When Inspiration Strikes

gorgeous white and gray color palette with warm wood | maisondepax.com

My first time overseas was in 10th grade.

I still remember the tingling sensation of hearing French spoken all around me (and understanding all maybe half of it).

The butterflies and awe of standing in 800 year old buildings where generations of people had walked.

The freedom of feeling far from home and responsibilities.

And the phrase pronounced, “ou est le vay-cay?”

Translation?

darling French enamel water closet sign | maisondepax.com

Funny enough, by the time I lived there, that phrase seemed to have gone out of style. “Toilettes” was much more accepted. Regardless, I have a funny little soft spot in my heart for the phrase because, let’s be honest, it is by far the most essential phrase for any traveler. 😉

So imagine my grand pleasure with this darling enamel “WC” was already secured to the outside of my powder room door at our new home. The previous owners may not have shared my style in every way, but that little touch seemed like it was made for me. And so I’m letting it inspire my half bath makeover: warm grays and whites (are you surprised?) and a little touch of Parisian elegance.

gorgeous white and gray color palette with warm wood | maisondepax.com

I confess that I am not even ready to show you the “before” pictures – much less the after – but you are getting a sneak peek at my new floors. Aren’t they lovely? And you get to see the two colors I’m planning. I’m so excited! Not only because I think it will be beautiful, but also because I get to try Behr’s new line, Behr Marquee. I hear it’s amazing: just one coat and a beautiful, durable finish.

Even better (since the half bath is the smallest of the 9 rooms whose walls and ceilings I still need to paint in our new house – yikes!), I’m excited to share that I’m joining the Behr DIY Experts  (meet the whole team here!) as we work to help inspire you to pick up your paint brush.

So tell me, am I the only one who finds inspiration in such odd places?

Disclosure: I am being compensated by Behr as a part of their 2015 DIY Expert team. All text, opinions, and random inspiration, however, are 100% my own!

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15 Comments

  1. I spent some time abroad in college and it is so true that traveling opens your horizons. I love that the owners left the little WC plaque for you. One of my favorite possessions is a 1912 USA school map that the former owner of our first home left rolled up in the shed. We waited and waited for her to come get it, but after a few months we celebrated it as ours 🙂 Cant wait to see where you take your bathroom!

    1. That’s awesome, Melanie! I love old maps, and I love that it was part of the home you bought… So so good to see you at Haven and visit some. Seriously, you should take a road trip to come see me!!

  2. Uh oh. Perhaps this is where I lose your friendship: I am not fond of Paris, but perhaps it was bc I don’t speak the language (I did try!) however I love your floors and your grays. (Kilts?? Now, those inspire me and that was the first half of our trip to Europe. Maybe they just ruined me for snooty, fancy Frenchmen. lol)

    Inspiration? We have a fixer upper lake house that the owners left us almost every single duck and lighthouse they owned. (I kept a few bc the men in my life enjoyed them. Ugh) but they did leave me a fabulous schooner painting that has grays, teals and creams. That became the entire pallet for the tiny abode.

    If I was home, I would include a photo of the beautiful, honey planked ceiling they left me and the sail-like wall created bt the A-frame ceiling and rising staircase to the open loft. (They did some things right, but not a lot ).

    Bu

  3. Really?? I hit the wrong button?? 4 am posts and no coffee gets you that.

    But, I am not home, as I left the hubby and 3 teens at home to trek 2500 miles round trip to a reunion in Iowa. I can’t entirely blame them for staying home, but I have had a blast “picking” my way across the Midwest for my shop and rediscovering my roots.

    Hope your house is coming along “swimmingly.” Just enjoy it all and keep giving us tidbits until life smooths out.

    Hugs!

    1. You crack me up, Terri! That’s what you get for trying to type at 4 am. 😉 I’m so glad you’re having fun on your trip… I’m sure your new home will be just perfectly lovely. One of the most fun things about acquiring a “new” old home is building on those things that the previous owners left. I’m sure you’ll find all the diamonds in the rough. And don’t give up on Paris so easily… first impressions can sometimes be deceiving. 😉

  4. I LOVE that you lived in France and that you understand French! It was nice conversing a little with you in French last summer. 🙂

    I can’t wait to see your half bath makeover! The colors you picked out look so pretty!

    1. Merci bien! Missed seeing you this year, Christine… Maybe next? So excited to be working with you on this team. xx

  5. Any chance that you know where I might be available to find a WC sign like that? That’s exactly what I’m looking for! I’ve found other ones, but I really like the sides on that one.
    Thank you!

    1. I’m so sorry, Leslie, but it was already here when we moved in… I have no idea where they got it! I hope you’re able to find one, though!

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