Under Sink Organization with Washi Tape

Under my bathroom sink might look very similar to what you've got going on with yours- a few bins filled with extra bath items and an albeit necessary, but in-the-way and not-so-pretty big, white pipe.  And those two other smaller, but equally unsightly, pipes too.  Please tell me I'm not the only one that is bothered by this.  Not bothered like I think about it all day, but bothered enough to try to make it prettier.

So, I busted out the paint and washi tape . . . 

Call me crazy, but with all this fun washi tape laying around, I thought, why not??  Some people have asked, and I've gotten mine mostly online from cutetape.com and wishywashi.com.  I'm currently displaying mine on a cupcake stand in my office. 

How cute is this little wooden tape dispenser?! It's from Target and came with a few rolls of washi tape too. 

But back to the sink.  First, I painted the back wall and the two smaller pipes a glossy pale pink since that's the paint color I had left over from painting my closet island.  I painted those two pipes to make them "disappear."  

And then I just started wrapping that white pipe with the tape, trying to make sure the colors looked good together.  It didn't take very long, maybe 15 to 20 minutes.  

As for the organization, the clear bins (I think from The Container Store) are great for letting you see what you have and keeping things together.  I also lined the bottom with cork paper.  

I'm not a huge product junkie, but I like to make sure I stock up on the necessities, like my face cleanser, shaving cream/razors, and toothpaste. 

And also body wash.  Taller things like hairspray and lotions are also kept on this side. 

I decanted the Q-tips and cotton balls into decorative glass urns just because it's pretty.  For everyday use, I have some on the bathroom counter. 

It may seem silly, but now when I open my bathroom sink doors, I'm happy to be greeted by a cheerful, nicely organized space.  I'll take all the cheerfulness I can get. :)

This little washi tape project got me curious how YOU use your washi tape.   Send me a picture on Instagram (@honeywerehome) with hashtag #honeywerehomewashi and I'll feature my favorite picks next week. You don't need a blog to shoot me a pic, but I'll link to your blog if I feature your photo. Or you can post a picture on my Facebook page.  Thanks for sharing! 

* * * * * 

Keeping Bathroom Towels Fresh

Last week, I finally tackled a simple project that had been nagging at me for months.  We switched our towel hooks for towel bars so that the towels could dry better between uses and stay fresher longer.  I like the look of towels hanging from hooks, but it seems that they go "sour" or mildewy because they don't air dry as well if they aren't laying flat.

I chose an inexpensive, modern looking towel bar from Target.

I like how they include a template so that you are sure to hang the bar straight.  Taping the paper template up with wash tape makes sure no damage is done to your cabinet/wall when the tape comes off. 

The towels still have a bit of bunching at the top, but it's better than before.  What is your tip for keeping towels fresh?  How many times do you use your towel before you wash it?  I think I probably use mine 3 times.   James' little towels probably get washed once a week.  

Dr. Oz said that you should clean towels two times per week or after every 3 uses.  Bacteria loves to hide in dark, wet places like a towel.  When your towel gets smelly, it is because of the bacteria growing on it that lives off of dead skin cells. Yuk!  I have heard that adding about a 1/2 cup of vinegar to the detergent dispenser keeps towels fresh and soft too. 

I picked up a couple new towels and hand towels when I was shopping for the towel bar.  I dig the color and pattern.  They are from the Threshhold collection, but only available in store. 

* * * * * 

Working...Bath and Bed

 Sorry for being MIA this week, we have been busy.  The week started with a trip to Memphis to check in on a very cool project and a very dear client.  That will be such a fun job to share with y'all but we are not ready for pictures yet. In the mean time though I can show you the master shower which is amazing. While the tile looks so good in person, it is the shower hardware that had me green with envy.    Steam shower every night? Yes please.

Lots of gorgeous items have been delivered to various clients these past few weeks so I thought I would share one.  Remember this nursery that I loved so much?

It was home to one of my favorite lights, a custom globe we had made just for that precious baby....and now 3 (or is it 4?) years and a new house later he is a precious little boy.....with a new custom headboard fit for a king.

 And the light made the move as well.

As we go along I am going to try to be better about taking shots along the way and sharing.  Hope you are having a great week.

Work In Progress- Client Powder Room

This is a quick before and after of an install we did this week.  More to come- like pictures not taken on my phone- and more of the house which is coming along so well.... 

I will try to get better pictures of both, but I will say the faux marble sink left something to be desired.....I can't wait for "real" pictures because this space is so pretty....

Bathing Beauty

I saw this backsplash/wall while flipping through the latest Pottery Barn catalog and I loved it so my first thought was I need to use that for a client at some point (although I would use something different on the floor probably)...Then while cleaning up my pictures some I realized that I had been looking at tile like that for a client recently...and now I hope we use it even more.

Oh how I love working on bathrooms and kitchens, especially when beautiful tile is involved.

One Day...

"One day I will have a house with Ann Sacks tile" has appeared on this blog before. I would like to add to that wish. Soooo.... One day I will have a house with a master bath that includes Michael S. Smith for Ann Sacks tile. Has a certain ring doesn't it?

Horizontal Inspiration

Horizontal planks, love. Large horizontal tiles...in gray? Double love.

Kathleen Rivers in House Beautiful

Bathroom Sneak Peek

One these days, hopefully in 2011 since it was my January 2011 goal and we are almost in May, I am going to get my work photographed professionally. Until then I will continue to share little tidbits with you like this bathroom...It mainly services two little boys but there is something in there for everyone. I can't wait to show you the details.....you know, one of these days.

Because One Day I Will Have A Fabulous Bathroom...

One day...Images House to Home

Have I Mentioned...

I love tile?Yep, love it.
Would love to see this in person...
Next week I will be back from our getaway! In the mean time I hope you all have had a wonderful week!

Images Artistic Tile