Transforming Bathroom Plumbing with Paint: A Creative DIY Approach to Colorful Fixtures

BySamantha Weiss-Hills

PublishedMar 19, 2025 1:20 AM EDT

Domino Reno: Before + Afters, DIYs, and Advice From the Pros

Domino Reno: Before + Afters, DIYs, and Advice From the Pros

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When Michael and Lisa Fine, the duo behind bathroom accessories brand Quiet Town, recently moved into their dream house in Northern California, major renovations weren't in the budget right away. Any improvements would need to follow the DIY route—and that's precisely the approach they took in their kids Indie and Sunny's brown-on-black bathroom.

"As you can imagine, a bad bathroom is a deep personal and professional cut," Fine notes. "I couldn't even pee in our kid's bathroom without imagining taking a sledgehammer to the kids' sink."

Removing the dated tiles and adjusting the tub or shower location was out of the question, but Fine recognized the potential in the '80s-era sink they inherited. She decided to use the bathroom's neutral palette as a foundation for introducing vibrant color on the washstand. The first step: removing the ornamental metal flowers on the front. Armed with a Dremel tool, pickleball goggles, and yellow kitchen gloves, she and her son Indie filed them off clean.

Next, her daughter Sunny and a friend selected paint colors for the project. By applying Benjamin Moore's Sheer Romance on the sink frame and O'Reilly Green on the drain pipe, they transformed a drab fixture into a sherbet-hued centerpiece. "I was careful not to paint over the hardware that might need to be removed if there was a problem," she adds. They then finished the window frame in the same green to create a cohesive visual connection.

To complete the refresh, Fine removed the wall sconce in favor of an Allied Maker pendant over the mirror, laid down several of Quiet Town's Lost Coast rugs to complement the faux stone tiles with decorative waves, and installed hooks throughout for hanging their colorful towels as functional art. She also swapped in a lighter color of the Spot shower organizer. The renewed space exemplifies the principle of working with what you have to achieve a distinctive design result.

"There's definitely beauty that you can pull out of your existing bathroom," Fine affirms. "If you inherited a color, no matter what it is, dig in!" In her case, with earthy hues underfoot and a window looking out onto trees, the approach made the space feel seamlessly connected to the outdoors.

Samantha Weiss-Hills

Managing Editor

Samantha Weiss-Hills is the managing editor for Domino. She edits and writes home tours and features, and she's the friend who everyone texts for glassware, sofa, and sheet recommendations. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Alex, and their beagle-corgi, Elsa.

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