Last night, I started a fun DIY project at the lake house. If you have a very good memory and have been reading here since 2010, you may remember this post, in which I wrote about my mother-in-law’s idea for wainscoting made from vintage yardsticks. (Go read it! I’ll wait.) Seeing as how I’m up here for 3 weeks and this project falls squarely in my skill set, I’m taking it on.
Here’s what the bathroom (powder room, really) looked like before.
Here’s the view from outside the room.
The yardsticks are going up today!
Comments
35 responses to “The Lake House Bathroom, Before”
Ok seriously that bathroom is beyond cute and that room! What a beautiful place to spend the next 3 weeks! You’re one lucky girl!
Looking forward to seeing the finished result! Also: that tree stump sink is a gem.
Isn’t it? It’s a OOAK vintage oddity.
I would find myself going in there just to hang out with that sink. The little mice are cute and totally my sense of humor in decorating. Can’t wait to see the yard stick treatment.
I’m glad someone spotted the mice!
Oh my gosh that is going to be seriously cute! I wonder if what I’m picturing is what you are doing because I don’t know where you could get that many yard sticks.
Can’t wait to see it!
We have a LOT of yardsticks to work with.
Oh my gosh… that sink is amazing! Like Laurie, I’m also wondering where you found enough vintage yard sticks… I can’t wait to see!
My mother-in-law has been collecting them from flea markets and the like for years with this project in mind!
What a wonderful idea! Can’t wait to see how it turns out. :)
I can’t wait to see it!! It’s such a unique idea! And I’m glad to see you aren’t leaving your DIY brain at home! A new place with new projects is always fun. :)
Let us pause and admire that sideboard outside the bathroom though…. it’s pretty remarkable.
I want that thing so badly.
It’s seriously boss. It looks like the ones in antique stores that are amazing, but are never for sale.
That sink! It is amazing. I want one.
What an awesome place! The MIL is awesome. Have fun with the project!
jbhat
My mom is a yardstick junkie and I can’t wait to tell her about this! She’s a landscape architect turned high school teacher and it would look great in her home office where she drafts!
Another note, I work for the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association and we’re sorry to loose you as a bungalista, but delighted to see you making moves!
I never thought we’d be moving into a Victorian, but the one we bought charmed me!
That cabinet is AMAZING! I pretty much love all cabinets with lots and lots of drawers. But that one is like Awesome!!
There is a yardstick wall treatment in the current issue of Anthology no. 12, useing the entire wall. I’m sure the powder room didn’t take an entire barrel full.
Oh, I can’t wait to see it! Our project took a wastebasket full, not a barrel. ;)
That SINK! Totally awesome. Good luck with the sticks. Let’s figure out how to DIY a sideboard like the one pictured…!
I can’t wait to see the finished product! Also, what does the sign on the door say? I tried to read it but can’t see it clearly.
It’s an occupancy sign (a joke). I’ll get a better shot of it when I take pictures again of the ‘after.’
Must Have — that sink! I think you need to take a LOT of pictures and show us your Mother in Laws. house. Please.
It hasn’t changed much since they redid the place in 2007. I took a bunch of photos then: here and here.
AS OTHERS HAVE STATED BEFORE – THAT SINK IS TO DIE FOR!!
That tree stump sink is awesome and your MIL sounds awesome, herself! I can’t wait to see the antique yardstick wainscoting!
Curious – what does the sign on the door say?
It’s an occupancy limit notice for the bathroom (no more than 27 people)!
You MIL sounds like a sweet lady. Selfishly I wish she still lived in Des Moines so we could meet up!
Wow, I love how the sink looks like one half of a cut coconut! Seriously, I love it.
[…] vintage yardsticks that my mother-in-law has been collecting for the lake house’s bathroom have finally become wainscoting. Three years after she mentioned the project to me, and at least […]
[…] vintage yardstick transformation into DIY wainscoting is complete! The family lake house bathroom is looking pretty dang […]
Is the door a new door made to look vintage? Please share a source.