bathroom breakdown

Ok, faithful followers, here is the more in-depth look at the vanity DIY.  So, sit back, relax and prepare yourself for one long-a** post, cuz here it comes!

Plan of attack: use a kitchen cart, stained and poly-urethaned, hack it and then mounted a vessel sink and faucet.  Install.  Voila.

The Ikea Bekvam cart* comes with casters (wheels) on two legs and solid/full legs on the other two, making those couple legs longer than the others.  Therefore, one must saw two legs down to size.  Then, ones boyfriend must correct ones mistake and even out the legs.   

Then came the staining.  I find to get the best color by brushing layer upon layer of the stain on until it is not immediately absorbed by the wood- the piece should look wet.  Let this sit for a while (see directions on the can- the longer you let it sit, the darker the color will be) before wiping off the excess with a rag.  Letting the stain sit for a good amount of time is ESSENTIAL for the first coat- you will never get the color dark if you rush this step.  Follow the directions for waiting period between coats (usually 4-6 hours), and repeat until satisfied with the result.

I think I did 3 or 4 coats of stain on all pieces.

Tip: be mindful of the sides!  I prefer to either do the sides at the same time I do the top/face of a piece so that you avoid any drip marks or pooling on the visible parts.  Alternatively, make sure you run a rag across the un-touched side after every application to catch any drips.  

Tip: its easier to stain before assembly.  You want to limit the number of crevices and corners you need to work into.

Next step, poly-urethaning!  I can feel the excitement in the air! (PS- I used the basic Minwax PolyUrethane in clear gloss)  This part requires more patience: slow & steady is the name of the game, or else you get bubbles.  And no one wants bubbles in their poly... No one.  So just go slowly in one, fluid & complete stroke from one side to the other.  If you do get a bubble, just go back over again.  In between coats, make sure to use extra fine sand-paper to rough up the surface and some tack cloth to remove all dust.

Tip: on pieces that I did all but the bottom at once, (like the top of the vanity,) it is handy to prop this above your work surface.  In the picture above, you can see the top is resting on a couple 2x4s so that I could wipe around the bottom edge after a coat.  This also allows you to poly (or stain) the sides without covering the work station with stain.

Oh, and I did 3 coats on the legs, shelves and support, and 4 coats on the top of the vanity.  

For the shelves, which have perpendicular slats, I used this Minwax Fast Drying Spray Polyurethane.  We used the same product on the wine shelves for the bar.  Review: I have to admit, I am a fan!  It works particularly well for items with ridges, nooks, crannies, elevations and such.  This will never give you as smooth or thick of a cover as the brushed on version, but for protecting a low-traffic area?  Fantastic!  Another bonus is that you can apply coats after 2 hours, which helps speed up the process.  If you use this product, I recommend spraying from all angles during a single coat.  

After all the polying and the staining were finished, the beau cut two holes in the top for the sink and the faucet, (in accordance with the product instructions.)  

We dry-fit the vanity to make sure everything lined up.  It did!  

....at this point I was getting super excited.  LOOK AT IT!!

But then, DISASTER!!!!!!

Remember this guy?  Oh yeah, he was a fun time.  But, we were able to return the set and get a better faucet for the sink.  

VICTORY!!!!  As you can see, this faucet bends and shoots the water straight down.  No water-launcher here!  Onto the next hiccup in our plans...

UPDATE: Sink and faucet were installed per product instructions.  We did a line of clear caulk around the base of the sink, in addition to a line under the sink.

So, at first look this is perfect.  The J-bend was able to fit back on and the upper shelf could remain in-tact.  Annnndddddd then, of course, we hit a road-block: we needed to extend the plumbing to reach the sink.  The new plumbing has a larger J-bend, which did not fit with the shelf in place.  

But just that one little slat was the offender...

...so we cut that little bugger out!  

Ta-da!  Solution!  That is what we call problem-solving.  And now for the glamor shot of the undercarriage:

Ooooo baby!  That is some sexy plumbing!  The beau got some better escutcheons (the parts that cover the wall holes at the base of the water valves and drain pipe,) and I must say it is looking pretty damn snazzy! 

Ok ok ok, I know you are tired of my ramblings and lengthy words and half-shots.  Well here you go, you demanding crowd (of 3 people,) here are your reveal shots (for full Before photos, see here and here):

BEFORE

AFTER

What do you think?!  You think it is GORGEOUS and TOTALLY AWESOME?  Well, good.  That is the correct response.

And about that hand towel you see above?  Well, my grand vision of this bathroom was to be fairly neutral, with natural, spa-like elements.... and with pops of spring green!  Armed with a few hundred Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons, we went on a towel-hunting mission.  A successful towel-hunting mission, that is.  We got a set of the green towels, and a few accent towels in white waffle with three edge stripes in varying shades of green.  OH, and I never showed you the fabulous curtain for that room we got awhile ago, (also B,B & B) so you'll get to enjoy that here, too.  Go on, enjoy:

So, from here, all we have to do is replace that old, tiny medicine cabinet, (we have this one in mind,) and the hanging-by-their-wires dressing room-style light fixture, and this room is D-O-N-E!  Oh, and replace the doorknob & hinges, but those are minor.  BUT THEN!  D-o-n-e.  For reals.

One more look at that shiz-nit:

*Other Bekvam-hacked-vanities here, here and here.

upstairs bathroom reveal

BATHROOM IS (almost) DONE!!! 

You know, before I show any pictures, I thought now would be a good time to talk.  Shoot the breeze.  Chit-chat.  Get to know one another.  Because I feel I keep giving you these half-finished reveals; these semi-Afters. Well, lemme break it down for you: this is how home renovation goes.  More particularly, this is how our renovations, as first-time home-buyers who are learning as they go and are working on a teeny-tiny shoestring budget roll, seem to go.  Basically, ya do what ya are able to with the money and expertise you have at the time...

...then you wait until you have the money/help/tools to do the rest.  It is agonizing and slow and, well, horrible for blog reveals.  As you see, this doesn't phase me, and here you go!  Another almost-done!  Lucky you.

BEFORE:

Yup, this is the beauty I walked into.  Peeling wallpaper on half the walls, classic black and pink tiles on the walls, shower and floor, a worn and stripped vanity with an un-secure top, and a blue tub.  Throw in SEVERELY leaking plumbing in the shower and tub, and that was our bathroom!  Jealous?  Oh yeah, I know I am.  

DURING: 

It wasn't until last July that I finally showered in the upstairs shower!  And man, what a luxury that was- no more scampering around & downstairs in my towel or robe... small victories.  The wall tiles were removed, and drywall hung.  The shower and floor were re-tiled with a neutral tile (see more about that here.)  

AFTER:

HOLY CRAP!

Stay tuned for a more in-depth look....

vanity update: cue doom music

Oh dear.  Oh dear, dear me.  

The beau and I had a HUGE google doc with a ton of sink and faucet options: white, glass and color... round, rectangle, other, etc etc.  After working through all (like when getting fitted for glasses: "which is better, A or B?  Ok, now B or C?") we decided on this guy.  But, after we did a dry (HA!*) fit, meaning we hooked up the pipes and tested everything before caulking and tightening everything, we realized this combination of sink and faucet just will not do.

Why, you ask?  

See anything wrong?

WE MADE A WATER-LAUNCHER!  This combination of Kraus Sheven faucet should NOT be paired with this particular sink (also by Kraus)... I cannot stress this enough.  The sink is on the shallow side, with sloped sides.  When the water comes out of the faucet at a 45degree angle, it hits the sloped side of the sink and VOOSH!  All over the vanity, the floor, and the poor soul standing in front of it.  We tinkered around with the distance between the faucet and the sink (hoping if the water hit lower, it would be ok,) and with the valves at the wall (less water coming out, less water-ramp, right?)

In the end, we decided we want it to be "right" and not install everything and live with "1/3 water valves open", so we are exchanging for this... we are hoping that this style faucet, with the bend, will force the water straight down and hit the drain at a 90degree angle and, therefore, no splatter will occur.  The new sink & faucet combo is $10 less than the original purchase PLUS we found a coupon code for Overstock, so MONEY SAVED!  ...or at least breaking even after return shipping?  Will find out how much that adds up to, soon.  

With the design flaw** and the exchange.... we are ending up with the EXACT SAME SET (different color) as YoungHouseLove.  

Here is hoping the new sink & faucet get here right quick!

*Dry... I WISH!  Water, water everywhere.

**I was live chatting*** with an Overstock help lady, (to see if we had to exchange the whole thing or if could just swap the faucet- answer? whole thing) and she said something like "I just checked the product page, and if you install as the specifications say and as shown in the picture, the water will not splatter." 

...

......

REALLY, lady?  You are telling me I am wrong after I told you how we did everything to the instructions AND then moved around to see if something better would work?  Do they teach that in customer service school?  Lecture the customer on how they are obviously doing something wrong, even though you have no evidence to this.

So I responded using her exact words "I just checked the ACTUAL product, and if you install as the specifications say and as shown in the picture, the water WILL splatter all over the place."  

**I LOVE live customer service chat!  Beats waiting on hold to get someone on the phone (though, you can't really rant as easily), but I feel it's much quicker response time.  And you can link to pages (which is easier) and you can do other things on computer while waiting, if necessary.  Or, don't have to go to a place where you won't disturb coworkers or have enough bars for a call.

pop quiz: weekend plans

Guess what we are up to this weekend?  I will give you three guesses... in the form of pictures:

1. It involves shiny, pretty, wood that has been stained and polyurethaned.  Any guesses yet?  No?

2.  The project involves the bathroom.  Particularly, this bit of ugliness.  Oh, and for the record, I have NO IDEA why I never threw a quick coat of white paint on that gremlin- I mean, the sanding was practically done for me!  Again, would have taken me a few minutes while watching tv after work, and did I?  Nope.  Do not know why this bugs me....

Anyone?  Guesses?  Remember, there are no wrong answers.  Except for when they aren't correct.

3. Ok, ok... so it involves a sink.


Ok, class, final answers?

entry way add-ons

I did a quick little thing to the entryway dresser, and I am really liking the results!  For bearings, when you enter the house, theres a bureau right next to the door, along with a stone-filled boot tray.*  This is where we end up throwing our gloves, sunglasses, and dog leash.... and it always ends up looking a mess.  So, time to fix it!

First, TO THE SPRAY PAINT:

I have no idea where I got this basket, but how retro is that?!?!?!

Took a good number of coats to get in every crack and crevice... but it was spray painting!  So the more coats, the more fun!!

Finished result:

You actually saw this in the Xmas recap.

Perfect for hiding things, like store membership cards or extra dog-walk-bags

Then I saw this awesome idea from House Bella:

LOVE it!  I do like the House Bella galvanized pail (which reminds me of how they display sunglasses in a Fossil store,) but this is a case of workin with whatcha got.  I have two other matching bins of different, nesting sizes, which I hope to put to good use somewhere nearby.  But, in the meantime, this new place to store the leash, totally out of the way!  And neither the sunglasses nor the leash are makin my house look cluttered anymore.**  FOR THE WIN!!! 

I do think the top (dare I say, tablescape?!) needs a tall and medium item or two (listen to Mrs. Bower, she knows.)   

*Awww!  One of my first posts!!    

**I totally believe in that old school saying: a place for everything, and everything in it's place.  It's easier to keep your house clean and orderly that way.... I do not care if I sound like a Grandma.  Shut up.

utility room overhaul: organize! organize! organize!

We took on the (daunting) task of organizing the utility room!!

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of my utility room before we went all medieval on it's tuckus.  You see, the utility room was always the part of my house I was most ashamed of.  That's probably not true... there are, and have been, many embarrassing parts of this house... but this is one of the tops!

What I DO have, are pictures of the room from move-in day, way back in 2009!  

The dryer wouldn't stay closed- it was taped shut.

Dingy, to say the least.

And then there was this pleasant surprise- the drain was hooked up to... nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  Imagine my shock when I first used the utility sink.

Game Plan: 

Step 1) Take out EVERYTHING in the room, organize/take stock and toss the trash:

FYI- that is a bag of hay.  Do you keep hay in your utility room??

Where paint and wood go to die.

This is what the room looked like without everything in it:

As you can see, it is less of a storage room and more of a storage hallway.  How convenient.  The cabinet against the back wall is from the kitchen (removed when I relocated the fridge.)  I was using it as a makeshift tool bench; it failed splendidly at this task.  You see, the back corner of the room is kinda dark and you have to weave around all the other items to get back there.   I realized this was a stupid layout, as tools are the number one item I go into the utility room for, so why in the world would they be located the furthest away?!  And why would I make it so difficult to see what I am reaching for??  Yeah, pure genius this was.  

I hated that room, back then, sooooooooo much.  So, so much.  Dark, cramped, hard to get around in, and nothing in its own “place.“

I also want to demonstrate for whining purposes how the washer and dryer doors bang into the studs, and therefore do not open completely, let alone have room for me to stand in front of!  I tell ya, my kingdom for a real laundry room.  Ok ok, enough ranting and back to the actual project...

Step 2) Pegboard for tools:

This undertaking was also a perfect excuse for us to break in our new toys!  For Christmas, we were lucky enough to get a Jawhorse, which we used to clamp onto anything and everything, as seen above.  For those interested, it works as advertised- that wood is going NOWHERES!

We also got a kick-a$$ miter table saw, which we used to make perfect 45 degree angles, even though no one will see it!

Quick tutorial: using 1x2s, we made a basic frame to the desired specifications.  We put a middle bar/ brace that lined up with the wall stud for added support.  This frame (which, for the record, you dont have to make 45 degree cuts,) was screwed into the wall with wood screws: 3 inchers for the stud and 2 inchers when just into the drywall.  Everything got a healthy squiggle (technical term) of Gorilla glue before mounting, as well.  Next, the pegboard is glued & screwed* to the frame in the same fashion.

Voila!

Note: NO organizing should be undertaken without jazz hands and wine.

Step 3) New storage bins.

 We got these puppies from Amazon- they come in four different sizes (and many colors!)  There are also dividers to separate each bin further and they are stackable!  Perfect.  After laying out all our stuff, we calculated how many bins we would need, that way ensuring we weren't left with a bunch of extras.


Final Results:

The corner between the shelving units makes the perfect place to store extra lumber!

 Before, we had all the extra lumber, drywall, and insulation* stacked against the right-side wall... needless to say this is a HUGE improvement!!

PEGBOARD! of TOOLS!  Like in a REAL WORK-ROOM!!!  

And before you say anything, no- we aren't going to outline the shapes of the tools to designate their places.  That's just too much commitment, which wouldn't allow for organizational change-ups!** 

 That's right, AND we got a small-drawer unit for all our fasteners.  We're gangster like that.

Little background on that table you see- IT ISN'T ONE!  WA-BAM!!!  Didn't see that one coming, did you?  Well, the beau happened to have a Lack floating shelf from Ikea that was narrow enough to fit our needs (we didn't want a table that was too deep and would intrude into the already narrow walkway,) but big enough to hold the fasteners container and some miscellaneous items.  So, we installed the shelf and secured an extra 2x4 to the corner for added support and to complete the “table“ look. 

We've put any duplicate items and tools too small to hang on the board in the tool boxes, as well as extra pegboard hangers.  All other bulky tools, like the palm sander, are kept on the shelf above the smaller board by the door.

So, yay?  I SWEAR this would be incredibly impressive if you saw pictures of how it looked before.  So, let's just pretend you saw the non-existent pictures and you are currently sitting there with your socks knocked off.

*We stored the insulation in the attic after cleaning it out.

**change-ups, a necessity!