Goldilocks's Painted Bath

Original design
Roberta Gordon-Smith

I moved into my 21-foot Winnebago Warrior late last fall.  It's my third RV-home in 5 years. My first was a 16-foot Layton travel trailer, which I discovered I couldn't safely tow because of poor depth perception. I traded it for a 33-foot Bounder motorhome; a beast, but a roomy beast.  I anticipated lengthy visits from Mom in 'Jersey, but she can no longer travel so I must go to her.

Third time's proving a charm. In my continuing effort to turn these sow's ears into silk purses, I began with my tiny bathroom.  I figured if I could no longer live in the tropics at least I could pretend while taking care of business.

1992 Winnebago Warrior

This post is not a detailed how-to but what is possible. I taught myself to paint in my late '30s (now 59-and-holding, with arthritic hands), so first thing to do is get rid of the idea that you can't paint this-or-that.  Sure you can.  As any artist worth their salt will tell you, some of our best work comes out of "Oops!"

El Muelle, la Parguera, PR
My first paid commission

Following 9/11, earning a living as an artist in Puerto Rico required inventiveness, so I painted anything I could find on an island without second-hand shops to speak of.  When the supermarket owner asked if I could paint a grapevine on the wall outside his new liquor department I said YES without having ever painted a grape.  You get better at things.

Ruff Life 2008
Took 9 years to
finally paint her hull

Teaching also helped keep me afloat.  My painting classes were centered around tried-and-true methods from my School of Hard Knocks, and I practiced on any surface I could find on 33-foot trawler Ruff Life, my midlife crisis home. It wasn't until I ordered 10 books for $1.00 that I found three fabulous muralist/decorative artists and their Book Club entries:



Debbie Travis' Painted House, Roberta Gordon-Smith's The Trompe L'Oeil Home and umpteen choices by Donna Dewberry.

I learned the basics of faux-finishing in Debbie's book, and I applied her principles to my gourds. Roberta taught me the fine art of trompe l'oeil, or trick the eye, painting. And finally Donna, who shows simple ways to make anything purty.

Bath before

Whitewashed with
chalk paint

What I was hoping for in this RV was to stand in the center, look in any direction and have a feeling of expanse. I've been spoiled by beautiful vistas in the past, so I sure don't want to feel confined at this stage in my life. Therefore if I can't LIVE near the view I'd like, at least I can PAINT one for myself. The bathroom was going to be the most involved, so I began there.

I originally planned an underwater scene and taped the shower in preparation.  Then I considered how I'd feel in a such a confined space: gasping for breath?

Parguera, Puerto Rico

Hmmm...friends in Puerto Rico live in a caseta surrounded by mangroves, and their second-floor shower has no outside wall.  It takes some getting used to: buck-naked, exposed to the pelicans; but it's very cool.

After cleaning the fiberglass/whatever RV shower walls (and ceiling), I primed using Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 All Purpose Primer; followed with Glidden High Endurance Plus Paint + Primer, in white; 2 coats. Maybe 3 for a nice even coverage.

Don't be chintzy on priming and preparing your surface. It means everything for a decent job. I live in a remote area so these were the brands available, and a quart of each was more than enough for my job.  But whatever you ultimately select, buy the best quality you can afford.

Surfaces need 'tooth'; something for the paint to grab, and if you paint on a slick surface without priming your paint will just slide off.  I learned the hard way during the varnishing process on a time-consuming piece of used furniture.  It only takes once.

I've used Jo Sonja Jansen artist acrylics since 1993 (no relation.) Beautiful colors; a bit more expensive than craft paints but a tube lasts much, much longer (check prices in Dick Blick); and durability?  My outdoor murals are still holding up after years of Caribbean sun, wind and weather.  A shower? No problema.

Several coats of Minwax Polycrylic finished the job. Another reason I began with the bathroom was to allow the shower to cure a couple weeks before I moved in permanently. I didn't whip this out overnight; I took my sweet time, since it hurts to hold a paint brush; so the layers were fully dry before varnishing. I do use a sea sponge to give the walls a quick wipe-down after showering.

PLEASE DON'T HOLD ME TO ANY OF THESE DIRECTIONS!!  I'm offering this information free of charge or strings because I want to.  Nor am I making money by sharing links throughout the post.  Trust me, if I'm trying to sell you something I'll let you know upfront. I just figured that other semi-homeless people like me might need a bit of inspiration.

Imagining myself stepping out onto a little 'deck' with a lemon tree and ocean view(l), I'm ashamed to show I didn't plan it out as well as I should have. I'd wanted the straight-on view (above) to feel as if I was up a tree-house in the clouds, but I didn't properly consider how to join the sea-wall with the air-wall.  In the end I tried palm fronds in the corner to detract from the flaw, but since that didn't work too well I just hide it with a tall basket of spare towels.

I do like facing the palm tree extending outward, with the little monkey sitting halfway out.  That tree is in Roberta's book and I've always wanted to try it but never felt I had the space. Apparently it's a favorite of her's, too, since it's featured on her site.



A friend brilliantly suggested a clear liner for a shower curtain to curb claustrophobia.  I added fishing lures to the hooks and my seahorse, carved from an higuera, or calabash tree gourd, of Puerto Rico.

I love my medicine cabinet, even if I'm too short to see myself.  During this project I learned about the beauty of Chalk Paint.  No, not chalkboard; CHALK. Google it and you'll find numerous brands. (In the mirror's reflection notice the little burlap coffee bean bag which I use to hang earrings and pins; both sides.  There's a still-unpainted pocket door, but I also hung a piece of painted fabric as a 3/4 curtain.)

Chalk paint has become quite popular and I can see the attraction.  I used it on my (tacky) RV cabinets and in no time got the cottage-look I was hoping for.  I picked up an 8 ounce plastic jar in Michaels and another brand in Walmart; one cheaper than the other of course, but they cost about $8.00 and one container did my bathroom, with plenty left over.

My big sister shamed me into this post.  She spent hours 'learning online' what I could have explained to her.  After all, it's what I do, but then I wouldn't have written all this.

CHALK PAINT is pretty thick; like pudding, and comes in different colors.  The thickness is great for covering up old finishes, but I still use sandpaper to knock off the shine.

Once you try brushing it on you may find it drags.  I'm covering bare pine here and I didn't want to work so hard, so I just touched some paint in different spots...

...and then took a damp sea sponge (ring water out, then place in paper towel and ring out again) and gently, or not-so gently, wipe the paint over the surface.

I think you'll find the sponge makes the work much easier, and if you've taken off too much paint you can always add more.  Just like cooking, it's easier to add than take away.

If you're new at this, I suggest you first practice on an area you can't see.  Streak back and forth; add paint; streak some more, or don't.  I've taught 8 year-olds to do this, and they come up with the best results.  They're fearless!

I'm not quite sure how I'll decorate this crate, but at least with the simple whitewashed look it doesn't seem so...I don't know...naked? Chalk paint can be left bare, or finished with wax or varnish. I achieved a nice smooth finish with the chalk paint's matching varnish, using superfine (220) sandpaper between coats.  I did leave the closet door unvarnished in case I wanted to add some decorative painting, and after several months the unvarnished paint has not rubbed off at all.

Don't use a tack cloth to remove schmutz.  You're using water based products which may react with the residue.  Use a damp, soft cloth and wipe up any water.

Despite my paltry budget I'm splurging on quality products, since in most cases ONE of whatever will be plenty for my needs. Sometimes it backfires, but if it does at least it doesn't break the bank.  A double-roll of grasscloth wallpaper is one example, but I'm using it. Good thing I like the color; I'll be using it for years to come.

Something you'll see throughout the RV are old, whitewashed pieces of a rickety lattice fence (l) which I salvaged when I moved onto the property.  I used it in different places until it disintegrated during the last monsoon.  I yanked out the staples, used the chalk paint, and have been using pieces here and there, including a faux-window frame in the bathroom and a fake fence behind the throne.  I feel like Tom Sawyer.

Not your cup of tea?  That's OK.  Hopefully you got something out of it anyway.  Please sign up if you'd like notification of new posts.  I don't do these every day, thankfully!