Prepping the Jadeite Bathroom for Holiday Guests

Call me crazy for taking on a room redo this time of year, but Adam and I are tackling our charming vintage green bathroom just in time for Christmas!

We will be hosting my parents, brother, sister-in-law and niece for the big holiday for the first time. As a result, I want to get the cutest bathroom in our house functional (it's the only bathroom in our house that isn't!). The bones of the space are really special.

While the 'befores' leave plenty of room for improvement, let's talk about my plans for the 'after'.

First, let me say that this bathroom will no longer be called 'green'; it shall henceforth be called the 'jadeite bathroom', a name worthy of its vintage charm. The original 1950's porcelain fixtures are in pristine shape as is the black and white octagonal floor tile.

There is one large window in the room, which floods the space with light from our backyard. Speaking of light, a pair of original pierced chrome sconces flank the medicine cabinet. You can't replicate charm like that!

Since I first shared this room in our house tour in March, I peeled away wallpaper on the walls and ceilings during a particular motivated evening. It was a breeze to remove!

The first step for us is to repair the toilet. Thankfully, Adam's uncle is a master plumber and he assured us it will be an easy fix. Hooray!

(all via Meet Me in Philadelphia)

That means we can move forward with our plans to spruce up the vintage bathroom just in time for our special holiday guests.

I want to play up the existing black, white and jadeite color scheme, so the bathroom will get a much-needed bright coat of white paint. We need to swap out a crummy shower head, replace a fluorescent ceiling light and a decrepit toilet seat. I'll add a glass-and-chrome shelf to coordinate with the original chrome fixtures, too.

Oh, and there will definitely be some ribbon accents added to an affordable white shower curtain and towels for a custom look. I also picked up antique pieces here and there that will put this space over the top. I can't wait to share the final results in a few weeks!

How would you spruce up a vintage bathroom like ours? Any advice on cleaning vintage wall and floor tile? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the simple direction we're taking!

In keep with my month of thankfulness, today I'm thankful for:
Preserved, vintage elements in our home (like this bathroom). Sure, they're just things, but the fixtures and tile suggest design that was built to last and remind us that people lived and loved our house before we were lucky enough to.