Bathroom (almost) Done

My bathroom has been put together for some time but I have not updated posts here. It is not totally done but is at about 98%. Why is it so hard to finish that last little bit??

Here is what it looked liked in the beginning...

And now...
new beadboard on the walls, pedestal sink from the Habitat ReStore. Ikea cabinet that was an exact fit for the space, new lights, towel ring from the ReStore, original medicine cabinet stripped and repainted.

New vinyl floor (tile must wait), toilet paper holder from the Habitat Restore, toilet from the ReStore, original tub.

Before...

After...
vintage ceramic cup holder from ReStore, towel bar from the ReStore, new American Standard Williamsburg faucet.

Exhaust fan from the ReStore added where there was none

Swanstone tub surround, American Standard Williamsburg faucet, showerhead and spout

Original shower curtain rod reinstalled, towel hook from ReStore

I did not change the placement of any of the plumbing fixtures but did update all the plumbing-new supply lines, new vent stack. I kept the original plaster above the beadboard, behind it is new drywall because the old plaster came off with the old crappy tiles.
I put new drywall over the badly cracked plaster ceiling and reinstalled the light that was there. I don't think the light is the original but I love the starburst pattern it casts on the ceiling.

Still to do:
Recaulk around tub
Rechrome door hardware
Install small cabinet in toilet alcove
Resurface tub?
Replace vinyl floor with tile
Don't you hate it when there are repairs to do again before the initial restoration/remodeling is done?

Stripping Paint while the Sun Shines

It was in the 50's today, Woohoo!! It has been one long, cold winter. Instead of more work in the attic and sewing studio, I decided to take it outside and do some paint stripping. (OK, I realized using the Silent Paint Remover on a wooden table covered with cardboard wasn't the best idea). The doors here are from this...

... that I picked up from the ReStore about three years ago when it looked like this...

... and now it looks like this...

I found a piece of Corian at the ReStore that with a little work, fit on top. I have not yet figured out what finish to put on it. My plan is to strip the kitchen cabinets as well and match this piece to the other cabinets, whether painted or stained.

Bathroom Progress

The bathroom continues to come together, little by little. I boiled the hinges for the medicine cabinet to remove the paint and the black stripe on the hinges came off to reveal a red stripe underneath. Hmm... I have seen this style hinge with either black or red stripes. I boiled the strike plate and door stop as well.

I used a template to cut the vinyl for the floor and it was a perfect fit. I glued the vinyl down and rolled it out with a rolling pin. I used exactly one quart of the glue to cover the floor. I used a 1/16 trowel to apply the glue. It smelled quite toxic. J said it smelled good- "like a new car".

I bought new wood for the baseboards as I was unable to find anything at the Habitat Restore. I took the wood to my neighbor and he ripped the boards to a height of 5 inches. I sanded and primed both sides, then when they were dry, installed them. I was happy to have my compound miter saw. The angles are not perfect but there is always caulk. There are some weird corners around the tub.

Then I installed the toilet. Instead of a standard size shoe molding I tried a 1/4 inch quarter round. (Does that make sense?) It seems the smaller scale works for this smaller bathroom

I almost bought a little cabinet to hang in the toilet alcove. It was a little press board and laminate thing on sale for $15. It had two shelves and two doors. It would fit, but when I came home and looked at the space I thought it might be too crowded in there. I am worried about having enough storage in this small bathroom. The cabinet would probably look tacky. I also remembered that I have an old "Sanitizer" cabinet that I can hang there. I hope to fill it with some of the vintage medical stuff I have.

The shower curtain rod is reinstalled. I love this thing. I also hung a robe hook (Another ReStore find)


The sink will be installed soon. I put the cover on the heating vent.


Here is how I solved this weird area where the tub juts out further than the toilet alcove wall. I wonder how this looked originally. It was all tiled when I bought the house. Not original tile though. I used a piece of the "Swanstone" -the material on the walls of the shower. It looks like a little roof.

A New/Old Light

This was the light in my dining room this morning. It has been hanging there for about 6 months. The 5 years prior there was no overhead light due to the "Oops-I-cut-the-wrong-wire fiasco of 2002" that lead to the loss of all overhead lights. There were lots of floor lamps for a long time. The original dining room light was long gone when I moved in and there was a 5-arm brass and globe light there until I cut it down. I finally put in a new box and wiring.

I found a beautiful old light at the Habitat Restore. The glass shade was designed to hang from three ball chains. I have similar lights in the two bedrooms so it seemed like a good match for the house. But, the light shade was so heavy that I did not trust the chains to hold it. I have been looking for some other way to use the shade. Ideally, I would find a vintage fixture to match it. I also looked at lighting stores for possible solutions but none were within my budget.








Then one day at the ReStore I found this monstrosity. Bright brass, crackled glass--- but still....

A little priming and some faux rubbed bronze spray paint....

















And a new/old light. I am satisfied with how it turned out. I think it is pretty. There are few things that are pretty in my house at this point in the restoration. It is a big light, about 18" across. I have it on a dimmer switch and I like the shadows it throws on the ceiling.
It is a good solution for now. Until I can pair it up with a proper vintage base.

Sewing table

I sew a lot. Lately I have been sewing baby slings for distribution by a local home visiting program to new families. I have made over 300 at last count. This was my sewing table. When I am not sewing slings, I sew quilts and a large table makes quilt wrangling more manageable.

I found a nice set of drawers at the local Habitat Restore. It is solid wood, with nice gliding drawers and it was just the right height to fit under my table. But it stuck out past the end.


I kept my eye out for a new table top and the ReStore came through for me. It is wider and longer and I like the gray color better than the false wood grain. So I decided to recreate my sewing table with the recessed machine for a flat surface to work on.

I used a jigsaw to cut the opening. I hung a little shelf using four 4 inch bolts that I countersunk into the table top. My sewing machine is shown with the front removable section taken off.


I then routered out a little lip to hold a piece of custom cut Plexiglas (actually, it was a clipboard in an earlier life). This pops out to allow me access to the bobbin case.
The locking nuts on the end of the bolts allow me to fine tune the machine placement so I can get it level. I need to make some plugs for the holes left by the bolts.



A much larger sewing table with drawers for the stuff I use. I moved most of my sewing things into my extra bedroom. I am still working on insulating the attic and it is dusty upstairs. I also cleared things out in anticipation of painting the space and replacing the carpeting.


A dog's-eye view of the sewing studio as it is now.

Oooh, Wavy Glass

I bought these at my local Habitat Restore a while back. Both of them! They are very tall. I have big plans for them... There were several units available and various pieces and parts, too. I bought a couple extra glass doors. I was told they came out of an apartment building that was scheduled to be torn down. Many layers of paint to strip. My plan is to put the large one up in my sewing studio. I will have to remove the upper portion with the solid doors as it is about 10 feet tall. The smaller one I plan to use in two pieces. I will use the lower base cabinet for an rolling island and hang the upper cabinet on the wall above my stove to add more cupboard space. My fiestaware will be on display at last.