Bathroom Reno: The Reconstruction Begins

We left off yesterday with a totally destroyed 91 year old half bathroom.  We slept like rocks, and then it was off to Home Depot to pick up some supplies that we couldn't have predicted we would have needed.  I went to pick up some flat 1x6 and profiled trim to fix the baseboard while my husband got a little more shut eye.

While I was there, I picked up some finishing nails and actually had to purchase chair rail to find something tall and wide enough to replace the missing molding.  If you remember, the wall area looked like this when we were done with the demolition:

You can see the missing baseboard and the missing molding in the photo above.  We don't have a compound miter saw, so we had to improvise with the tools required to cut the molding at a 45 degree angle.  We used a jigsaw & eyeballed it.  Luckily there was caulk and wood glue to fill in any gaps.... or at least that's what we thought.

Three of the walls proved to be fairly simple to fix, even the place where the flat board was missing.  We did have to chisel out a bit of baseboard that was below the plywood floor to slip in the new flat board, but that wasn't our biggest issue - it was the 4th wall, the one behind the toilet, the one that we haven't completely finalized yet.  The plaster on all walls ended about 1/4" below the molding.  In most places this wasn't an issue, but on the 4th wall, the lath was about 1-1/2" away from the face of the plaster.  Here is a photo using my finger as a guide:

Please notice that you can't see my first knuckle.  That's how far away the wall was, and because the chair molding that we got was actually 1/4" shorter than the molding that was there, there would be nothing to support the new molding with.  There was also nothing to nail it into.

So what we planned on doing was nailing the trim to the flat board beneath it, then just caulking the joint.  Again, on three walls, this worked perfectly.  The fourth wall was NOT pretty, and still is only partially fixed.  What we will eventually do is to place a thin board along the wall and paint it to match the wall so that any larger gaps will be covered.

So it took a while to get the old wood chiseled, the new wood cut, the molding cut at an angle with the wrong tools, and nailing straight down with a large hammer on profiled wood.  In fact it took us the whole day, when you include caulking and adding wood glue.   Here is the photo after the new baseboards were installed.



We added caulking in the floor holes, patched messed up plaster and even installed the light fixture with the rest of that day. The next day was a Monday, so we only had a few hours after work to do some work. So we threw down thin set, and put the Hardie Board into place, screwing it down at 8" on center.  Here is a photo of the Hardie Board in place:

We had to buy a fancy bit for the jigsaw to cut the holes in the Hardie Board, as it is a cementitious material.  Just a little heads up, cutting circles is difficult.  Turns out that the can of french fried onions on our shelf was the exact same diameter as the waste pipe, so that's what we used to draw the circle.  Then Matt cut a straight line in the board down to the circle and slowly cut out a circle.  He had to take a second pass to make it a little wider, but it fit perfectly.

Matt was busy the next few days, so I painted the baseboards, primed and painted the walls, and finished with any wall repairs.  See the gap in the back wall in the photo above, most of that was able to be patched, some wasn't, but it's behind the toilet, so any "patch" has been delayed.

So that was the beginning of putting things back together.  Next step:  Tiling.... another post that is not to be missed.  Hopefully it will be full of little tips to help you to get through it better than we did!!

Bathroom Reno: Demo Day

Ladies and Gentlemen!  We are back!!!

The half bathroom is about 85% finished, but it's done enough to give you all an update on the progress of the room.

Just for a refresher, you should remember the bathroom looking like this:

Please note the old vanity, the medicine cabinet, and the horrible carpet on the floor.  But those are only the immediate things that you will notice.  What you can't see is a crack in the toilet, from the floor to the top of the bowl.  You can't see awful plastic blinds on the window, or the 1970's era light fixture above the medicine cabinet.  This room needed to be fixed, immediately.  So after what was literally YEARS of planning, we shut down the bathroom and started the renovation.

And because the first morning was crazy and not many photos were taken, after about 6 hours at least as many trips to the home improvement store, the same wall looked like this:

Now don't let the fact that the room doesn't look that different, deceive you.  There aren't a TON of pictures that came from the disaster that we will refer to as "Demo Day".  However, this day alone will occupy an entire post.

We begin this story first thing in the morning.  We went once to Lowe's to purchase the light fixture, then to Home Depot to get various building supplies:  Hardie Board, thinset, grout, tile spacers, etc...  Then we headed back home to start the demolition.  Luckily we had another toilet in our home, because this project ended up taking WAY longer than either one of us had planned.  We thought we could finish it in a week or two, but with work, school, final exams, it ended up taking us a month to get to the 85% mark, where we are today.

Our first job was to remove the sink, the area that you see in the photo above.  Only it wasn't as easy as one would think.  You think, turn off the water, cut the sealant, unhook the supply and waste lines and remove the vanity... HA, if only it were that easy.  We attempted to turn the knobs to the water shut offs.  The hot turned off immediately, however the cold, wouldn't turn.  So my loving husband grabbed a pair of pliers, turned the knob, and then crack... the knob broke.  So off to our local hardware store, where we purchased two new valves. 

We got home, turned off the hot and cold supplies to the bathroom, removed the hot water valve, then the cold water valve... however the water wasn't off.  How this happened I still don't know.  So I went running into the basement to turn off the main water supply.  When we went to put the new valves on, they didn't fit, so back to the hardware store we went.  He supplied us with a couple parts that he thought would fix the problem.  We got back home, and nope, that didn't help.  So we brought the old valve and one of the new valves back to the local hardware store. 

They directed us to the valves that we did want - and if you are keeping track, this was trip number 5 to various hardware stores that morning.  While we were there I also picked up two escutcheon plates to fit around the pipes so that you wouldn't see the abused plaster.  Unfortunately, i had not brought back all of the original parts, so that meant that trip number 6 would be occurring later, regardless.

Luckily, these valves worked.  It took a lot of work to get them to attach correctly, and to keep the water from leaking everywhere... but eventually it was done.  We could now remove the supply lines.  Then we unattached the waste line, and attempted to remove the sink.  First we noticed that there were two screws that were holding the sink into the wall, so after contorting ourselves to remove them, we again tried to remove the sink, to no avail.  We rocked it back and forth, cutting at sealant that we thought we were through, just trying to find where it was still attached.

We finally realized that some genius had cut part of the baseboard to fit the vanity in, not all of the baseboard, just some of it, and then screwed the bottom of the vanity into the side of the baseboard that was left.  Without an image, it's hard to show, and I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, it took us HOURS to remove the sink. 

We, quite easily and quickly, after that removed the toilet, the carpet, and the remnants of vinyl flooring that was left under the carpet.  We cut the rest of the hacked up baseboard that was left behind the vanity, and Viola!  You have the photo above. 

Because the baseboard was in two parts, a flat board and a profiled one, and the top part was impossible to match where it had been removed, we had to remove all of the top piece of baseboard, and tried to salvage what was left of the bottom piece.  Here is another photo of the "toilet remains", and showing the missing piece of molding.

The plywood that was left was in decent condition, so we worked with what we had.  That plywood actually sat on top of the original hardwood floor, so the bottom of the baseboards were actually hidden beneath the plywood.  Luckily they were very tall, so there was no need to go back to the original floor.

Also, interesting fact, if you look back at the first demo picture, you can see two small holes in the floor, any idea what they are?  I knew immediately.  I had always questioned whether this TINY little room was always a bathroom and those two little holes confirmed it for me.  It was always a bathroom, with a tiny corner sink.  The two holes were for the water pipes coming up through the floor.  I have seen this around my neighborhood before, so that's why I knew right away.

So, while demo was exhausting that day, it was just as exhausting recounting it all for you here this evening.  So I will end the post there, and start with the reconstruction soon.  Before you know it, you'll see the bathroom completed.  Hopefully you enjoy the process more than we did!!!

Simple Wedding Flowers

The bathroom is getting closer to being completed... It is tiling, grouting & fixture-ing away from being functional again & as soon as it's done, the recaps will begin.  Until then, we will continue to spend our evenings working on the room!  We are hoping to get most of the tiling done tonight.  Finish tiling and grouting tomorrow, then start to add the fixtures this weekend.  Maybe a toilet Friday night & a sink Saturday night?  We'll see!!!

But because I am bored at work today, I do have time to do a quick post.  Because I am still in love with all things involved with the Royal Wedding, I figured I might do a bit of a wedding post today - one based on flowers.  It is May, and wedding season is in full bloom (pun totally intended), so it makes sense to bring back some wedding information.

One thing that I found extremely refreshing with the Royal Wedding was the simplicity of the florals.  While there were enormous trees & large ferns, the flowers were simple & white.  Cathrine carried a simple bouquet filled with lily of the valley.  Her attendants had small bouquets and baskets filled with the same flower, and it made a simple, yet beautiful impact.


Hugo Burnand/AP Photo


I remember being overwhelmed by the cost of flowers, and though we did go fairly simple with our flowers, using seasonal florals in white and green, we still spent over $1,000 on flowers.  Small centerpieces, simple bouquets & boutonnieres, still over a grand in flowers.  So Cathrine's simple bouquet got me thinking... maybe we (as brides) spend too much money, and time worrying on our flowers.

Some of the most beautiful flower arrangements I have seen are simple, so I thought I'd gather some here for everyone to see.  Sometimes leaving flowers out completely is not something a bride wants to do, myself included, so here are a couple interesting solutions for a wedding bouquet.  These solutions still make an impact, but won't break your budget:



This is a simple bouquet that could be carried by the bride
or the bridesmaids.  Add color as needed!
Photo Credit: Link



A few tiered roses with some greenery is simple and beautiful. 
Adding a wide ribbon brings extra color and texture to the mix.
Photo Credit: Link



This bouquet is modern, simple & unique.
Photo Credit: Link



A few simple Calla Lilies make a dramatic impact.  Make them red, orange,
almost any color really, to match your theme.
Photo Credit: Link



Even a simple bouquet of lavender can be made into a beautiful bouquet.
If purple is in your theme, consider this!
Photo: Project Wedding



One of my favorites is baby's breath.  This is an amazing bouquet for anyone
in your wedding party.  If you want the bride to have a bigger impact, have her
 carry a bouquet of white roses to set her apart!
Photo: Project Wedding

I know I have discussed alternate wedding centerpieces here before, but I want to try to add some examples of simple centerpieces that DO use flowers.  Our centerpieces used 2-3 large hydrangea and greenery in black vases to make an impact.  As much as I LOVED the look of a big ball of beautiful flowers, adding different types of greenery can make a beautiful effect with a much lower price tag.


When we had our wedding, hydrangeas were about $5.00 each, with greenery the
centerpieces were $12-$18.  I got the vases online for $5.00 each.



Using three different vases, and simple submerged flowers, this centerpiece
is simple but dramatic.
Photo: Project Wedding

 

More unique greenery in long stalks is beautiful in this centerpiece.
Photo:  Project Wedding



Another place where simple baby's breath can make a beautiful arrangement.
Photo: Project Wedding



One bloom in lots of different vases is a great alternative.  Throw in a
couple bottles with stems of your favorite greenery & you have a great display.
Photo: Good Housekeeping

 The most important lessons when trying to lighten your floral bill are as follows:

1.  Choose flowers that are in season.  This is very important, as flowers that are not in season can run you $5-$8 each.  Trying to get a peony in August, you are going to pay for it.  There are lots of websites that can direct you to good in-season flowers.

2.  Cut back on the size and number of flowers.  While you think that every table arrangement should have 20 roses, that can run you $75 each - minimum.  Add two shorter vases with floating candles & wrapped in twine or with submerged banana leaves and go with a smaller display.  When it comes to your bouquets, if you want to have the bridal bouquet be large and in-charge, fine, but scale back on the 'maids.  A simple bouquet will be beautiful for them and will save you major money!

3. Submerge.  One flower, candle & add water - it is still dramatic, and much more cost effective than a dozen of your favorite flower.  Consult with a florist to find the best flowers for submerging.

4.  Add Greenery.  I was against this, and I wish I had done more research, but there are some beautiful greenery items that can be added to your bouquets and arrangement.  Cabbage, Kale, all kinds of interesting vegetables can be added too.

Hopefully some of these hints and photos will help you brides out there who still want flowers, but don't want to spend a small fortune decorating.  Happy Wedding Season!

The Bathroom Accessories

I honestly tried to bring photos to work today, so that I might update you on the progress of our half bath.  Unfortunately, the archaic computers at our office do not accept our Memory Card, so alas, you will have to wait a little longer to see progress.

The new baseboard & molding are in.  Last night we put down the Hardy Board Panel.  Tonight we are busy, and part of this weekend my husband is away, so I will work on priming, caulking, spackling, sanding & painting while he is gone, so that when he returns we can tile, grout & install fixtures! Yay.  Granted that is probably another whole week worth of work, but I am sooo excited to get this done.

Well with a new bathroom comes the need for new accessories.  I think I am going to keep the bathroom somewhat neutral.  Our trim is bright white & the walls will be "Sand Fossil".  It's a beachy warm grey with a slight yellow green undertone, hard to see the undertone, but here is the color:

Our tile is an old clearanced tile from Lowe's that we picked up years ago.  It is filled with warm greys, oranges, a little gold & JUST a hint of green-grey.  Something like this but more orange than red:

Shown: Mt. Everest Verde - Home Depot

 Our fixtures are bright white, our faucet, handles & accessories are chrome or brushed nickel.

So what to do about bath mats, towels, art....

First, the bath mat.  The half bath has NO heat in the room.  We keep the door open in the winter so that some of the heat from the basement & kitchen end up warming the room up a bit.  The tile floor is not going to help this issue, so we will need a small mat to keep the floor warm in the winter.  I don't want to cover up all of the lovely tile, so it will probably be a neutral warm grey mat that can be slid around the room where needed.

Second, the towels.  I think we will probably go with the same neutral warm grey towels.  I wanted to do maybe an orange or gold, a pop of color, and I still might, but the intention is to make the room warm, updated & clean, far from what it used to look like.  You will remember it looking like this:

We just can't wait to have it new and refreshed.  We can mess with the color of the accessories once things are done.  I don't mind buying a couple different color hand towels!

Third, the art.  We will be installing a shelf on the wall over the toilet.  Something easy, painted the color of the wall, so that we might have some additional storage in the room.  Because we are removing the vanity, we will need a place to put some things.  This also gives us the opportunity to add a little flair to the room:  a stack of books, a gilded initial for our last name, then we will hang something great from the wall over the shelf.  What?  We don't know yet, but it will make the room look finished. 

I would like to add a small storage unit in the room to store cleaning supplies, extra towels, etc.  Something like this:


Madras - 3-Drawer Tower - World Market

I love the look of dark wicker & a small thin storage tower than can go between the wall and the sink is exactly what I'm looking for.  This particular unit would be a little wide for the space we have.

And lastly the window treatments.  What I want to do is to frost the window.  This will let in a lot of light and block the view (as the bathroom is right on our driveway).  I would then like to get a dark brown bamboo shade & possibly accent with a curtain pulled to the side.  The dark bamboo will match a dark wicker storage bin.  If we do a curtain, I would get a similar color hand towel.  This is where we would add some color.  Maybe a neutral green or pale yellow.  Something bright that isn't BRIGHT.

I can't wait to share more photos with you, so you can see what a challenge this re-do has become already!

Where have you been?

I apologize, it has been an extraordinarily long time since I have posted anything, but I promise, there are only good things coming.

We have been busy working on our bathroom, which comes with many, many stories, and many more trips to the hardware store (which will eventually cause me to lose my mind...).  I am going to try to long on tonight from home with pictures of the progress. 

Progress is sort of a loose term, as we are only complete with demo, priming & installing a light fixture.... oh how much slower it goes, especially when life gets in the way!

So, keep checking back, there will be progress photos soon!

Have a great day everyone!

Outdoor Furniture Time!

As April has started rolling along, so has my desire to be outside every day that I see sunshine (like today)!  It is still getting a little chilly at night, so we are still hesitant to move quickly into spring - fire pits, gardens, planting, mowing..... but that doesn't mean I can't think about it.

You all know of my love for West Elm & this year they have spread their wings and widened the scope of their outdoor line!  Sure they used to have a lounger or two, but they are going all out with new designs.  Here are a couple of pictures to get you inspired.

West Elm - Wood Slat Collection

West Elm - Montauk Sectional

West Elm - Montauk Nest Chair



West Elm - Wire Lanterns



West Elm - Terra Cotta Cylinder Planters

Okay, lets be honest, that just made me want to take a trip to the beach!  We love spending time outside in our Adirondack chairs out front, or by the fire pit in the back, and looking at these sunny pictures make me want to be there right now!

I have always been a fan of West Elm's outdoor furniture but the new Montauk line is a great substitute for traditional wicker furniture.  If we had some extra money, I'd be scooping up some outdoor goodies right now.  I especially love the hanging lanterns, which our patio could use on dark nights.  Sometimes the citronella gets a bit to smokey & a little extra light would be nice.

We don't have too much planned for the outside, other than the garden mentioned here & some work on the porch.  What do you have planned with your outdoor space this year?

DIY Blue Mason Jars

My favorite color is blue.  Not just any blue, but bright lovely shades of turquoise, aqua and teal - saturated and stunning.  Funny how blue isn't a main color in our decorating.  It's probably because my husband's favorite color is red.  So we ended up going with a neutral, earthy palette in our home.  Which is okay with both of us.

Knowing that my favorite color is blue, and that I love DIY, I really, really fell in love with this project.  Making your own Blue Mason Jars.  If you have seen the original thing, they are a thing of beauty.


Photo Credit: HERE

They have been very popular with the rustic wedding vibe lately, and people are dying to get a hold of a few of these antique jars.  Unfortunately they are hard to find and expensive.  They can run you $5-$20 each!  Insanity!  But take a look at how beautiful they are displaying flowers at a wedding.


Photo Credit: HERE

I can totally understand why couples are clamoring to get a hold of these jars.  But when planning my own wedding (who's colors were not blue OR red....) I found a DIY on how to make these jars from plain, old, affordable clear mason jars.  You can buy 12 packs of regular jars for about $12.  Way more affordable than splurging a minimum of $60 for a dozen of the originals.

I will give credit where credit is due, and link you directly to the blog that has the how-to instructions.  You can find a wonderful blog here: Bridal Buzz 

But since you are here, I will also give you the how-to from Bridal Buzz's site so that you can see how easy and affordable these lovely jars can be for you!  Whether you are planning a wedding or not, these jars are amazing to house flowers, seeds, plants, etc.

The blogger uses a product called Vitrea160, a transparent glass paint, and purchased the color "turquoise" (approximately $4 each) and a thinner from the same line to get a lighter color on the glass.  She put a jar on a tupperware container, upside down.  She then dipped a fan brush into the thinner and mixed it into the turquoise & just painted it on the glass jar.


Photo from Bridal Buzz

 You let the jar set for 24 hours, then bake it for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Apparently when you paint the liquid on you will see brushstrokes, most of these disappear after the baking process.  Personally I'd try to take extra time to put the paint on as evenly as possible.  But if you are going to put something in these jars like liquid, seeds, soil, you will most likely not see the strokes.

Photo from Bridal Buzz

Here is a link to her DIY for this project:  Bridal Buzz Mason Jars

If I can come up with the perfect place for a few of these jars, I might just be making this project.  I love those darn jars so much!  There are warnings of course to monitor use with candles.  While it's beautiful, there is always the chance that glass and over heat and break, so be sure that the tops are not on, and the candles are monitored if you are using them.  Also beware that any striations in the paint will be seen with candles!

Happy Crafting.