Royal Flush

Okay, while it's perhaps not fit for royalty, we are very happy with our downstairs bathroom remodel. After much trial and tribulation, heartache and hairpulling, we have a working, attractive bathroom again. There are still several little details on the punch list to complete, but given how we roll, they may go unfinished for years!

Bathroom before:

I had tried to freshen the bath up a bit right after buying the house, but it was still an eyesore (that shower curtain is hiding an abundance of ugliness):

And now, for the big reveal!

From the mudroom entrance (the door you see straight ahead is off the guest bedroom, so this bath is like a Jack and Jill of sorts):

Vanity nook (mudroom doorway to the left, linen closet on the right):

Window wall:

Shower view:

Shampoo shelf (I'm OCD enough to want matching, pretty bottles, but frugal enough that these stay until used up!):

Here are the details:

Shower tile: American Olean Monte Carlo 1x2 glass mosaic with Polyblend Oyster Bay non-sanded grout
Tub: Bootz Maui enameled steel extra deep soaking tub
Faucets: Price Pfister brushed nickel; shower is Marielle, vanity is Amherst
Toilet: Danze Orrington
Vanity: St. Paul Madeline 36" chestnut
Flooring: Style Selections 12x24 White Travertine with Blue Hawk Saddle Gray grout

I'm not convinced the shower curtain is the right one. I'm still planning on sewing a custom creation, but this little TJMaxx find fills the spot for the time being. I also am hunting for a better plant stand. Sadly, we couldn't center the toilet under the window because of crazy old house plumbing, so the live plant deceives the eye as well as clears the air! But it deserves a nicer perch, when I can find the right one. You'll notice I also haven't shown any light fixtures. I'm really debating whether to go transitional/contemporary, blingy, or vintage basic with the overhead light and vanity sconce, so the old ones are still in place.

And if anyone knows where to purchase the skinniest trash can imaginable, please let me know. I have just a few inches to the left of the vanity and would love to squeeze in a slim waste receptacle. Otherwise, I'll probably look for a small door mounted version for inside the cabinet.

All in all, it's still only a bathroom. Just a simple tub/shower combo, toilet, and sink. The pictures are pretty, but the real dramatic difference is the function. We have new PEX pipes that won't freeze or corrode. Our water doesn't run red. Our hot water flows quickly and forcefully from the taps. Our toilet flushes the first time very time. Our tub isn't leaking into the wall. Our floor is level and clean. Our sink doesn't cause backaches to use. So if you'd like to come to inspect and appreciate the form and function in person, we're ready for houseguests anytime!

P.S. A big shout out to Christina from Little Victorian for the photo tips! It made a big difference in getting nice shots of all our hard work ;-)

Small and suite

It's time to get the ball rolling on the downstairs bathroom renovation! After scrubbing it down, disinfecting everything, and giving walls, ceilings, and floor (yes, even the linoleum) a coat of paint back when we moved in, nothing much has happened for the little full bath. The fiberglass tub is badly stained, the galvanized plumbing runs rusty water at times, the toilet occasionally misfires, the ancient wall-mounted sink is tiny and low, and the torn linoleum is curling and peeling. (Is it any wonder we added on the new bathroom upstairs?!) But this little first floor bath has a good layout, great storage, a cute little window, and convenient access as the downstairs bedroom en suite, as well as serving the kitchen and mudroom.

Here's the plan so far:

This will be my first tile laying experience. I've grouted before, and patched a tile here and there, but I plan to take this from start to finish. To that end, I chose a small mesh-mounted glass mosaic for the shower surround. I originally wanted marble, but have you hefted a 12 inch marble tile lately? It's really, really heavy! And it's apparently hard to cut. I had visions of hard, fragile marble tile dropping off the messy mastic walls onto my foot; or worse, damaging the new tub! We already have subway tile upstairs, and I wanted something a little different for this bath, so glass mosaic it is.

The tile, lighting, faucets, and vanity are already purchased. The tub, toilet, and flooring are picked out. All I have to do is get the plumber in to run new water lines. Oh, and of course, wait for our upcoming guests to arrive and depart before I begin tearing the bathroom to pieces!

Level Headed

Application of the old adage "Water seeks its own level"!

Getting a straight horizontal line all the way around the bathroom has been a head-scratcher. Before I can hang the wallpaper on the upper wall, I have to determine the height and placement of the Craftsman wainscoting cap. I don't want wallpaper peaking down below or riding up too high. But the new addition is not level, plumb, or square (partly due to our framers, partly due to being tacked on to an old house)! Our laser level is having problems shooting over the obstacles of doors, window casings, shower tile, etc., and it doesn't turn corners very well either. So I went in search of a solution.

I could rent a rotary laser level for a day, but that's a lot of money and hassle. So we put the laws of physics to use and employed a twenty foot length of tubing. I siphoned water into it, leaving about a foot and half empty at each end. Then we just held one end of the tubing next to the desired starting point and walked the other end around to different points in the room, waited for the water line to level out each time before making pencil marks on the wall. No need to pull it taut; the tubing can lay on the floor, coil up, run over obstacles, etc. (just no kinks). You can buy or make devices with a water reservoir that are more accurate, but this served our purposes. It does take two people, but that just gave Jeff and me some more togetherness!

Merrily we floor along

I've been busy installing the new bathroom flooring this week. It's not difficult, but it is time consuming. I feel as though I've been on my hands and knees for three days straight now, but it's really been on and off. I've been priming and painting all the casing and baseboards that will trim out the bath, too, so that gives me a chance to stand and stretch! The contractor should be back tomorrow to begin installing the trim, which is exciting. The room is really starting to come together.

Underlayment puttied, caulked, and sanded smooth

My working position 75% of the time

Almost done!

Kitchen Debut

It's not quite finished. It may never be; that's how DIY goes. But the kitchen finally has a backsplash and undercabinet lights (thought they aren't wired to the switch yet). So why should the lack of a few cabinet doors hold up the big reveal? I love the convenience of the open shelves, so I'm in no hurry to buy and paint and hang new Shaker style doors. That is the plan, though, so it may happen eventually. In the meantime, perhaps some pretty containers and baskets will mask my cabinet clutter.

I must give plenty of credit to Jeff. This is our third house to renovate/restore, and it wouldn't be possible without my amazing husband. While I have the opportunity to be a stay-at-home wife and pursue my old house passion, Jeff is a busy professor building his career and trying to earn tenure at the university. So the fact that he uses his weekends and semester breaks to do a lot of the heavy lifting makes him deserving of an A+ in my book! He gives me plenty of leeway to dream and design and only occasionally pricks my bubble with a practical reality or two. Plus, he always lovingly checks my hands when he gets home to make sure I haven't lost a digit to the miter saw or jigsaw or whatever power tool I'm using that day!

Before purchase (the previous resident left it trashed):

After:

Breakfast bar:

Seedbox windowseat:

Sink view before and after:

Range view before and after:

Dishwasher view before and after:

Fridge view before and after:

Floor (after stripping three layers of vinyl tile and lino; and after sanding and Waterlox); and yes, the color does seem to match DaVinci!

In case anyone is interested, here are the details:

- Cabinets: original frames, painted BM Vellum with ADVANCE paint (new doors to be purchased later); two extra base cabinets added from salvage store

- Counters: Formica Basalt Slate

- Backsplash: beadboard panels from Home Depot painted BM Linen White

- Sink: Ikea Domsjo double basin sink

- Faucet: Kraus 1602 Pre-Rinse Commercial faucet

- Pulls: Belwith Studio pulls (discontinued Venetian Bronze finish from eBay, spray painted in Rustoleum Carbon Mist)

- Island: clearance JCPenney foyer table, topped with butcherblock remnant

- Lighting: 4 light chandelier from Overstock; undercabinet waterproof LED strip lights (SMD5050) from HitLights

- Paint: BM Bennington Gray walls, BM Linen White trim and ceiling

- Floors: original quartersawn heart pine floors; sanded and finished with four coats of Original Waterlox

- Windowseat: original 1920's seed box found in the attic and restored

- Breakfast bar: Ikea EKBY desk (added brackets and painted everything BM Vellum), with JCPenney clearance saddle stools

- Total budget: $2500

The appliances are all slightly older models I bought used on Craigslist. There is a Thermador 30" dual fuel range (and matching venthood, not yet installed); SubZero 700 series fridge; and a set of Kitchenaid dishdrawers.

Coop de Jour

Our little "rag top coop" has a new top! (Sorry for the puns; we've been having a lot of fun at the chicken coop's expense.)

One of our last projects before Jeff is back teaching classes full time was updating the coop. It was built badly, un-plumb, out of square, etc. by the previous tenant, but the posts were set in concrete and it had sides and a door. We had fixed the wire mesh several months ago when the chicks needed an outside home, but it still had no roof. We had tarped it for a little protection from the strong winds, sun, and rain, but that was a very temporary fix at best. So using (almost exclusively) scrap materials laying around the farm, Jeff designed and constructed a proper metal roof.

Just a little shot of the joists and roof underside

After all the effort he put in, I'll be reminding the girls daily that it's time they repay him in eggs!

Darling Display

I haven't debuted the kitchen renovation yet, as there are still some large, unfinished items (namely, cabinet doors and backsplash). It's too hot in the shop to work on the doors, and the paint wouldn't have a chance to level properly anyhow. And we have to make some decisions about undercabinet lighting (and wiring) before I can finish the backsplash. So those hold-ups are delaying the big kitchen reveal.

In the meantime, I'm having fun trimming it out with details. The windowseat is painted and in place, I found the perfect fabric for the box cushion to top it, and the cafe curtain and hanging planter are in. It still looks a bit messy and rather visually cluttered, due to the cabinet doors being off. But the open display shelves on the endcaps have never looked better!

Paneled fridge on the left, windowseat under the cafe curtain,
and a glimpse of the (unfinished) beadboard backsplash

This kitchen display is brought to you in part by my marvelous Maryland-based friend. I had made an impulse purchase at Ikea on our long distance shopping trip several months ago. It turned out to be the perfect item, but I only bought one. It was a very pretty, off white pedestal bowl that they were discontinuing. So when I realized it was the perfect shape, size, and color for my display shelves, I searched the country for more! A friend and fellow Ikea lover came to mind and I contacted her. Her store still had them! So she kindly purchased and shipped me several more to round out my collection.

Left of the sink

Right of the sink

End run by the range

I still need two more white "somethings" to fill the shelves completely. I'm not big on tchotchkes, knickknacks, or other purely decorative items, so I'm waiting until I find just the right functional and attractive (and budget-friendly) pieces.

We'll leave a light on for you...

The garden tour inspired me to finally install our low voltage landscape lights. After discovering how incredibly easy it is, I am rather embarrassed to admit that I bought the lights on clearance three years ago for the last house! And yet somehow never got around to putting them in. Oh well, that just means they were practically free now (in my very warped accounting sense ;-).

They must have been discontinuing them because LED lights now are brighter and warmer in their color temperature. But light is light, and I'm not going to be picky about brightening up the dark. I still need to splice the cord to lengthen and adjust the spotlights washing the porch railing, and I'm thinking about adding some solar lights up on the gable dormer. But it gives a nice welcome at twilight. And the appearance of a runway, since our sidewalk still goes to nowhere! Here's to hoping you achieve lift-off before you reach the end.

Hang 'em High

With the purchase of a few random cabinets on Craigslist, three coats of paint, and more measuring, finagling, discussion, and planning than you would think necessary, we finally have some storage in the mudroom.

Mudroom last July

My CL cabinets before

Mudroom now, in progress

I'll eventually build two custom narrow cubbies to fill out the upper run and trim the cabinets to the ceiling, but that is a project for another day! So is the meticulous painting of the multi-pane glass door that goes on that center cabinet. Please use your imagination and pretend you can see into the cabinet. Oh wait; you can!

The mudroom was simply the back porch in another life, before being closed in. The concrete floor, therefore, was thoughtfully designed to shed water with a very definite pitch towards the rear. Great for floods, but not so good for interior design. I will soon replace the large white bottom cabinet with a narrow drawer base at the end run, topping the whole length with a countertop to form a large work surface and desk area. But said drawer base will have to be jacked up a bit, in order to form a level line with the upper cabinets.

My Habi Restore find, a 15" drawer base, mid sanding and prepping.

We'll be hitching that puppy more than two inches off the floor to achieve parallel with the new counter. So with that in mind, we had to hang the uppers higher than normal to maintain a decent distance between countertop and cabinets. At 5'2", I already have to stretch on tippy toe for the third shelf; now I think I'll just resign that space for Jeff's things. When I told Jeff that, he asked what things were his!

Bed Head

Jeffrey made the bed! Well, he actually made five or six. Landscape beds, that is. (But he's actually really helpful with the mattress kind, too!)

We've had edging our landscaping on the brain lately, so we rented a bed edger last Wednesday from a local equipment rental facility and got busy. Jeff practiced first on a few less critical areas in the backyard, like a new kidney shaped shade garden I wanted to experiment with under the tulip magnolia.

We really dig it! It works like a trencher, carving out a two to four inch deep channel, but it has a curved edge on one side to pile the soil neatly up and away into the bed. It makes those perfect "golf course" edges you see and love.

Thursday began the edging in earnest, with the reworking of our foundation beds to include the new walkway beds and incorporate the giant gardenia.

Just for the record, if you decide to try this yourself, have plenty of marking paint on hand! I had a partial can and bought a second just in case, and we ended up running through all of it and spray-painting the grass with gloss white, flat black, primer, and whatever else I had hanging around the garage! 

After Jeff trenched, I shaped the existing soil into a sloped profile. Our next step will be trucking in additional top soil and compost to raise the beds (for aesthetics as well as drainage and soil amendment purposes). And then of course the planting of more shrubs, annuals, and perennials. Back breaking work, but we think it will be worth the effort. 

Saving for a Rainy Day

Jeff came with me to make a rain barrel yesterday. I've been planning to take one of the classes the Extension Service offers on rain barrels, but so far most have been offered in other counties. This one came up a few weeks ago, and since Jeff would be done teaching classes, he offered to accompany me.

It was a simple hour lecture and demo, and then we were set free to pick our barrels and use the available tools. It's quite simple, but I'm glad we attended the class, because we had access to much nicer barrels than I could have found on Craigslist or something. These are 60 gallon terracotta-colored olive barrels from Greece with threaded lids, which makes adding the debris screen on top much easier. Jeff likes the Greek emblem and lettering on the side, and even enjoys the odor of Mediterranean food evoked by the empty barrels. We each made one rain barrel, but we got the contact info in case we decide we would like more matching barrels.

Waiting my turn for the pipe-threading tap