The older home we purchased several years ago was traditional bright white, inside and out. The only other color was the greyish-blue roof and pale blue edging. Perhaps the most fun project so far is the main bathroom. There was no storage cabinet for linens and the vanity area that housed the sink was dull and dingy. My husband and daughter found a beautiful tall white cabinet to put together. My brother and I washed down the walls and vanity and used putty to fill and blend holes in the walls.
Next, we cut a section out of the wall to put a thick glass-filled panel so light would dimly shine into the other room, alerting guests someone was using the bathroom. Boards hold and separate the thick glass squares, which maintain privacy. I put some decals from a favorite movie on some blocks to add a cheerful feeling to the room.
My brother removed the torn, aged linoleum. We covered the sink, mirrors and tub with paper. A tarp covered the toilet and its plumbing. The men taped newspaper over other areas not destined for paint while the women removed the outlet and light plates. I pried the baseboard off and used a brush to paint it separately.
My brother and I chose a bright white acrylic paint for the ceiling, side and front walls and a mid-green acrylic for the back wall. We put two layers on, since there was no clue when the house was last painted. We used a large roller with a lot of nap to paint the cabinet. It turned out great. The green wall, painted last, was doubtful at first, since it looked so dark. It was perfect after it dried. We used white enamel on the door, which swung out and was easier to paint that way.
The birch-white floating wood panels were easy to put in since we had installed flooring like that several times in the past. Back on went the baseboard and outlets. All chrome got a special shine. The new cabinet went to the corner. I found a perfect shower curtain with greens and blues to match the new scheme.
The amazing part is that with sales and clearance prices, the total cost was $180. The work performed was a labor of love, done free. The DIY bathroom project was quite enjoyable.