When we bought this house, it was in serious disrepair and neglect. It had been vacant for two years and it looked like someone had been camping in the family room, with horrible stains on the carpet and the remains of barbecued meal utensils in the wood stove. We immediately replaced the flooring and remodeled the kitchen. When our bathroom started leaking, we remodeled that as well. The guest/kids bathroom upstairs was ugly but functional. A previous owner sent me some pictures of the house taken in 2008. The bathroom looked cute back then.
When we moved in, the bathroom looked like this. The narrow ledge running next to the tub was awkward, and the brown colored floor tiles were ugly. The pretty blue counter top had been replaced with brown formica-ish stuff.
The tub/shower was gross. I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I think I used an entire bottle of bleach on the tile. When the tub started leaking and dripping through the floor, we replaced the tub and shower. But we left the rest for later.
For Christmas, my dad gave us a generous gift and we decided to use it to fix up the bathroom. The bathroom sits at the top of the stairs, next to Kyle and Camille's rooms. They don't live at home anymore but if they didn't have a room, I think they'd kill me.
We had everything removed, except the new tub/shower.
Instead of the long narrow strip next to the tub, we had a wider step made for easy access into the tub. The tub isn't level with the floor but is raised up, to accommodate the plumbing, so we needed some sort of step so people can into the tub.
We had floor tile installed and a new vanity made by the artist who made our front pedestrian gate. We hadn't planned on replacing the vanity but then I saw one that Tom had made for a local winery's tasting room and I had to have one. Brett rolled his eyes and agreed. We bought a sink that looks like a miner's gold pan since we live in the gold country (there are abandoned mines
everywhere here). Brett made the window and door frames out of some reclaimed wood.
Now I just have to figure out what to do with the window covering. I don't want to obscure the window because the view is really nice, overlooking the garden. But, people will want privacy when they shower (and we don't want to scare the birds in the garden). I have a dumb, sheer half-curtain there now. I'm thinking maybe a sheer curtain, pulled to the side? Thoughts from all you creative folks out there?
My son had a pleated shade installed in his bathroom window that you can lower from the top. It gives privacy when needed but can be completely raised or lowered for an unobstructed view.
ReplyDeleteI've seen those as well and might go that route. I like that you can open them from the top as well as the bottom. And, its a clean look that doesn't obscure the molding around the window. The only concern I have is around pricing. But worth a look.
DeleteI get a catalog from a place called Country Curtains, I'm sure you can google it. They always have some lovely sheer lace curtains with a variety of patterns.
ReplyDeleteI will google them for sure! Thanks.
Deletei am a fan of cellular shades. i have the "top down - bottom up" style in my bathrooms, so you can obscure the bottom only, or use like a normal shade when needed. the rest of the time it seems to disappear from view.
ReplyDeleteI love the look of these shades, too, but I am intimidated by their installation. It seems very complicated and tricky to get them right... Did you have them professionally installed? I'm thinking I might need to go that route...
DeleteLove the new bathroom! And especially the sink and vanity. It's something I'm thinking of doing in the 1750's house I'm renovating. How about a Roman shade made out of fabric for the window? You can put them on a curtain rod and keep it up as a valance when nobody is using the bathroom and it lowers easily when it's occupied. Give Country Curtains a look they have some nice ideas and curtain there.
ReplyDeleteI love the new bathroom. My friend put in cellular shades and they ware terrific. When we redid our bathroom I put in roman shades and I like how they work.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! What a piece of art.
ReplyDeleteTom is an amazing artist. Brett says that if we ever move (highly unlikely), we are taking the vanity with us.
DeleteWOW!! Your new bathroom looks GREAT!!
ReplyDeleteI love the gold pan sink and vanity! =D
Have fun looking for window coverings and please let us see when you have completed the look!
Love — no — LOVE the new bathroom. I'm usually not a fan of on-the-counter sinks, but your gold pan totally works. Nice framing by Brett. As for a possible window covering: blinds that can drop down and open/close; muslin curtain pulled to the side when not in use (reminiscent of miner tents).
ReplyDeleteOoooh, I like that tent idea.
DeleteI would go with a nearly floor length sheer or pace curtain with a simple hook tieback that makes it easy to open and close. You might have to move the TP roll over a few inches to allow for the drape of the curtain. There are a lot of cool rustic curtain rods out there these days.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I am leaning towards at the moment. I like shades but they are a pain to install. I think a sheer curtain with a rustic curtain rod and pull back will complement the feel of the room. I looked at the website, Country Curtains, that a few people recommended and they have lots of curtains and rods that would work. I think if I put the pull back on the tub side of the window, the TP roll will be okay. I'll have to play with it...
DeleteOh, gosh, I love that vanity!! Our basement bathroom also has a high tub. We built a tiled shelf/step. It works pretty well. Didn't even think about the smaller step. Our basement flooded last Sunday, so we will now be taking on our own projects. Yay, us! :) The bathroom, however, did survive. Tile is hearty stuff. Carpet, not so much.
ReplyDelete