Powder Room (final update)

The powder room project is officially finished. I was waiting for my Shutterfly project to arrive. I could not be more pleased with the art work and the whole powder room.

It may be small but the new configuration works wonderfully. There is room in front and even around the toilet. And you can actually stand comfortably in front of the sink.

Other features that are special:

• the wall treatment behind the radiator (I used self-stick vinyl floor tiles that look like dark marble
• the mirror is a charger plate
• the shelving is a corner stand hung on the wall to serve as counter and towel rack
• the back splash is a vinyl wall sticker from Wallmonkeys (see previous post) 

The photo art work is a photograph of a burned out area in the Boundary Waters from our 2013 trip. It is rendered on metal.

with camera flash

without camera flash (chandelier light)

day light

back splash and mirror

Powder Room (not an update)

This isn't really an update but more of a teaser. The work on the mechanical elements is complete except for an attempt to tighten the toilet.

Why I'm not counting this as an update is because I want to wait for the final design piece to be complete before showing off the finished project. I have ordered the final piece which should arrive next week.

The photo below is a hint at another piece of the finished project.

Powder room update

Coming close to finishing the powder room project. Now that the mechanical elements are in, decorating was done.

With the round edges of the toilet and the sink, I chose the round buttons for the flush mechanism.That decision lead to more round or rounded elements.

I found the round mirror on Amazon.com. It is actually a charger plate. The facets around the edge also tie into the crystal chandelier.

The corner shelving unit came from Bed, Bath and Beyond. The outside edge of the shelves is rounded. I decided to hang the piece so that it can serve as a towel rack and hold the soap dispenser at sink level.

The other big update is the floor. This is a vinyl floating floor product made to look like cork. It is waterproof and comfortable under bare feet.

It wasn't too difficult to install if I could only remember which end to cut. It cuts with an Exacto blade and snaps so that part is easy. Getting around the door jam was a pain. But many thanks to JT for loaning me his electric saw tool that trims molding for the flooring which is taller than the original floor.

The other new piece is the wall treatment for the radiator wall under the window. Painting behind the radiator is not really possible and the plaster is not in great condition. I found another flooring product that kind of looks like stone. It was easy to install though I have to find another way to get it to stick to the wall.

Remaining tasks are to have the baseboards installed (I stained them) and have the door trim put back up.

The other piece is to find or make art for the blank wall above the toilet. I have an idea just have to figure it out exactly.

Powder room update

Big changes this past week. I told my contractor that I wanted a usable bathroom by Sunday for Apple Fest. That meant getting the toilet and sink installed and functioning. To accomplish this the walls needed to be drywalled ,painted and the electrical finished.

The carpenter came on Monday to install the drywall and the first coat of mud. I picked up the light fixture that I had ordered.

Though the room is small it still has four corners and four walls. It is tricky to maneuver inside the small space so mudding the drywall was not an easy task. Dave finished the first coat on Monday. When he arrived Tuesday morning, the mud was still not completely dry. We put a fan on it and he came back in the afternoon to do the final coat.

I kept a fan on it all night. Dave came back Wednesday and gave the go ahead for priming...that was my job. I got the priming done by late morning. It took longer than I thought because again it is just so tricky maneuvering in the small space. The ceiling is 9 feet so a little later is necessary.

Dave came back to do a little touch up and then I painted. All this to be ready for Thursday morning electrician and plumber.

The electrician arrived early Thursday and installed the light fixture, outlet and dimmer for the light. The plumber arrived later in the morning. The in-wall tank and floating toilet were new fixtures for the plumber. But he was able to figure it out with the provided instructions.

The plumber also installed the sink and faucet. He picked up on my comment on the plastic pipe and went out to get a metal p-trap and drain. I really appreciated his attention to this. There is not going to be a vanity of any kind so the pipes are exposed. The metal looks so much better.

So everything needed to make the room function as a bathroom was completed on Thursday. I was able to paint the radiator after the plumber was finished.

Now just waiting for the flooring to come in. The floor is a vinyl floating floor material and special order from Home Depot. Once the floor is in, the carpenter will come back to re-install the door molding and install new baseboard. There are a couple of touch-ups needed from the plumber's work.

It is impossible to get decent photo of the powder room because it is so small.

Toilet wall drywalled.

TaDa! Walls painted, toilet and sink installed, and electrical done.

The fantastic light fixture.

Powder Room update

Inspections are completed or in progress.

Plumbing inspection was on Monday right after the plumbers finished up. The plumbers came back on Wednesday to hook up the radiator. All that has gone smoothly.

Electrical inspection was Tuesday after missed attempt on Monday. The electrical inspector couldn't find the bathroom on his own! I made sure I was here for his second visit.

The framing inspection is going to be by texted photograph. The carpenter came today to put in the small amount of framing that is needed. Jon is coming back this afternoon to take a photo and send to inspector.

Sheetrock will be going up on Monday. I am to do painting on Wednesday. The electrician will come back on Thursday to install the light fixture. The plumbers will also come on Thursday to install the toilet and sink.

The toilet has been in for a while. The actuator is in. The sink has arrived. I picked up the light fixture today. The faucet is to arrive on Monday. I need to get the flooring. I already have the paint.

Looks like this project is going to actually finish up soon. The goal is to have it completed or at least usable by Sunday September 2 for Apple Fest.

Powder room project update

in-wall tank installed

Progress has been very slow.

The carpenter came two weeks ago to install the in-wall tank system. The plumbers came the next day to remove the old pipes. They also hooked up the new toilet drain.

The electrician showed up today. He installed the new wiring for overhead light fixture, switch and electrical outlet. He's coming back tomorrow to clean up the wiring that has been exposed by the renovations. It has gone smoothly so far.

electrical work

Dumpster = Purge

I am taking advantage of having a dumpster for the powder room project to throw stuff away including an old bed frame, curtain rods and even a broken pallet that's been in the back yard.

Going through boxes I came across a box of tax returns. Turned out to be returns from 2003 all the way to 1981 which is when I graduated from college! I borrowed Christine's shredder and spent way too many hours shredding all the documentation. I filled my big blue recycle bin for the first time.

Powder room project - day 3

Not a lot that is noticeably different. Finishing up the corners and took the exhaust fan out. I did finally found out when the bathroom was put in. There was part of a newspaper page used for some stuffing. The date was May 21, 1950.

Also met new neighbors Andy and Peter. Two Univ. of Minnesota dudes moving in the upstairs apartment of duplex.

Took some photos and video of the attic above the sunroom. I'm hoping to have a chance to blow some additional insulation up there using the exhaust fan opening.

Took center 2x4 out for in-wall tank.

Where inset toilet roll was and the newspaper stuffing.

Sink wall.

Powder room project - day 2

This my work attire. When I'm cutting through the wall I add safety goggles. Pretty.

In the background is my setup for getting the debris out. And the fan is used to blow the dust out of the house and not into the house. The setup works really well. The fan is removed for debris tossing.

This section of wall came down nearly intact. For your information this is what the back of a plaster and lathe wall looks like.

Day 2 was about taking down the plaster and lathe walls. This is the wall where the toilet was and the new one is going.

This is the corner where the sink was. The new sink will be along the wall.

Powder room project

Official first day of powder room remodel. Technically I took off part of the wall tiles and flooring months ago. The dumpster arrived on Thursday but the kidney stone incident kind of put a hold on any work.

The end product is fairly simple but since the space is so so small, the project cost is high. New floating wall-mounted toilet and a small sink on right wall. Plus new paint and flooring.

No sink. No toilet.