And here we are, a few short weeks later:
This is one bathroom that is going to look beautiful with just the tiniest bit of fluff. Clean, simple, and appropriate! Can't wait to see it all together!
Since this will be a seasonal rental, as well as a place we will enjoy ourselves, it needed to be furnished in a "rental-appropriate" way. We shopped scratch and dent sales, floor model sales, overstock.com, Target, IKEA...even our own storage room and attic!...any place that seemed like a bargain was to be had. I also splurged (at least for me!) on a couple of pieces that I felt would give big impact, and hopefully make some of the lesser pieces take on a classier feel.
We painted the rooms (previously all white) with three shades that I call "mushroom", and used very simple stained bamboo Roman Shades on the windows. The carpets were well-served by a steam cleaner rental, and the appliances--though not new, and just exactly why were appliances ever created in that color?!--also cleaned up quite well.
We created custom art for most of the rooms, appropriate to the area. We even created a series of framed images for the staircase (not in these photographs, sadly), from our own local photos.
I am very happy with the results. See what you think!
Since space is limited in the house, we didn't want to dedicate a full-time dining area...how often do you use the dining table, after all? So our table actually doubles as an entry table, separating the two seating areas in the main living space, and a dining table when the paprika chairs (also serving double-duty) are pulled up to it.
You can see more pictures, and get more information about the beautiful village of Ogunquit, at our web site, http://www.240shoreroad.com/. This really is not shameless self-promotion (well, maybe a little), but I promise the town is even more beautiful than we were able to portray! I hope you enjoy the on-line tour of some of our favorite spots there!
Since it is a bungalow home, we chose a vintage basket-weave, black and white tile for the floors, and a faceted 3"x6" subway tile in a white crackle-finish for the shower stall.
The tile installer was as tidy and efficient as the carpenter...another welcome relief to the homeowner.
After
Now, the beadboard, trims and mouldings can be installed, then it's time to bring the new fixtures in. You can almost feel the hot water in the new shower already!
Here is post-demolition.
And here are the resurfaced areas, ready for tile.
One more angle.
Hard to find fault here! The tile is being installed as I write this...can't wait to get a look at that!
I know what you're thinking...."Who in their right mind?!"....right? Well, since these photos were taken, the ugly duckling has transformed. Do I have your attention now?
After pictures to follow!
This next photo shows something that can be pretty typical of a major renovation, and luckily in this case was not really a surprise. When the existing garden tub was removed, we found that there was no "wall" behind it, much less any insulation! The homeowner has had a long-standing battle with moisture and mildew that would collect behind the vanity to the right of this open space. We're hoping that by adding insulation behind the entire wall area, and putting up proper wall surfacing, this problem will be eliminated.
We are very lucky to have an extremely careful and tidy carpenter on this job. By carefully removing and bagging most of the debris, he was able to keep dust to a minimum, which makes these homeowners very happy! The very last piece to be removed was the old tub, which our carpenter did need a hand with.
From this point on, we're past the "tear-it-up" stage, and full steam ahead on the "make-pretty" stage!
Once the T.V. and the components are installed in the new space, this homeowner will have the pleasure of closing the doors, and hiding the electronics from view. I can't think of a better way to make this happen.
In the adjacent dining room, notice how we installed trim around the arch that connects the dining room to the kitchen. The trim matches trims from the rest of the home, and really creates a "picture window" into the kitchen. In our minds, it would be hard to over-trim a bungalow style home! Generous mill-work will generally greatly enhance the original architecture.
After
All-in-all, this was work worth waiting for.
Well, a great solution presented itself when it was decided to hang the flat-screen TV at the fireplace. Now, I love a wonderful TV, and am amazed at the current technology. Even better though, I like the opportunity to hide the TV in a beautiful cabinet so that when you're not watching it, you have something else to look at. Here's a sketch of what we came up with to solve this problem.
So here are a couple of shots of the new cabinet going into place. The unit was built off-site, and painted to match the new trim color in the living room. Notice the deeper box that was designed to accommodate the cable box, DVD player, etc. Also, power is being run into the cabinet for outlets and sconces for the built-out piece above the cabinet (not yet shown).
By taking very careful measurements, the unit slides right over the brick fireplace. Doors and trim pieces will be installed tomorrow, and I promise to have finished pictures for you next week! I bet you're as anxious as I am!
Checklist:
If you decide to wade into a major renovation blind, you may quickly find yourself floundering in the deep waters. Do as much research as you can, and seek the help of a professional...hey, that's why we take all this lifesaving training!
In general, you should leave at least 6" of space between your shower curtain and your ceiling for ventilation. The curtain should hang 6" into the tub to prevent water spray from going all over the bathroom, but should not brush the floor of the tub, which will encourage mold growth, and potential slip accidents. In this reader's case, her maximum shower curtain length is probably 84", though her cathedral ceiling does slope from one side to the other. There are a lot of sites where longer shower curtains are available, such as BedBathstore. Custom lengths for liners and decorative outer curtains would also be available from local design workrooms.
