly wound objects will unfold if only given grace. Being wound like a spring myself, this nightly ritual gives me hope for a warm dose of grace to be shed upon my weary racing mind.

She is now announcing her glory for all who pass by her garden home.  I take a moment to lean my head her way, she allows me to take in her perfume and my tightly wound spring like mind calms to her symphony.

All join in for a chorus of hallelujahs lifting heads to the Most High. I follow with an out of tune version of "Harvest Moon", which always makes me smile knowing soon Autumn will bless us with cooler temperatures and  a bounty of oranges, reds and golds.  My lovely moonflower will go to sleep soon, but I am assured she will poke her stunning head out of the cold winter ground again come April. I gather her seeds to share with friends who have yet to know her ability to unwind a spring loaded gardener's mind.

DAYDREAMER

I am watching a fabulous sunset, digging my toes into warm sand, but I am remembering my daydreams of walking cool mountain paths, drinking hot coffee, smelling crisp pine needle laden air and looking for my friend, Moon, to rise to the challenge of making a beach moonrise outshine a midnight mountain rendezvous.

 

Standing beside this fast flowing mountain river, I am daydreaming of warm beaches, golden sunsets and moonrises over the ocean.  I guess you could say I am a bit fickle, certainly not discontent. Perhaps just a big daydreamer who loves it all and wants to experience the moon rising from all of nature's points of view. ---at once! Well for sure, I am most blessed and will go sit under these trees and contemplate tomorrows daydream.

Can you smell the pine needles, the salt of the ocean breeze and the warm sand between your toes? I can and as I leave this keyboard and head out to my moonflowers, I give you.........

A fragrant evening full of hope, promises of rich memories and daydreams to soothe your tightly wound mind. Let your spirit fly, your imagination soar and your arms receive love, give love..repeat...