Designing Through Grief | Powder Room Reveal

Well, this may be one of the fastest room makeovers I've ever done! I guess when life feels heavy and unrelenting, it helps to turn my attention to projects. So, today I give you the powder room reveal - a labor of love and grief and trying to create something beautiful out of an otherwise shitty situation (if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out my last post in my Designing Through Grief series).

Honestly, I am pretty dang proud of this transformation. I think it looks beautiful, and I'm proud of the ways I pushed myself to make it happen. I ran into a couple unexpected issues, like figuring out how to cut out the baseboard so the vanity could sit flush with the wall and how to use a jigsaw to cut a notch in the back of the vanity for the plumbing. I plunged in headfirst despite not knowing how to use these tools, and I figured it out. And I reminded myself, once again, that I can do hard things - and not only can I do them, but I am better for doing them!

Unfortunately, I worked a little too fast and too furiously to take any "in progress" pics, so I can't share much about the process of hanging the wallpaper, installing the vanity or the other fixtures. We've got two other bathrooms in this house that need makeovers, so I'll be sure to document those projects more thoroughly in the future. But I know most of you are here for the beautiful after pics, and I definitely have those for ya. So let's get into it.

Presenting...the powder room REVEAL!

Wall Color: SW Ivory Lace | Wallpaper | Vanity | Mirror | Faucet | Light Fixture | Towel Ring

Rattan Leaf Shelf | Toilet Paper Holder | Wicker Waste Basket | Wall Baskets (Home Goods)

Quite an improvement from how it was before, don't you think?

Now that we've gotten through all the oohs and aahs, I want to get real with you guys for a second. This is a series about grief, after all. I've got two thoughts I want to close this post with.

1) I am so grateful for all of the love and support I've gotten these last couple of weeks. Texts, messages, cards, letters, gifts, hugs, well wishes... I've gotten them in spades, and I feel so very loved.

2) To no fault of anybody's, and in spite of this outpouring of support, I feel a bit numb. Some days I feel downright depressed. I'm tired a lot and want to withdraw from the world to avoid having to put on a face that says to the world "I am OK." Because the truth is, I'm not OK. I know eventually the dark clouds will lift and I will adjust to my new reality, but for now I am still very much down in the trenches (and the unending global pandemic isn't helping...). I've got decent coping strategies, and lots of loved ones to lean on, so please don't worry about me. Just know that I am struggling, and probably will be for a while.

But hey, at least I've got a pretty new bathroom to look at, and more rooms to design and breathe life into. So stay tuned for more updates, on design and in grief.

Love,

Sam