Remember when we finished the main bathroom? Yeah, that was fun. I am so grateful for that second bathroom. It’s been a game changer. There was just one teensy, weensy issue with the room. Where do we put the toilet paper? After all the work that went into making the bathroom, we didn’t have the heart cajones to drill into the subway tile or the wood vanity to hang a toilet paper holder. I tossed a few rolls in a basket under the sink and called it a day. Except Mabrey (and all of her three-year-old spunk) was having trouble reaching the basket from the toilet. #toddlerproblems

Enter Sugru. The instant I was introduced to the moldable, 3D glue, I had an a-ha! moment.

Because Sugru is waterproof and stable at high temperatures, it’s ideal for bathrooms. I used white Sugru to adhere the backplate of this toilet paper holder to the wall near the toilet. Then I waited 24 hours for the dough-like substance to harden into a strong rubber-like adhesive. In the meantime, I spray painted the holder flat black to mesh with the bathroom’s other finishes.

Once the backplate was secure, I mounted the paper holder. I took advice from my lovely friend, Belinda, and rotated the holder 90º. (Traditionally, toilet paper holders are installed horizontally.) The vertical installation keeps the paper roll from falling off so easily – especially useful if children are using the facilities! I like the way it looks, too. Simple and modern. The black picks up on other black elements (pencil liner, tub exterior, hex floor tile, etc.) in the room. I love the way it turned out but, more importantly, Mabrey can reach the toilet paper now. Should I tire of it (not likely), Sugru is removable with a little elbow grease.

After my first successful Sugru project, I started looking around the house for other potential uses.

Over a year ago, the kids knocked over my favorite lamp while horsing around in the living room. The cap that keeps the lampshade in place was cracked and I’ve been straightening the annoying thing ever since. I even resorted to duct tape at one point but it didn’t hold up. The crooked lampshade was driving me bonkers!

I fixed it with black Sugru. Did I mention Sugru comes in different colors for discreet applications?

No more crooked lampshade, but the kids are still horsing around in the living room.

They like to run and jump onto the gray chair. The chair legs are constantly twisting out of place. Again, me = bonkers.

I removed the chair legs and added a bit of Sugru for stability.

I screwed the legs back in and removed the excess adhesive with a small piece of tissue paper. Then the hard part came…keeping the kids off the chair for 24 hours while the Sugru cured.

It worked like a charm! We’re one week in and I haven’t had to readjust the legs once.

So, naturally, I used Sugru to shore up a wobbly leg on the vintage footstool in the boys’ bedroom.

Awesome. Are you noticing a theme here? If you have kids, go get ye some Sugru.

We’ve always had problems with the roller blind in Mabrey’s window. It tends to jump out of the mounting hardware when recoiling which causes it to come crashing down which nicks up the drywall which makes more little work for me which infuriates me more than it should. Many a four-letter-word has been muttered in the name of that effing shade. (It’s just that one…all the others work great.) I used a little Sugru to create a bumper of sorts around the mounting bracket. It still allows the shade to roll up and down but doesn’t let it fly off the bracket. It’s glorious.

And it’s completely undetectable behind the woven shades.

I officially added Sugru to our junk drawer last week. It’s one of those fix-it things that comes in handy in a pinch. The possibilities are endless. See my favorite tutorials here. I know you’re already brainstorming things you could fix with it. Luckily, Sugru is now available at Target stores nationwide. Find your nearest store to add Sugru to your DIY arsenal for quick and easy fixes. (It would make a great gift for grads and dads, too!)

*This post sponsored in part by Sugru. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Last year my friends, James and Kristina, graciously allowed me to share the renovation of their midcentury modern family home. (You can see it here and here.) They recently remodeled their master bathroom and, when I saw the results, I just had to share it too. Keep reading to see the transformation!

The bathroom is en-suite to the master bedroom and, even though it doesn’t boast a tub, the homeowners consider it their master bathroom. The original finishes included a mix of mismatched blue floor & wall tile. A boxy brown vanity supported a pink laminate countertop and a teeny oval sink. The corner shower stall was dark and dank. Just before demo, the couple let their kids draw on the walls for fun.

By tackling all of the work themselves, the couple was able to completely revamp the space for <$5,000. To save money they kept the room’s original layout but chose modern materials that both brightened and warmed up the space. They discovered mold in a shower wall which was mostly remedied with bleach and a mold-inhibiting spray. Still, some framing had to be replaced. To bring more natural light into the shower, the homeowners devised a plan to add sidelight windows on either side of the stall.

The couple was aiming for a midcentury spa vibe that felt warm and natural. Sticking to a palette of white, gray and wood was key. Material selections were based on design and budget. Wavy wall tiles in a high gloss finish catch light from a south-facing window and bounce it around the small room. The rippled texture lends an organic vibe while the horizontally stacked pattern feels modern.

A frameless glass door and sidelights allow light to flow freely into the once dark shower. A wall niche for toiletries and an overhead rain shower head were space-saving measures that also feel luxurious. Marble mosaic was used in the shower niche and on the shower floor for contrast. Using the marble sparingly was an intentional, budget-friendly choice.

Running the tiger wood flooring onto the vanity wall is a defining design element that punctuates the sink area and brings added warmth to the nook. A pair of cylindrical glass mosaic pendants flank the mirror.

A floating Ikea vanity frees up visual and floor space, providing the perfect spot for stashing slippers and a scale. The vanity is somewhat of an Ikea hack. The nook is 45″ wide and the off-the-shelf vanity is slightly narrower at 39″ wide. James improvised and ripped down leftover floor boards to stand in as filler pieces on either side of the vanity.

Likewise, the 47″ wide Ikea sink top had to be modified to fit the space. Using a grinder + a spray bottle filled with water, James cut 1″ off each side for a custom fit.

Resources of note:

wall paint – granite boulder, Behr Ultra (Home Depot)
trim paint – satin white, Behr Ultra (Home Depot)
wood flooring – ½” tiger wood bamboo (discontinued), Build Direct
wall tile – Allen + Roth wavecrest white gloss 4″ x 12″ ceramic tile, Lowe’s
accent tile – anatolia carrera marble mosaic, Lowe’s
shower head – 12″ Hudson Reed, Amazon
shower handle – Delta, Amazon
shower door – Coastal Shower Doors, Amazon
inserts for sidelights – ¼” tempered glass from local glass shop
toilet – American Standard cadet 4, Home Depot
toilet paper holder – Amazon
towel bars – Amazon
pendants – Lamps Plus
mirror – SKOGSVÄG, Ikea
vanity – GODMORGON, Ikea
sink – ODENSVIK, Ikea
sink faucet – Moen, Amazon
accessories – Marshalls

Thanks again, James and Kristina, for sharing your home with me and the internet!

I have many favorite things about this bathroom starting with the color palette. I love the tile choices mixed with the tiger wood on the floor and sink wall. The sidelights in the shower are so clever! I know the tiger wood filler on the vanity was primarily a means to an end but I love the result. It’s a detail that instantly de-Ikeafies (yep, I’m making up words) the floating cabinet and gives it a high-end look. Overall, the new bathroom design is purposefully spa-like but it doesn’t stray too far from the rest of the midcentury home’s decor. That’s not always easy to pull off!

What is your favorite part? Can you even believe this is the same bathroom?!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking