Bathroom day 1

Lots of demo accomplished!

Injury count:
Blows to the head: 1 (crowbar on me)
Blood: 1 (crowbar to dad's hand)
Winner: crowbar.

Big plus-the wall we moved was not load bearing. Yay for slightly less work!

Well, turns out I changed my mind.

On the lights, at least.  I decided that my previous overhead options were...icky.  So I found and bought a different one (yes, it's a light plus fan).

Went with this:

I did go with option 1 on the wall lighting, which most of you seemed to favor (including the people that responded by email).  Thanks guys!

And now we must decide on...tile.  Oy.

The rapid bathroom decisions continue

Well, the fixtures are ordered, thanks to everyone who voted.  I went with sink 2.  But now I have to pick lighting.  Clearly I need an overhead light and fan.  I'm looking at combo units; since the bathroom is already pretty small I don't think we need more things in the ceiling...

Option 1:

Option 2:

Ok, so overhead isn't too bad.  Everything I've read though says there should also be task lighting.  Apparently sconces on each side of the mirror are the best - but they are supposed to be mounted 36" apart, and I don't have that kind of space.  Therefore over the mirror is the next best choice.  But - what goes with the ceiling lights???

There's this:

Or this:

Or this...

Or perhaps none of them work?  Thoughts?

Rapid bathroom decisions

I've mentioned that I'm redoing the downstairs bathroom, right?  In the great kitchen reno, Dad and I built what will be the new bathroom wall to make it a little bigger.  And now in typical me planning, we're doing the bathroom RIGHT NOW.

I have to order the fixtures asap.  I'm looking at these -

Tub:

Sink option 1:

Sink option 2:

Faucet for sink (either option): 

Shower fixtures:

Toilet:

The tub is 3" wider than the current one, and 7" longer.  The toilet is almost 4" narrower than the current, and the sink is 5" narrower, so my bathroom may stop being quite so claustrophobic. 


Thoughts?  Anyone?  Help...

Tangent project

Have I mentioned that I hated my "entertainment system"?  It was actually a shelf from Crate and Barrel.  A lovely shelf, but slightly too low, and completely open.  I don't like looking at components when I'm not using them.  Especially when they get really dusty.

I spent a long time trying to find something else I would like.  The problem was that the space I wanted to keep everything in was only 31" wide max.  It's REALLY hard to find a cabinet that narrow.  Or chest of drawers.  Or basically anything that could be repurposed.  So - I decided to make one, based on some shelving that's floating around on the Interweb.

I actually started this project in Feb, I think, or March.  I kept however making mis-steps - buying pipe, cutting the pipe, and then realizing it had to be threaded.  Buying a threader, but failing miserably.  Trying to get a plumbing supply store to do it (pipe turned out to be "too soft".  Seriously.).  Trying to get Lowe's to do it, since I bought it there originally.  And finally doing what I should have done all along, and buying precut and threaded lengths.

Anyway, here it is:

  
With components added:

I'll eventually make a door that slides up to hide the components.  I also made a section to wrap around, but decided it was to much in that small space (after cutting it to size, of course).  But it made a perfect end table for the couch - and one less thing to shop for!

I didn't kill them and neither did the blizzard!

Cornelia  and Warren are blooming!

Small kitchen break

There has been some slacking. Or some living.  And some getting distracted by Barbie Foosball tables...  But this weekend, with some much needed help, there was a grape pergola built! It needs some finishing touches, but then I just have to move the grapes...

Also, still working out how to post from my magic phone - bear with me.

Teaser Pics

Yes.  I definitely had timecrack.  But I did accomplish rather a lot on the punchlist, with some help, and at the expense of rather a lot of sleep.  Turns out you actually can paint until 3am and have it look good.  Not that I'll be repeating that again...I hope.  The kitchen looks and acts like a kitchen, even if there is plenty left to do still!

Anyway, a few pics to keep you interested ;)

Just. Keep. Breathing.

Timecrack.  noun.  definition:  the belief that you can accomplish something in x amount of time, which actually by all physical laws requires 3x amount of time.

I have it.  I still firmly believe I'm going to have a "finished" kitchen before Thanksgiving.  By finished, I mean the bulk of the work that needs to be done by me will be done.  It will not have new windows or door yet, nor will it have a permanent step, and there are several things that will wait until I've raised more funds.  But in terms of walls, molding, cabinets, ceilings, etc, I'll be done.  I know, mildly crazy, given the amount left.  However - see the definition of timecrack above.

The countertop will be installed on Tuesday!  In order for the template to be made, I had to disconnect the sink (still not sure exactly why), and remove the temporary faucet.  In that process, I discovered that the hot water cutoff valve (very recently installed by the cheaper plumber) does not actually entirely cut the hot water off.  Really?  Really?  I mean, I figured it was ok for them to not clean up their workspace at all, and even to have to get them back to center the sink, since they weren't the high-end quote.  But c'mon, the stuff is still supposed to work!  Sigh.

Spent a good chunk of last night installing the cabinet hardware, finally!  In the process, I discovered the first real mis-step of this process.  I've made plenty of timing mistakes, but I'd always liked how stuff turned out.  But - I don't like the drawer hardware I chose.  It doesn't go with the door hardware I really like.  Not that this is a major issue, I can find new, and for the interim it's nice not to have to use your fingernails to open the drawers, but kind of a bummer. 

Please excuse the bad quality of this cell phone photo - but look, hardware!  A kitchen!  We progress - and I just need to keep breathing...

Goldilocks is fired.

She took too long to make decisions.

I, on the other hand, rocked it.  This weekend I purchased:

4 windows.

1 door.

The rest of the cabinet hardware.

And...

the COUNTERTOP.

Yes.  It is bought.  And it's nothing I blogged about before.  See, turns out I just kinda forgot that Home Depot and Lowes exist.  Know what?  They sell countertop.  For cheaper than the specialty companies.  I now own 25 sq feet (although I need only about 17) of Zodiaq quartz countertop in Eclipse Blue.  Here's what it looks like, though it's not quite as greeny in person.

It's not recycled.  It lacks in cool factor.  It's also nearly a grand cheaper than every other option, and it looks good.  I tried, World.  I really, really did.  (As for those ebay suggestions - did you really think it was a good idea for me to have $2K worth of Icestone sitting around in the hopes of finding a buyer?  If nothing else, that stuff is heavy and takes up a lot of space!  No thanks.)

Back to the windows - why 4, you may ask?  Well, I'm getting awning windows in the kitchen instead of double hungs (so they crank out, not push up to open).  Due to the height of my windows, that means I actually need 2 in every opening.  Yet another budgetary estimation.  Oops.  But it'll look great and I can leave them open without fearing burglar entry!

Run along kitchen, run along...