the bathroom project rewind

here is where the bathroom project all started.

this is how our bath looked prior to the gut out.  over the years i did what i could with

minor cosmetic improvements; paint, window coverings, accessories and tried to ignore the not so pretty but retro sink, countertop and backsplash.

the before photos are going clockwise around the room
and the sink was straight ahead as you walked in.
this wall is now where the pottery barn hooks are hanging.

and here is that little medicine cabinet and vintage toilet (below) you saw here.

the wavy countertop was created that way because below was a radiator that

kicked out bucketloads of heat.  this is a high class joint, we had heated tp!

the barn door is now where the toilet once sat
and don't you love the tank top decor?

this room was SO ready for a renovation, especially since the shower hadn't been

used in several years due to the "vinyl" shower walls coming unglued from

the lovely plastic tile walls underneath.   

white, yellow or red..which color do you prefer?
you can see the old tub in the corner of pic
this was taken from outside the window opening

the shower walls were installed before we moved in 29 years ago.  the caulking wouldn't stay anymore and it was just a mess.  thus the reason for having two shower curtains to hide the ugliness.  we didn't want to put one dime into this bathroom until we could gut and make new.

the day finally arrived in june 2010 when mr.1829 pulled out his crowbar & sledge hammer and went to work.  first he removed the tiny window so he could throw the debris directly outside vs. hauling it through the house. smart man.

after he started removing the clapboard, we realized that once upon a time that window was larger, much larger.

alway wear your safety gear!

the door is where the tub is now.

(sorry about the house color being washed out)

 once the demolition started, we found SO many hidden problems. 

the tub wall was up against the livingroom wall which housed an outlet.

 a.bare.wire.outlet. 

thankfully, we had quit using the shower which probably saved us from having a fire or being electrocuted.  yikes! 

the toilet had been leaking for YEARS and left a big rotted mess underneath. 

but as with all things, you work with what you have and make the best of it.

much better don't you think?

see (below) those huge planks of wood on that wall?

those were used to make the sink vanity.

that doorway in the far left corner (below) goes to the kitchen and the area behind the shop vac

where the outlet is, we figured was once a doorway.  since the house was built 182 years ago,
this room was probably once a pantry prior to indoor plumbing.

and this is DURING reconstruction

you can see the porcelain light fixture where our mirror and vanity once sat.
and there is always interesting carpentry work that we uncover in our
renovations.  it amazes me.  diagonal pieces that do nothing. 
uneven cuts. miraculously, the house is sturdy as it is.
once the gutting was done, we moved onto the wiring, which we left to a professional. after that was the plumbing which included radiant heat since we removed the radiator (destined for the mudroom). next was sheetrock, wood paneling, painting , installing the flooring, vanity, tub and toilet, fixtures and finally the decor.  whew!
and yes, it took over one year to accomplish all of this.
is there an award for the longest renovation of a bathroom?!

and if you missed the farmhouse tour of the bathroom
you can see it  here    

until next time,

farmhouse tour: bathroom

here is chapter one of the 1829 farmhouse tour:

the bathroom

recently finished after a year of renovation
yes, you read that right, one.whole.year. and some.
(good thing we have two washrooms)
the entire renovation was done on a very low budget,
re-using, reclaiming or buying on the cheap.

 the pictures are counterclockwise around the room
to give you some perspective.

the vanity was created by using the wood pulled
from the wall during renovation (wall behind the vanity was rebuilt). 
diy lights made from vintage porcelain ceiling fixtures,
vintage metal shades, electrical conduit pieces, and new wiring.
the cost: under $10 each.

sink was a craigslist find that was originally listed for $25,

upon arrival she wouldn't take any $ for it!

faucets were purchased on ebay, they are vintage but in

better condition than what i had on our other sink.

drawer knobs are retrofitted porcelain faucet handles that were

in a box lot of porcelain goodness purchased on ebay for $15-$20

cost: less than $2 each

this was my first real design project and

i am so pleased with how it came out.

 original toilet with updated pipes & fittings.

the new window was yet another craigslist find for $50

i {heart} craigslist.

 vintage medicine cabinet with mirror door removed found years ago at a garage sale
needlepoint picture is a family treasure and now has a weathered frame
(see pic above this one)

this was a frame i had on hand that was
updated with real sea shells from various beach vacations.

the simplicity of it all speaks volumes

 wood paneling was reclaimed, originally from our master bedroom

and had been sitting in our garage attic waiting for a repurpose.
most of the wood in the renovation was
reclaimed or re-used from the original bathroom
probably about 90% of it.

numbered hooks were a gift certificate purchase

from pottery barn

the vintage tub was another craigslist find a few years ago.

purchased for a mere $40, the feet were sandblasted and waxed.

the fixtures were purchased online from signature hardware

rainshower head was purchased from tuesday morning

for around $35

the shower control was a three part retrofit.

the escutcheon was found at a salvage yard in sarasota, fl. for $20

the knob was part of my stash and the piece between the two

is a porcelain screw ring used on vintage light fixtures.

bottom line- we made it work!

 the exterior wall light was purchased for $10
years ago from a discount hardware store. 
the patina on it closely resembles aged copper.
it hangs at one end of the tub for some ambiance lighting.

custom made barn door by darrin using more reclaimed wood

transom window was originally from our cellar

and implemented to add light to the hallway.
original hinges were left intact for authenticity

the ikea light hangs from metal roofing that was applied to the ceiling

to reflect more light into the small footprint of a room.

barn door rollers were found in a relative's barn

after hunting high and low for months for them and were FREE!

mr. 1829 sandblasted & waxed them

 aren't they gorgeous?!

 we added vintage casters as door stops
for some character & functionality

the wood flooring in bathroom & hall is leftover reclaimed barnwood
that was purchased on craigslist to fill in missing wood on our kitchen floor.

exterior handle was found at our local

habitat for humanity store

i bought a large box lot of goodies for $10

so this handle was probably less than a $1

it is handforged wrought iron!

paint colors

benjamin moore cream froth on wood walls

pittsburg paints eiffel tower on sink base(whitewash)

and exterior of tub

benjamin moore palladian blue on upper walls

sorry for the very.long.post

at least its not as long as the renovation took.

i will be working on a before post 
with some not so pretty pictures
here's a peek at what we uncovered
when the demolition began.
 

rotted floor boards due to a leaking toilet

until next time,

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