I am so sorry that I haven’t updated you on our house renovations! It just seemed as though stacks of furniture were moving from room to room, dust was flying, and the decision-making was never-ending!!

But we have made progress thanks to Goodchild Builders!!!! With things being put back in order, I want to share how a specific project has evolved! Today — a tale of my two powder rooms!

This was my front powder before, which we redid about 17 years ago. At that time, I had so much fun designing this French scene.  If  you look in the top left corner of the door you will see two of the three cherubs that represent my children! Although this is beautiful, I was ready for a change: a cleaner, cooler and a bit more contemporary look!!

The first change was to replace the carpet in the small hall and the inlaid floors in the powder with these wonderful reclaimed marble French floors from Chateau Domingue!! I plastered the walls a soft gray-blue to blend with the new floor’s veining.

Loving all today’s hand-screened wall coverings, I used them as inspiration to paint a mural with the subtle gradations of the floor’s colorations. I am really please with this look!

I love the way hand-painting looks over a plaster wall.  Unlike paint, the plaster allows the mural painting to recede into the plaster rather than lay flat on top — creating the most amazing shadowing effects!

What the original picture of the bathroom doesn’t show is the pink stained glass window which was installed in the room during  our first renovation 28 years ago. In high school, I apprenticed at a stained glass company and they made that  window for me which I built into the house. At this time, I just still am not ready to part with it….

So, I taped off the clear glass and the lead dividers and primed and painted the pink to white!! It always makes me so happy when I can refurbish a memory, making it work with a room’s new design!! Note: The clear glass stayed clear — the blue you see in the photograph is just the night sky outside!!

Although I loved the room’s progress, something was still missing!! I wanted to try a new twist on this chinoiserie-style mural — and stencil on top of it!  This was risky even for me!!  If it didn’t work, I could not repair the plaster or the mural!  It would be a total redo!!  I found this geometric stencil that had a bamboo edge to it and thought it would be perfect — perfect to layer onto the mural and perfect to tie in the stained glass window.

Testing the idea behind where the mirror would hang, Alex — Segreto’s stenciling master — applied a sample with a white pearl metallic paint. We thinned the paint so it would remain transparent!!

Look! I was so happy with how it was turning out!!

Well, you know how one thing leads to another!! Next I decided the counters and sink no longer work!

I headed to Sweeny Marble Co. here in Houston to see if they had a remnant I could use — saving me of buying a full slab of marble for such a little space!! This is such an amazing place; most of their work is still done by hand.  It is a family-owned business that was handed down from father to son, and now his son is working there!!

I fell in love with the old grinders that they still use that are stored on the wall!! They look like sculpture to me!!

I choose a honed Bianco Bella marble piece for the countertop! As you can see, the cabinet got a makeover as well complete with silver leaf details!! This is such an easy paint treatment to do; it adds a bit of glamor to any space!! I also changed the hardware to crystal knobs from Acero Bella (so many pretties from which to choose)!!

While shopping for hardware, I also picked up this wonderful facet and simple sink!  I love that the faucet is just one piece — leaving more space on the vanity for soaps towels and candles!!

Now for lighting!  The ‘old’ powder bath had a gold and crystal fixture which I purchased in France. I replaced it with this reasonably priced, clean-lined glass fixture from Circa Lighting. The beautiful French fixture was successfully relocated to my closet!!

To finish things off, I stopped by my favorite bath accessory and bedding store, Longoria Collection, to find the perfect hand towels, candle and soaps!! I find that Longoria has the best home selection in Houston. I happened to find the Lucite towel holder and the white linen like disposable towels on Amazon Prime!!  I’m in love with that site.  With unlimited selections and all products listed with reviews, it is a great place to pick up many items at good prices!!

Now, step to another part of my home: This is my back powder 12 years ago. I still love the plaster walls and the ceiling painted to replicate the tile in the shower! So, I just wanted a simple update!

Here is a detail of the beautiful design in the skylight; it is painted to look like the real tile in the shower!!

Here is how I approached my easy update: I painted the stained cabinet and the French fixtures with a gray paint from the paint line Fine Paints of Europe.  It has a super shiny lacquer-looking sheen, but it is an oil-based product and is so much easier to use! I purchased the paint from Moxie ! I rounded out the update by adding white accessories  and towels(from Amazon Prime; shipped the next day)!! Both powder rooms were fun projects and both results have a new and fresh feel!!

In closing, a quick reminder if you are at the Dallas Market on Friday, June 26 between noon and 3 pm, please do come by the beautiful Aidan Gray showroom. I will be there singing my Segreto Series books (the first two of three). It would be so much fun to be able to say Hi! to you. Thanks so much!!