Bathroom Reveal - Filled with GW Tips

8 years ago

For several years, I have regularly read and learned from the bathroom forum posts, knowing that we would need to remodel our 80s bathroom before too long. Armed with information from GW and working with a creative and competent GC, I was more than ready to begin the project! Demo began in mid March, and the remodel is just days from being completed.

The original bathroom was part of a 1989 master bedroom suite addition, and to say I knew next to nothing about wise choices would be accurate. The result was a large space filled with typical builder grade fixtures and finishes. The entrance door was only 2' wide, it's small size a big problem when DH was rehabbing from two hip replacement surgeries.

Tile was chosen after seeing girlcat 36's pictures of her beautiful small bath remodel; I went with the darker version of the tile she used. I really liked her tile design, and went with something similar on the floor.

I knew from reading many posts about how important it is to squeeqee clear shower glass each and every time it gets wet that i would NOT use it - DH is just too old to teach new tricks, so I went with rain glass instead.

A big decision was what kind of shower base to use. Since I'd rather be gardening or riding horses than scrubbing grout, I went with a preformed pan - Monogot, I looked for a Kohler cast iron pan after reading your recommendations, but since one wasn't available in the size we needed, we had a cultured marble one custom made. Raehelen, your post reassured me that we were making a good choice!

I had a custom vanity built with an electrical outlet inside so that my hair styling appliances can be hidden away - something else I learned about here. It is 36" tall, making it much easier to use than the old 32" tall one.

Tub or no tub? Many posts here discussed doing away with a tub in the master bathroom, so that's what we did. We gained a larger shower, but just as important - a place for my antique makeup desk and chair looking out a slider window to the woods beyond. Sitting there each morning is so enjoyable with the natural light and view as I "put a fresh coat of paint on the old barn!"

A Toto Drake toilet went in - I learned about Terry Love's website from this forum. One of my absolute favorite things in the bathroom is something I don't think I even knew existed before discovering Garden Web - bidet toilet seats!

So, thank you to all of you who post here - those who ask questions and those who share your expertise, and those of you who reveal the finished projects here on this forum. I am one of many, I'm sure,
who frequent this site to make the most informed decisions we can when undertaking a bath remodel.

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Comments (8)

jewelisfabulous
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Wow! What a lovely transformation! All your choices are beautiful. I especially like the pattern of the floor tile. Is there a name for that?
enduring
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Beautiful! You did a wonderful job. I love your description of the woods beyond the window. That is a real treasure for sure. It is a lovely location for your desk/vanity. I love the warm tones too.
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Recently bought a Virtu Winterfell 36" vanity (without countertop)from Home Depot because the ability to return to local store with no charges. Went that route because I could not find a single example of this brand in a city of 1M+. Probably 5% higher than other lowest internet alternative without that generous return option. I'm a furniture quality snob who occasionally makes his own furniture and built ins. I'm quite particular. Time didn't allow me the "build it myself" option this time. In short the packaging and build quality was very good and quite acceptable. It is a bathroom vanity by the way and isn't going to get worked as hard as a kitchen. But regardless, the piece is solid with sturdy joinery. I'm not going to say it's as smooth as a ronbow but IMHO the 2x-3x of a ronbow makes no sense unless you're hemorrhaging money. I didn't like the pulls and we plan to replace and the false drawer front to actual drawer connection makes that a little difficult to change (but not impossible). This pertains to a CON for the piece. The knobs attach by a wood screw from the back being screwed into the knob rather than a threaded bolt. That seems like a cheap connection that's likely to fail in the long run. On the drawers you can't access that knob screw head because the head is concealed by the drawer body. You have to take off the false drawer front (a few screws from the backside) to get access to that screw head. Stupid design. They should have it so that someone could easily screw out a normal bolt of a regular knob and replace to one our liking. In reality, I wish they would ship the piece with zero knobs and then I could put whatever type of handle (for instance a bar handle with two holes) although I understand that would drive away people who can't figure out how to put a handle on a drawer front (sad commentary on general public). The espresso finish is very nice, deep, rich, and consistent. The hinges are only a 110 degree type but that's probably OK for the intended use. The undermount soft close drawer slides see very nice...not Blum...but a decent knockoff and smooth running.
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I'm very sorry I did not answer the questions from the last few years... I've been out of reno mode for a while :) It's probably too late, but here are the replies: @walkin_yesindeed - the vanity finish has held up just fine. However, it's not the original paint. We sanded and re-painted with new Ben Moore bathroom paint. No issues with dampness (we do run the fan for every shower, though.) @kirkhall - I have NOT been happy with the touted un-stainable-ness of the epoxy grout on the floor. I mean, it's better than regular grout, but it didn't stay white no matter how much I cleaned it. It looks fine, since the tile is multi-toned, but it's definitely not still white. The shower grout, however, has held up extremely well. @SparklingWater - I don't recall the demo being terribly difficult, but that may be because I knew what to expect from other parts of the house. It was tile over a dense cement. @MrsD - I think the grout color is standard white. @MayaEoff - Our tub is the standard 30" size.
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Lovely! I like the classic white tile and porcelain and how you used furniture pieces in the bathroom. I love that the storage at the end of the tub has pull-outs that can be reached from the toilet. Your custom sink and backsplash and counter are unique and beautiful. Yours may be the first bathroom sink I have seen in which a small or medium dog could be washed! That is a good thing! I showed your pictures to my DH because I am thinking of classic tiled walls with a chair rail for when we redo our bath in a couple of years. He liked it! I was expecting him to say, "too old fashioned." He did not, he said it looked nice. From him, nice is a compliment. He even liked your rows of listello. I was just at the Tile Shop's site the other day looking at the Hampton tiles because someone was selling some on Craigslist. I am hoping to do as you did and get what I can cheaper there, and fill in the rest from the store. I can see that you worked very hard to secure all of your materials - and then cut the floor tiles to size and culled the Hampton tiles, too! You succeeded very well in getting the look you wanted while saving money along the way. Congratulations, and thank you for the pictures and great detail and supply list.
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well..not a sucker of course but here's the same one for 150$ less if it remains a favorite http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=37504685&category=A_FURN_FURNITURE_TABLES i still like the one i gave the link to, more (and it's also cheaper than the very first one..these guys have some chutzpah I must say). and i still agree the function is paramount..so it can be still wood, but two tiered cart will provide this function (i myself like golden ones)) for the carts I mean. otherwise i do like wood a lot. but i must add...about reclaimed wood..i got a cute funky lamp for my DD, couple or so years ago, on this reclaimed wood base..and i know it's hard to believe but it had termites inside..so we treated it ourselves and it didn't quite help..so when we tented the new place, as a prevention measure for the future, after remodel etc, we brought the lamp into the house and left it there for the period of tenting. no termites anymore, well at least for now. but how often you have this amazing chance to treat that wood so thoroughly lol)
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tuesday_2008
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
LOVE the window and dressing table! Wish I had a window and room for something like this.

DD and I shared a bathroom when she was home and we always referred to it as the "family" room. Lots of good memories of her girlfriends gathering there, primping to go out, getting ready for ballgames, dates, etc.

Now that I have a 12 year old GD, we find that we end up doing the same thing.

DD was home with her 8 month old baby girl a couple of weeks ago, and of course I ended up in the BR with baby while momma was making up and fixing hair. Next, here comes the 12 year old who was visiting....reminded me old times.

Enjoy your new bathroom.
sjh53
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Jewel, not sure what the tile floor pattern is called... the tiler suggested it and drew it out on paper, and DH and I liked the design. I didn't want rows of squares, or diagonals. I did like mixing different tile sizes. Enduring and Tuesday, the dressing area is just divine! I have a hummingbird feeder hung there, and the light is wonderful for putting on makeup. My only grandchild is a boy, so not sure he and will spend much time in there... such great memories, Tuesday, with your DD, and now making new ones with your GD!
enduring
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
You will have to make it a dual purpose room. Put another type of feeder out there & put a bird book in the drawer & an extra stool & and a time for real bird watching with DGS :)
raehelen
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Wow, what a difference, from the photos it looks like a much bigger space! I too envy you that little desk space! I don't really do make-up, but could envision braiding or curling a little granddaughter's hair there ( one day maybe LOL). I am sure you will be happy with the shower base, unlike you I am a squeegee maniac...I even squeegee my shower floors! I found a great one at an autoparts store, another tip to pass on..it has a flexible double blade, and is 12" wide, so really fast to wipe up. (I would still squeegee your rain glass occasionally or you will get soap scum buildup.
enduring
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I like the looks of that squeegee. I like the idea of having my hand right there on the long part of the action. But I don't really know, as I am still working on my shower :) I'm even up at this wee hour getting ready to go cut some of the trim pieces. Can't sleep. I'm getting closer!
sjh53
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Raehelen, I'll be visiting our local auto parts store to pick up one of those squeegees. I do plan to squeegee the walls and will probably do the floors too - and I'm still hoping DH will squeegee on occasions!

Enduring - great idea about a seed feeder for my DGS to watch birds. I think it will be few more years before he will sit still long enough to enjoy them - he's three and in constant motion!

Bathroom Reveal - Filled with GW Tips

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Bathroom Reveal - Filled with GW Tips

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