Okay, so while this vicious headcold, that I think became a few days of a migraine (and my nose that could guide Santa’s sleigh) are KICKing MY BUTT—
Here’s #1 -of 3 bathrooms- as it was demo’d and re-built on
The Journey of a Stylish Renovation–1st flr Guest Bath.
John was busy taking down the dropped ceiling and prying off the window casing by the time I got there with the camera, but this still shows just HoW UGly the room was. And NARrow. And UGly. Even the attempt of a nicer light bar didn’t REAlly help.
~Wish I could find the pictures of the room stripped down to NU-thin’ but the tub. 1961 DID provide a nice deep tub that holds the heat, so that remained!
1–The room was gutted. Ceiling, most walls, floor. The electric was updated, light junction box raised, a new bath fan re-run. After the walls were “re-hung” and/or “repaired,” I finished them with venetian plaster. Four layers, “honed,” not the usual burnished, mirror-like finish.
2–I hung a new, reproduction tin ceiling that I primed and painted (Rustoleum for metal, Heirloom White).
3–My expert tile guy worked his magic on my shower surround design, adding a “frame and keystone” for me from some rescued-from-a-dumpster tile!
4–I used leftover vinyl floor planks from the living room for the new floor in this room as well. As I cut and dry-fit the planks, I discovered I didn’t have quite enough, and added the square vinyl insets to make up the deficit.
5–I used one of those commonly found french provincial dressers as the new vanity. I wanted something more furniture-like, wanted it to be “lifted off the floor” for an airier look, and needed a reduced depth cabinet to open up the narrow floor space. This one checked all the boxes perfectly! It was primed with a chocolaty brown base color, then dry brushed with a few other darker browns. Two large-scaled appliques were applied to the upper drawers and new pulls to the others.
6–A visit to a local stone company scored the extra thick granite–a scrap end cut from someone’s kitchen counter job. I negotiated a sUper good price for it, including the serpentine detailed profile, the plumbing cutouts, and glossy finish! Isn’t the thickness just perfect?!
7–Had a mirror custom-cut, counter to ceiling, with a cutout for the junction box. We installed it ourselves saving about $150 in labor charges. It’s very easy to do, but if you’re not confident, let the glass company do it. If you install it wrong, or scratch it, or break it—it’s your dime to start over.
8–The plumber came to do all his parts, and,
9–Then it was finally time to start working on all the finishes and details of the room. Door and window casing, base molding. Hanging the light bar, hanging drapery to “connect” the window and shower, and all the other bath accessories.
–Trying to make this guest bathroom vERy “User-Friendly,” I reconstructed the linen closet behind the door to make bath and hand towels more obvious for guests. Three baskets hang in the shower holding wash clothes at the ready, and a variety of shampoos and soaps.
–A towel bar at the left of the sink holds the option of a plush towel or a more sanitary disposable kind.
–Daily use of a curling iron and blow dryer made it “inconvenient” to put them away each time, and I got tired of them on the counter, so I mounted two “rings” on the end of the cabinet to catch them when not in use.
I’ll just finish with more pictures–they tell a pretty good story!
Catherine
Do you know about the
Show Us Your House
linky party–??
