{31 Days of Coastal Style} 15 Beautiful Beachy Bathrooms

Yesterday I finally worked up the courage to share my very own coastal-themed bathroom. Today, I'm giving a round-up of fifteen more beautiful beach-style bathrooms from across the web!

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These lovely loos prove that coastal style fits with ANY style-- whether cottage, traditional, farmhouse, or even modern!

Which bathroom is your favorite? Do you have a "theme" in your bathroom?

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

P.S.P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

{31 Days of Coastal Style} Beachy Bathroom On a Budget- Reveal!

In most "normal" home tours, they start with  the more public places, like the entryway or the living room, right? Well, I'm definitely not "normal"... LOL. So therefore I start my home tour in the bathroom! But what can I say-- it is one of my favorite rooms in the house, thanks not only to the "beachy" theme, but to the fact that it cost just under $40 to redo!

The greige/taupe wall color was already there when we moved in, but I knew it would work well with the aqua, tan and white beachy color scheme I had in mind! The shower curtain was a Goodwill score. Fabric shower curtains that fit my color scheme are another thing I scoop up whenever I see them, because they make great sources of fabric! (Where else can you get two yards of cute cloth for $2-4?) This one, though, ended up staying in its original form, since its coloring and understated coastal style fit perfectly in here!

The cabinet above the toilet was originally an orangey-oak roadside castoff, so it got a new coat of gloss white-- thanks to my BFF, Rustoleum spray-paint. (Sorry I didn't get any "before" pics-- this was during our mad 2-week rush to finish the house and move in!) I even swapped the dated, plain knobs out for these adorable starfish ones I found at Menards:

The only brand-new purchases I made for this room were these coastal-themed wall plaques. I spotted them at Walmart and knew they were exactly what I needed to bring together the existing wall color and the items that I already owned.

And of course you probably recognize my DIY driftwood "BEACH" sign! Cost: FREE-- my favorite price! ;)

The bath mat is actually a plush rug I found on clearance at Shopko a year or so ago. In our old house, it was in front of the woodstove, covering up the burnt spots where embers from the stove had burned the carpet. Now that we're in our new home, we don't have a woodstove anymore, so the rug found its perfect spot in the bathroom! :)

I tried to keep the "tchotchkes" to a minimum, in order to keep the overall feeling light and airy. The cabinet shelf holds a hand-painted lighthouse/beach scene plaque (found at a local crafts fair), and a starfish I found at a thrift store. :) On the back of the toilet, a garage sale whitewashed tray holds cell phones and pocket paraphernalia when we go to take a shower. 

There are still some things I want to do in here to "take it to the next level". My next goal is to install board and batten in here, just like this, and replace the towel rod with individual hooks (maybe even like these). But for now, I'm happy with it! (And hubby is, too! He usually doesn't comment much on my design choices, but he said several times how much he loves our "light and fresh" bathroom!)

Source/price breakdown:

Shower curtain: thrifted (brand- Fieldcrest Luxury)-- $3.99

Floor mat: Shopko clearance, already owned

Wall cabinet: free, painted with Krylon spray paint in gloss white (2 cans @ 3.68 each)-- $7.36

Starfish knobs: Menards, ($3.24 each)-- $6.48

Wall plaques: Walmart ($3.97 each)-- $15.88

Driftwood sign: DIY-- free

Hand-painted beach scene plaque: craft fair-- $5.00

Starfish: thrifted-- $0.50

Whitewashed tray: rummage sale-- $0.25

TOTAL COST: $39.46

I'd call that a successful budget makeover, wouldn't you? ;)

Have you done any makeovers on a budget lately? Do you splurge on certain items that you know will make a big impact (like I did on the plaques)?

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

P.S.P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

{31 Days of Coastal Style} Maps and Globes and Charts, Oh My!

If you saw yesterday's "modern coastal cottage" tour, you'll know that I have a major crush on all things cartographic! Maps, globes, and nautical charts... they all make me swoon! Here are 10 of my favorite uses for maps and globes in decorating:

1) Frame one large map for a fabulous focal point.

Source: Exceptionally Vintage

2) Hang smaller maps in framed a gallery wall.

Source unknown, pinned here

Source: Country Living

3) Use pushpins to hang maps as wallpaper.

Source: The Inspired Room

4) Make a map-tastic focal wall with a map mural.

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5) Decoupage maps onto bland furniture for a pop of coastal color.

Source: DomesticEase

6) Cover cardboard letters with smaller bits of maps.

Source: Urban Outfitters

7) Maps make fabulous mats for vacation photos!

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8) For a big impact, cluster a collection of globes large and small!

Source: BHG

9) Use a globe that's seen better days as a stylish bowl for decorative accents.

Source: BHG

10) Turn globes into pendant lights.

Source: HomeGoods

Globes are one of the things that I find myself buying whenever I spot them at thrift stores or garage sales. (I've never paid more than $3 for any of them) Right now I have three of them on display on my living room bookshelf!

IMHO, no coastal space is finished without a map or globe or two (or three... or TEN!) For more awesome ideas with all things cartography, check out my Pinterest board!

Do you love maps or globes? What item do you grab whenever you spot it in a store?

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

P.S.P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

{31 Days of Coastal Style} Advice from the Ocean

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"Be shore of yourself." "Come out of your shell." Take time to coast." "Avoid pier pressure." "Sea life's beauty." "Don't get tide down." "Make waves." And I'll add one more oceanic word of wisdom: "Roll with it."

As a kid, I remember being nearly swept out to sea by an unexpected rip tide. My brother and I (we were probably about 12 and 10 at the time, though I don't remember) were swimming along with the rest of my family when an offshore storm started creating a strong rip current. The two of us found ourselves slowly being pulled farther and farther away from the shore.

My mom, an avid swimmer, quickly swam out to where we were, and, calmly but firmly, directed us NOT to swim straight toward the shore-- as our natural instincts were telling us. Instead, she said, to get out of the rip current we had to swim SIDEWAYS, parallel to the shore, till we reached a spot where the current was weaker, and then we could work our way to shore. Working as a team, together the three of us made it safely back to the beach. 

Desktop wallpaper, found here

That day I learned that we had to "roll with" the current, rather than fight against it, or else we would never make it back to shore! Through my whole life, that same lesson has continued to shape my attitude. When unexpected situations pop up, plans are changed at the last minute, or crises arise, fighting against the "tide" rarely produces beneficial results. Rather, as we "roll with" what we are given, cheerfully adapting to our circumstances, we are able to rise above those circumstances!

This is especially easy to do when I know that I'm not the one in control-- God is! "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God; to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) "In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God is Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18) In every situation, no matter how dire, there is something to be thankful for! Find that something, and you have found the key to cheerfully "rolling with it"! 

Desktop wallpaper, found here

Today (or rather, at midnight last night) I was reminded of this again, as hubby, three kids, and I sat by the roadside in our truck, knowing that we had a full eight hours to wait for morning, and the opening of the auto parts stores so that Mr. Superman could replace the fuel pump on our truck. Just now, 23 hours later, we have finally reached our destination-- a trip that normally takes only 5 1/2 hours (hence the late blog post!) :) How very thankful I am that at a young age, I learned this lesson from the ocean: to "roll with the punches" and cheerfully adapt to my circumstances! So many things could have gone wrong today that DIDN'T, we did make it safely to our destination, and we actually enjoyed some special family time along the way!

Desktop wallpaper, found here

Life is an adventure. It may not always be the adventure you expected, but it's always an adventure!

Have you ever learned a valuable lesson from the ocean? Or from any other part of nature? (Psalm 19)

P.S. This week my family and I are attending a conference! While I will do my best to post each day, I will be "rolling with" the circumstances as they happen, which may mean I might miss a day. Rest assured, though, "31 Days of Coastal Style" is still full-steam ahead! :)

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

P.S.P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

{31 Days of Coastal Style} Elements of a Coastal Kitchen

A coastal-style kitchen is one area of the home that DOESN'T require starfish, coral, or even driftwood, to feel beachy!  Here are a few ingredients of a kitchen that says "coastal" to me:

1) White (or light-colored) cabinets

Source: BHG

To me, white cabinetry (or at least light-colored) is one of the "musts" for a beach cottage look! This is the one thing that I don't have in our new apartment, however. :/ Not that I don't love the clean-lined rustic-wood style cabinets that I inherited (that are chock full of cool slide-outs), but it's not my "dream white kitchen" (silly, I know... First World problems!) But just this last week I found out that I might be getting my dream kitchen sooner than I thought! My father-in-law found a full set of the most gorgeous white kitchen cabinets that someone's tearing out of their house (and replacing with a $100,000 kitchen! *gulp*)... so this winter I just might be getting my dream kitchen, thanks to my amazing Superman hubby! Wooo-hooooo!!!!

2) Shiny accents

Source: Country Living

Sleek, silvery cabinet handles and pulls add a touch of shine that's reminiscent of glistening sand and waves! I'm already on the hunt for just the right hardware for my soon-to-be-real dream kitchen! I'm thinking chrome or brushed nickel cup pulls for the drawers, and for the doors maybe bar handles, like the ones above and below...

Source: Aureasf Home

A glossy tile backsplash is also a gorgeous accent that's perfect for a coastal kitchen. This one reminds me of mother-of-pearl!

3) Unique light fixtures

Source: BHG

I big fat puffy <3 everything about this kitchen, but those massive chrome pendants simply take my breath away! This last summer I found a similar pair of Restoration Hardware-look-alike pendants at a rummage sale (you'll never guess how much I paid for them!) that will definitely be going in my dream kitchen!

4) Pops of coastal color

Source: House of Turquoise

Last but not least, pops of blues, aquas, and even seaglass greens are what take a white kitchen from simply "cottage" to "coastal cottage"!

Source: Cultivate

In your opinion, what is the key ingredient to a beachy kitchen? Do you love white cabinetry? Or do you prefer darker natural woods?

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

P.S.P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!