renovating kitchen and master bath but want to keep the travertine
Leigh Fitz
3 years ago
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Leigh Fitz
3 years agoMuriel Thompson
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Master bath renovation pictures
Comments (13)Even with 48" I have to be careful not to put my foot too close to steam head. You could do it with 42". It's just going to be a little tighter. I moved my toilet 12" so I could make mine 48". I probably could have gone a few inches longer but 48" made it simple. I did not do the work myself. It would take me forever and I would tire of it. I hired guys and did a little and butted in a lot which is much more fun for me. I hired the following contractors: - A guy to do the demo and frame the structure that supports the shower ceiling and the tub surround framing. I know his parents. He's quite good. I also hired his hispanic helper and a compadre of his to remove the old wall paper and clean out my attic while I had a dumpster. - Hired another guy that was primarily a tile guy. He also did most of the plumbing (including plumbing in the generator) with a little help from me. He and I both did minor electrical like moving boxes. He also had the usual crew of hispanics including one guy that did most of the prep and tile as well as the heated floor with my help. - I had an electrician upgrade my electrical service to 400A (I have some hungry kitchen appliances) and installed an attic sub-panel with a circuit for the generator and one for the heated floors. - Had a drywall guy to drywall the framing holding up the shower ceiling and fix the walls that were wallpapered and where we put holes for electrical work. - Painters - Cabinet maker And then there was the glass guys and granite guys. So, had to deal with 8 different contractors and about 6 or 7 different city inspectors. I designed it using Google Sketchup so everyone knew the dimensions of everything. Don't recall the specific tile but got it at Mosaic tile. I was wrong on the shower floor tiles - they are 3". HD did call it something other than Cold Spring but the guy knew what I wanted. After I made the purchase I didn't deal with HD anymore. Just the stone yard and the fabricators. A steam shower should be built very carefully to insure there is no chance of steam leaking into your walls or ceiling. There are a few different technologies and systems to do this. I went with the Schluter System. You also typically slope the ceiling so you don't get water droplets falling on you as a result of condensation. It's a bit of a pain and adds quite of bit of expense. I would do it again. The bench is not exactly comfy. It's a teak bench. Kinda hard and flat. But, it's awesome. We added backing between the studs that this thing is anchored into. It's not going anywhere. Folds very easily and is good quality. I spent a lot of time planning and dealing with contractors. Do I want to do yours? Wouldn't mind if I could earn as much as I do for a living. Unfortunately don't think that's going to happen....See MoreGutting farmhouse master bath --- keep the original closet?
Comments (12)Hmmm... given that you don't use the linen closet now and that if you relocate it to the right of the window you'd bump your knees on it, I do think I would just remove it and restore the window trim. It is kind of shoe horned in there as it is and even though it is old, it isn't that aesthetically pleasing. Keep the boards and hardware for use elsewhere. The wallpaper is truly hideous, so the first thing I'd do is remove it. Then you'll know what's going on with the wall. You could have a leak or an ice dam on your roof if there is a valley where the addition was added on and water running down the walls. Or, as you say, it could be from shower steam. Or, it could just be failed wallpaper paste! We removed old wallpaper, added two fans with vents to the outside and all new wiring in our 1913 bathroom without removing the old plaster. It can be done. What is in the space above the bathroom? Is the bathroom on an exterior wall? Do you have balloon framed walls? Gutting the walls and installing drywall creates an horrific mess and if you can repair and preserve the plaster while still obtaining the new vent and wiring, I'd do that. Actually, your shower tile looks to be in pretty good condition and (on my monitor) more beige than pink. I attached a link below to a kitchens thread that contains a link to antique baths about a quarter of the way down... those ugly tiles were in vogue back in the old days because people knew what colors to put with them. But, boy I see what you mean about the leaking. Looks like the floorboards under our old leaky toilet that kicked off our bathroom remodel. I'm no expert on showers, but it does look like you are going to have to tear it out and start over. Have you visited the "bathrooms" forum? It is very active and Kerdi is a frequent topic over there. A wooden bath tub. Not my cup of tea, but interesting. Everyone needs to have a way to soak. Our bathroom spaces were so small, and we don't intend to sell our house until we are ancient, so we just have two showers and we soak in our spa. Works for us. Cheers. Here is a link that might be useful: quirky kitchens thread w 1920s bath link...See MoreLaundry, Master bath, and Master closet renovation - Input requested
Comments (4)I'm with Enduring in that I would prefer the space given to the closet instead of the toilet. In the last house, the toilet in the master was crammed into a tiny space shared with a tub/shower combo. Really, really disliked the space. Would traipse down the hall and use the other toilet. (I used the shower in the master only one time in all of the seven years that we lived in that house.) Also, I would not put a tub in but that may be just me. (The house already has one tub.) I would much rather clean a shower once every six weeks or so (we squeegee after a shower) than have to clean the tub (bent over and on your knees) every single time it is used. Tubs use a lot of water vs the lo-flo shower heads. But, if you love tub baths and routinely use a tub to bathe, that's another story and you'll want to include it in the remodel. (If you're thinking a cast iron tub, the floor framing will probably need to be beefed up.) Not a huge deal since the ceiling below will likely be torn out anyway for the plbg. changes. The other thing I see as a problem is the door opening directly in front of the vanity. That is going to be a pain if this is a shared bath and someone else is standing in front of the vanity....See MoreWanting to renovate master bath and wanting opinions on colors, etc.
Comments (3)Hi Kim, nothing stays at the top of the trend cycle forever, but for longevity, it's hard to go wrong with black and white. Sooner or later, it always comes back around. I would keep the majority of the materials in white, with black playing a smaller role. A little gray is OK if it's in a bit of real marble, but the hardcore "everything blue-gray" trend is on the way out. If you want to take a chance anywhere, do this with a wall color or a funky light, either of which could be changed relatively easily (if needed) when it comes time to sell. In general, geometric shapes and patterns that aren't too busy will also give a more timeless appeal. You might consider hiring a local designer to help you.... but at the very least, you should scour Houzz for photos of baths you like. Saving those images and taking them with you to the stone yard or tile store will keep you from getting overwhelmed by the numerous choices. Good luck with everything!...See MoreMuriel Thompson
3 years agoAltair
3 years agoTiger Lily
3 years agoLeigh Fitz
3 years agoNancy in Mich
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
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Leigh FitzOriginal Author