Uptown: Shower Mini Makeover

If you’ve ever seen my house in person or really paid attention to my stories here on White Cabana, you probably know that I dislike my upstairs bathroom. It’s huge. It has a corner jacuzzi tub that I rarely use and the smallest corner shower. When I bought my house five years ago, I did a quick reno – removed the shiny grey wallpaper, painted the 80s wood trim on the cabinet, and replaced the counter, sink, faucet, and lighting. I also tried to draw the eye up from the grey tub and linoleum floor by crafting a giant inkblot art wall.

This was a good mini makeover, and it’s still serving me pretty well. And since I’ve spent my renovation budget on other things in my home – painting, tiling, doors, trim, and my laundry room – there has been no room in my renovation budget for the big bathroom.

So I’ve had to continue to get creative. With input from other creative people, of course!

When my sister was over a couple of weeks ago, she encouraged me to rip out the disgusting shower door and replace it with a pretty curtain. Just rip it out. Sure.

Yup. I thought this was a manageable DIY task.

  The Before

So, one morning, when I was still in my pajamas, I took out my tools and started removing a dozen or so screws. I chiseled, hammered, pushed, and pulled the door and frame out of place. It was gratifying.

The Tools (perfume optional)

I then scrubbed the built-up gunk off of the marble step. This made a huge difference. I felt like I had a brand new shower.

I filled all the old shower door screw holes with silicone, hung a shower curtain tension rod, and added a pretty curtain. Done and done.

The After

This was an easy DIY that has made a big difference. The whole project cost about $50 (for the rod, shower rings, shower curtain and liner). Yes, I still dislike the corner shower, but at least I don’t have a dirty door to look at every day. Much improved!

The Friday Five: Magazine Stacks

Books. Magazines. I love them stacked. I enjoy seeing my books and magazines (neatly) over-flowing all around my home. I tend to keep my stacks in my kitchen and office, but I also often have stacks of books and magazines in my bedroom. They make me happy. And it seems like these stacks make others happy, too.

via Domino

designed by Alexander White, via Home Adore

J. Levau

Mark D. Sikes

via Love Eva

Have a great weekend! Happy reading!

Trivia Thursday: Serge Mouille

Serge Mouille was a French designer who is best known for his lighting. You may have seen his arm chandelier or sconces floating around design magazines and blogs for many years now.

Serge Mouille standing lamp

Serge Mouille ceiling lamp

Serge Mouille wall sconce

Serge Mouille snail light

Original Serge Mouille lights cost in the thousands of dollars, but as many iconic designs, there are plenty of reproductions online and in stores that cost a few hundred dollars. And you can see from the images below that Serge Mouille lighting looks great in a variety of interiors.

Julie Hillman, via The Decorista

Christine Dovey, via Style at Home

 via SF Girl By Bay

via Goop

Personal: 4 Things on My Mind

Here are some things that have been on my mind recently.

1. YouTube
I haven’t fallen into any YouTube watching traps for a long while, but one that I recommend you watch is Carpool Karaoke with Paul McCartney.

2. Audiobooks
I’ve listened to quite a few audiobooks since I got into them a couple of months ago. I’ve listened to:

  • The Breakdown by B.A. Paris – This was a page-turner (of the audio kind!). I hadn’t read a mystery novel in a long while, and this ended up being a good pick.
  • Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark – This is a fascinating read about the current and future state of Artificial Intelligence.
  • Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs – While disturbing at times, this was an excellent read. I know it’s been made into a movie, so I’ll have to add it to my “watch” list.
  • Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders – While difficult to follow at first because of the many characters, the story is interesting, and I didn’t want it to end.
  • Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante – I’m extremely enjoying this series. Why did I wait so long to read these books?
  • I’ve also listened to these audiobooks, and I’m currently listening to Elena Ferrante’s The Story of the Lost Child (Book 4).

3. Academic life
It is pretty wild to see my book (co-authored with a friend/colleague) listed on Amazon. The book will be published in December, so this won’t be the first or last time I’m talking about it.

4. Netflix
Last night while I was ironing, I watched Iliza Shlesinger’s Elder Millennial comedy show on Netflix. I laughed a lot! I could relate to just about every joke she told. If you’re a woman in your 30s, I am sure you would enjoy it.

Two for Tuesday: The Belt Bag

One of my friends (hi Jess!) loves a good fanny pack. I used to poke fun at this little accessory, but now (just like I did as a young kid in the 80s) completely understands the appeal. With the fanny pack, you must be strict as to what you can carry (therefore avoiding heavy handbags) and your hands remain free (for coffee, dog walking, shopping bags). What do you think? A great little accessory or one to skip?

via Purse Blog

via Marie Claire