Vintage Inspired Powder Room

...because St. Patrick's Day is coming up, I thought I'd put up a few pictures of what became our green guest powder room. This room was not a pretty sight when we moved here, it was too small for the enclosed tub and shower and cabinet that housed the small sink. The 17 years of this being the only bath room on the 2nd. floor main level, I can tell you it was a drag at 2am, when I would find it occupied and have to inch my way down the stairs in the dark to use the facility! Why sooo much green, besides my being an eco-friendly kinda gal, it all started with the painted early 1900's Globe Wernicke lawyers bookcase and of course because green is the color of rebirth and renewal, and if ever a room needed renewing, this was it.Now , I sometimes get carried away and think that if it's worth doing it's worth over doing, this may be one of those times, but I'm not tired of it just yet! I started this, to show you that decorating on a budget can be fun and rewarding, besides, you get to make the rules. If you love it, your family will too, and that's all that matters!The only things in the room new out of the box, are the sink, toilet, wall lamps, wall paper and tile floor. The shutters, mirror, and all accessories are from antiques stores, flea markets, garage and estate sales. The lawyers bookcase came from an auction house that I used to go to. The mirror over the sink is from the Empire Period , early 19th Century and is called an Ogee Mirror. I picked it up for about $40.00 because it was in such poor condition. Typically, they were made of pine and covered with mahogany veneer, over time the veneer gets damaged and no one wants to repair them.....that's where I come in, I love the pine underneath.I take the mirror out and float the wood frame in very warm water to soften the glue so I can scrape off the veneer, clean it up a bit and it's gorgeous just as is. I will usually give it a coat of varnish to protect it, put the glass back in and for not much money have a piece of history and a beautiful mirror that is useful and will add charm to any room in the home.I might add that with this mirror I embelished with decopage using flowers from the wallpaper and at the top, which you cannot see, I added the inscription "Nothing Is Impossible". A great thought to start the day!My few family pictures from the 1800's are too scary to display, so I pick up happier looking ones from flea markets and the like, I especially love the ones of children. The bookcase stores extra towels, soap, toilet paper, and of course some of my chosen "Instant Relatives".