Charming New Cottage: The Bathroom

As promised in the first CNC post it's time to talk about the bathroom.  We knew it needed work and we also knew that once you open a wall there's usually even MORE work to be done. 

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We weren't wrong!  Here's the story:

At first glance, it didn't look too bad.

Except for that ancient window in the middle of the shower that didn't open anymore. 

Please keep in mind this photo was taken after we had a plumber come in to tighten up the shower pipe that was loose in the wall.  Did you notice the square hole around the shower head?  Yes, there was a reason for that hole.

Now take a closer look at that shower surround:

In addition to the fabulous paint job, do you see where the shower surround ended?  Who does that?!?  As stated in my previous post...another 'Landlord Special'.

And then there's the 'ick factor' near the tub.

The original tile extended on the wall all the way across the vanity.

We decided to remove the window (and make it a shower niche) and all of the old tile. Our GC also offered to replace the mirror (that was also a bit humble). Keeping the tub, replacing the mirror, and replacing the original tile footprint was pretty budget friendly.......and then the work began.

Rot and a rusted bathtub.

Our GC was great and told us the least expensive way out of this was to turn it into a walk-in shower...just add more tile and shower doors.  The price was right and we went with it.

I chose a beveled edge subway tile with a chair rail tile.

Installed but not grouted yet.

The shower floor:

We were on a roll!

The next landmine was the vanity. No photos, but when it was removed, the back was very damaged and the drawers didn't close correctly.  Our GC offered to work on it and make it usable.  We took a good look at it and decided to replace it.  

As I shopped online for a new vanity, I asked my husband if we should just go ahead and replace the toilet & flooring, calling it a 'total reno'.  Without a moment's hesitation, he agreed. We contacted our GC and he recommended LifeProof flooring or tile.  We went with the LifeProof.  When he took out the old toilet, he discovered the flange was cracked.  So, good call on that replacement!

When installing the new mirror, a short was discovered in the old light fixture.

Can you say, "fire hazard"?  

And don't you love how they painted the wall without removing the glass shades?

Gotta love a rental property!

Our GC handled that problem by getting us a new light fixture and installing this fabulous mirror.

I absolutely LOVE this mirror.  Not only is it backlit and front lit, it has 3 color temperatures and is anti-fog.  If you're thinking of replacing your bathroom mirror, you should definitely take a look at this one.

Just one more shot of it without the main light/fan fixture hanging down from the ceiling!

Here's a better view of the new vanity:

I'm not sure I love the black hardware.  Fortunately, it also came with a set in brushed nickel.  It's important to have options!

The bathroom reno was complete except for a few finishing touches. I wanted some pretty bottles for hand soap and lotion.  

I wasn't crazy about the plastic tray that came with them, so I used a piece of my thrifted glass to 'glam them up' a bit.

They also came with your choice of labels but I decided not to use them.

There also was nowhere to place a toilet tissue holder (small house-small bathroom) so I opted for this:

This free-standing toilet tissue holder was the perfect solution since there was no way I was drilling holes in my new vanity!

The shower needed 4 things:

First, hooks for our washcloths.

Second, a soap dish.

Even though it comes with a suction cup, I decided not to use it and just sit it in the niche.  This soap dish is self-draining and the top tray lifts off for easy cleaning.  

Third, I made one mistake when designing this shower.  I didn't have the GC put in a seat or bench.  Yes, I know, big boo-boo, but I'm a problem-solver!  I found this shower bench that is absolutely perfect.  It's waterproof and has adjustable feet.

Last, but not least, every shower needs a squeegee.  It's the best way to keep your tile and glass doors sparkling clean!

The bathroom reno was complete!    

But I'm not quite done with it.  

Did you notice that cabinet over the toilet?  Yes, that needs to be painted.

The shower niche needs something....pretty bottles for shampoo/conditioner? a plant?  Any thoughts?  I'm open to all ideas!

The walls are painted a pale pink that I absolutely love.  So much better than that dark gray!  Something else may be needed though.  

I'm thinking of some stenciling.  Maybe in gold metallic?  I'm not really sure yet.  Sometimes you need to live with a room for a bit before you can decide what else it needs.  Or, if it needs anything at all!

Keep in mind, this is a small house with a small bathroom and I don't want to overwhelm it.  Please share your thoughts on this with me in the comments.  I always love hearing your ideas!

If you missed it, here is the first installment of this series.  

There is definitely more to come so be sure to stop back for all the fun as we Create a Charming New Cottage!

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