More Tile, and a few Looks for Less

I got home from work today and after eating very quickly, I raced upstairs to get back to the tiling that I've come to actually enjoy. Except for the 30 broken tiles that were in the middle of the box, I had no problems, and actually finished - well, almost - the back wall of the shower.


Great huh? We decided to add a band of black to the top of the shower just below the crown. A detail that I think will help to tie in the running rectangle of diamond tile on the floor. Simple 6x1 tiles did the trick, though it's not quite finished. Of course the side walls have to be tiled and the crown has to go up at the top. I'm pretty sure I bought the wrong stuff, so I'll have to wait to put that up til I know what it is I actually need.


In other news. I've been searching for accessories for the bathroom. You know, standard stuff: rugs, cups, jars, toilet paper holders, magazine racks, tub trays. Let me tell you, there is some scary stuff out there!


Now, I have nothing against Hello Kitty, but I think this is taking it a bit too far don't you? I mean, someone call the marketing department and tell them they've made a mistake.

And I'm not exactly sure how many bottom's you'd need to make use of this makeshift holder, but I can guess that it's more than one.

Oh, and for those of us who need music every waking minute of our lives - there's a docking station for your tp. Yes, it's true! And it could be yours for a mere $40 plus $10 shipping. Ipod and toilet paper - not included.

At least you can turn this guy to face the wall when you have to go ...

these two just sit and stare. I know what they're thinking ... it's as awkward for us as it is for you bub! And last but not least, in case you're looking to accessorize those cinderblock walls in your basement bathroom dungeon

Maybe if you had a boy and a girl sharing a bathroom you could put this next to hello kitty. Spice it up a bit? But in all seriousness, toilet paper holders, no matter how ugly are a part of every bathroom. They need to be considered, and ultimately need to fit the overall finish of your room, matching those finishes to your faucets and door hardware, and the cover plates to a shape complimentary to those of your plumbing hardware. That in mind, I found this at Frontgate.com during my search:

Available in a few finishes, it was the best of both worlds. A magazine rack and a toilet paper holder all in one. The shape was nice for the room, though I didn't want something quite as curvy, and I have to be honest - $299.00 for a toilet paper holder - not happenin'. So onward I searched, til' I came across the Mercer collection at Pottery Barn:

Here I had a price that was much better for my budget at $79.00, and the lines were not nearly as curvy as the Frontgate piece. Nice, linear, and narrow - just wide enough for a Veranda or Architectural Digest and two rolls of TP. It instantly topped my list. Until, I found this:

Yes it's the very same thing at 1/2 of the Pottery Barn Price!! Jumping for joy, I clicked feverishly looking for the satin nickel or brushed nickel finish that would compliment the faucets, but surprise surprise they came in only 2 finishes: oil rubbed bronze, and chrome. So, even though they don't quite work for me - I wanted to share with all of you that are about to start, or could be finishing a bath reno the look for less. Hope it helps!