Friday, September 25, 2015

The Bathroom Remodel

As I try to think of what next to blog about, I decided to clean "Doug's bathroom." Why not take photos after something is nice and clean!  And being that this is Doug's bathroom, no it is never this clean ;-). 

I would love to show you a true before photo, but that I just can't find!  I was probably too embarrassed about it to take a photo at the time..

This photo the bathroom ceiling is gone. And it was March. And I think I had icicles in my hair it was sooo cold taking a shower!! (We also had no heat at the time because the furnace was out and all the insulation was gone too! Brr.. )
 

After months of working on the rest of the home the bathroom was one of the last projects. We had it framed in and that was it!

This is another demo photo.  The bathroom is the room to the left of the staircase. 

Now for the good stuff. We had purchased a new bathroom vanity and once we got it home, I knew it wouldn't work.  Doug wanted so badly to just install a normal vanity and be done with the project.  But the hardest part of a remodel is you have to work within the walls created.  With a staircase to one side and now the laundry on the other we had to work with the few feet given to us.  He had to build something long and skinny to fit along the back wall and tie it into the stand up shower.  

Then came so many choices.  Doug didn't want to hire someone to lay a counter.  Yes quarts or granite would have been beautiful, but oh so hard on the budget.  You have to consider not only the price of material, but labor.  We were able to do so much because we never had to pay for labor throughout the entire remodel.  As long as Doug could do it himself :)


Here is the progress.. then here is the finish!



So we used what Doug knows best.  Wood :-)
I went to Meijer and bought baskets.  Then he built cubbyholes to fit. The counter is left over oak floors from the kitchen.  I know oak isn't the most hip these days, but we wanted to match the original oak floors that were existing and continued it throughout the house.

This next photo is another reason why Doug calls it his bathroom.  Instead of dry walling the space above the shower to the ceiling he used old wood he saved from the house.  I had suggested subway tile, but Doug was sick of dry wall and tile and wanted to use wood.  Lets hope after layers and layers of polyurethane it will last!!




Then there it is. My beloved hexagon tile.  My dream come true.  I begged and begged Doug for this.  At first he was like no way am I ever doing that.  But then he was probably sick of me begging. So I won this battle. (And now I actually think he likes it!)

These are the shelves he built along the shower to utilize every last bit of space left.  And of course his reasoning is he has access to the plumbing if ever needed right here.

And lastly, I love this bad boy.  It is an outdoor light I bought from Lowe's and is much cheaper than any indoor light of its kind!  He also put these on the exterior of the home.  I love these lights!


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Trays trays trays

The paint has dried! 

This tray was another Meijer find in the clearance section of their craft department.  A whopping four dollars!  As much as I loved the look of the raw wood, our house has too much of that already.  I chose to paint it white with paint I had on hand.  I know.. not much color in this house.
I wish I could say I grew those pumpkins in the first photo, but that would be a lie.  I planted white pumpkins but failed to weed them.. oops.  It's the thought that counts right??
Next, I love picked hydrangeas.  When they dry on the stem it is the perfect time to pick and have them keep.  I stole that vase from my mother of course.  But all together a few dollars and there you have it!  A fun fall centerpiece.


Lastly, I call this the "Rachel".  She is my co-designer and bff for life ;). She found a similar idea on Pinterest. I love it next to my stove as a catch all for my salt and pepper and cutting boards.
I hope this inspires you to find a tray and decorate today!  Tray and today... ohh my.. I'll stop.


Just a little fall inspiration

After last week with the cold weather and now that we have finally reached September, I am SOO ready to decorate for my favorite season of the year!  After not having a home to decorate in for a year during the remodel I am so excited for the blank slate and a finished home.  

First I have to get in the mood..
A Meijer splurge. 8.99$ well spent. Smells soo good!!


Now onto the decorating.


 Here are a few items I wanted to play with.  The frame I found in our barn when we moved in, but I see old frames everywhere. So many things you can do with them.  The Thankful pumpkin was another Meijer find.  Most of my house is from Meijer because in Lowell, the options are limited.. and I am easily distracted when "grocery" shopping ;)


I hung the wreath I had on our front door from the frame with a piece of burlap. I also stained the pumpkin with what we had lying around.  The rest of the items are not fall decor, but they are things I love and that are important to me.  The photos are of my grandfather and my husbands grandfather.  Both great men we named our son after.  The sign I bought from target this spring and reads "Do what makes you oh so happy."  Great words to live by :)

As soon as the paint dries I will show you the dinning room table centerpiece. But while I wait for paint to dry I get to play with this kid.