kids' bathroom makeover

My amazingly talented friend Abby was here a few weeks ago, working her magic in my kids' bathroom.  I only wish I had "before" pictures to show you so you could be even more blown away by how she transformed the space.

The inspiration started with the shower curtain that I got at Target.  I thought it was perfect for a girl/boy bathroom.  Gender neutral, yet fun.

So she took that and ran with her own creative ideas.  

Just look at those darling owls above the shower.  She personalized them with the kids' favorite colors and eye color.  Although we can't quite tell what color Tate's eyes are going to be for sure yet... right now they're kinda bluish/greenish/hazel.  But we can always repaint his owls's eyes once we figure it out!

And yes, I do realize that my kids' initials spell out "ATM."  If only they did flow with cash instead of squeezing it out of me.  Ha.

I also replaced the hardware, which had before been the cheapest-looking fixtures I've ever seen.  And I was lucky enough to get new towel bars on huge clearance for just $4.75 each!

I thought this toothbrush holder fit the bathroom's theme just perfectly.  

Plus, the kids love it.

It was Abby's ingenious idea to put up a picture of the kids, and she painted the frame for me on the spot.

 This light fixture was previously shiny brass (which I don't care for), so I spray painted it a metallic black to match the new hardware.

And the tree.  Oh, the tree!  

Complete with it's own little critters.

I also needed this tree to serve a purpose, holding the kids' hooded bath towels.  So, I found these funky hooks from heliotrope.  I ordered the pink ones, thinking they'd be fun for the girls, but once they arrived, I didn't like the shade.  They were very "pepto-bismol" looking.  So I painted them purple and yellow, which the girls loved and they complemented the bathroom better too.

(The purple one still needs one more coat of paint...)

And Chad made this darling birdhouse hook for Tate's towel.  It's so nice having a handy husband.

And, here it is serving it's purpose.  Although I like the look much better without the towels.  Maybe it would help if I replaced the pink-polka dotted towel with one that matched better.

So there it is, folks!  The best part was Addie's reaction when she came home from school that day.  She was so happy, she just giggled and giggled.  The only downside is that the kids love their new bathroom so much, that it's hard to get them out of there sometimes... like on school mornings when we're already running late, of course.

Thanks again, Abby!