Bathroom Update: I’m Such a Middle Child
Confessions of a Pioneer Woman  |  Oct 15, 2007 12:19 AM

As I stated at the beginning of this bathroom remodel project, a) I don’t know anything and b) I have terrible taste. So when I received so much valuable color advice from all of you last week, I jumped for joy and sang praises to the heavens. Decorating by committee can be fun! Thanks so much for your help.


Remember these? Stain #1 was the clear favorite, but a good handful of you—interestingly, those of you with an interior design bent—liked the more “off” color of Stain #2. I took this to heart, deciding to use Stain #1 for the vanity tables, then use a green paint—one that resembled Stain #2—on the rest of the cabinetry. Though I’d originally been really attracted to the knottiness of the pine, some of you suggested it might look like cheap paneling if it were stained. This is probably because it is cheap paneling.

So here’s the greenish off-color I picked:
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I spent about four minutes choosing it, because color choices scare me.

Then, when the painters stained the vanities, they looked like this:
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I really liked the stain color, but I noticed it didn’t really resemble Stain #1. And sure enough, when I checked the can of stain, I discovered that it was actually Stain #4, which had been my original favorite and which a few of you had also chosen. Evidently, I’d told the painter I wanted “the stain on the far left.” Only problem was, the sample board was upside down at the time. That can make a difference, you know. Words to live by.

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These are the light fixtures, for my vanity at least. Marlboro Man doesn’t like them. He thinks they look like they have a rash.

And speaking of the vanities, here are some more shots:

These are the faucets. I like black faucets. They are what I’ve been missing all my life. Now I can move forward.


I also like this tile. Marlboro Man picked it out.

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We drove two hours to get to the nearest tile store, and he walked in, pointed straight to it, and said, “How ’bout that one?” It took him thirteen seconds. And the funny thing is, it’s some bizarre stone floor tile in some bizarre floor tile pattern. But somehow, he knew it would work because he’s smart and I’m not. And he has taste and I don’t. That’s why we’re, like, soooooo perfect together.

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He also picked this tile for the shower floor and the area around our tub.

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Funky, eh?

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That Marlboro Man. He’s such a Renaissance (Tile) Man.

The point to all this is, in one fell swoop I’ve managed to please almost all of you who weighed in with your choices last week. I chose Stain #1 for the vanities because that was the frontrunner. I chose a paint color resembling Stain #2 for the cabinets because you interior designers told me to. And I wound up with Stain #4 on the vanities because I accidentally had the sample board turned upside down. How’s that for Middle Child Syndrome?

As for those of you who favored Stain #3, what can I do to make things right with you?


I was going to ask you to pick a wall color for me, but after you so freely gave of yourself last week, I just didn’t have the heart. Plus, I’m going to ask your opinion about something next week, and I don’t want to wear you out. So I won’t ask. I promise. Just rest. Rest, my friends. Rest.

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I’d originally picked “Pure White” for the walls because as I’ve pointed out before, I don’t know anything and I don’t like making choices and I have no taste…and I just don’t like spending any time thinking about things relating to my house. I like thinking about things relating to my camera. And my computer. And my two websites. And what I’m going to eat for dinner. And what I’m going to eat for dessert. And what I’m going to eat for my second dessert. So I’m not going to ask. No…I’m not.

In other home improvement news:

My laundry room is getting closer to completion.


At the very least, I finally—after five weeks without them—have a washer and dryer. And just in time; last week I came this close to using a washboard I found out in the storage shed. I think that would’ve been the end of me.


And, most importantly, I finally have a place to put all the Bounce Dryer Sheets I like to buy in bulk.

I just love buying dryer sheets in bulk. It brings me more happiness than I ever could have imagined.