Updated bath!

Well, it took us almost 5 years but we got around to it! Yes, this is the same bathroom...see "Ugly Bathroom Photos" http://southerness.blogspot.com/2008/10/real-ugly-bathroom-photos.html#links. DH and I were on a strict budget with this face lift so I was extra pleased with how it came out. Although, the house is only 12 years old I wanted to add some character and was trying for a contemporary cottage feeling.
I removed those yicky shower doors and replace them with a nice curved chrome shower rod and white, waffle shower curtain (don't mind the wrinkles...I hadn't steamed them yet!).

We painted the cabinets, refronted them with bead board, removed the cabinet doors and replaced with white tiers on cafe rods, replaced all the cabinet hardware, lighting and accessories with new chrome fixtures (there was bizarre mix of chrome and polished brass originally), added a wall of bead board and new swivel mirrors, and painted 3 walls a yummy chocolate brown.In our last 2 homes our master bath was designed with a separate water closet but this house was not. Due to the limited budget, time and desire to not do real structural construction I devised a way to create the privacy and illusion of a separate water closet without the work and expense of actually building one.
The folding panels were part of 2 separate folding doors (or maybe a screen at one time) that DH and I found at Lakewood 400 Antique Market http://www.lakewoodantiques.com/. As you can see only 3 of the panels are actually used but they are hinged together so that it can pivot as needed and hinged to the corner to provide stability. I love it and do not miss seeing the toilet when I am enjoying a nice soak in the tub.

Real ugly bathroom photos!

Isn't this just lovely? This is the master bath right after we moved into this house almost 5 years ago. Can you say Mid 90s Waverly attack?
DS2 & DD exploring our new digs...behind those really gross shower doors.
After moving in, before unpacking...I promptly began peeling wallpaper off the walls...it was just more than I could imagine getting up to every morning. Living with plain Sheetrock was truly better, though I never realized it would take us almost 5 years to actually do something about it.

Long weekend.....

My children (or rather, the school admininstration) has blessed me with a long weekend! No school today or Monday. Here in the south we don't get the end of February "Winter Break" so I am excited to have a mid-Feb. long weekend!!!

I would have enjoyed sleeping in this morning but DS#1 had a friend over and DS#2 felt compelled sit outside his big brother's bedroom door and play - loudly - until they (and everyone else) were awake. Not that it was a big surprise since my boys tend to get up early but I had been up several times during the night telling them to try to be quieter and settle down and my sleep wasn't the best. Anyway, in honor of being considered a good hostess, I trudged downstairs to whip up some pancakes, sausage and fresh strawberries. Of course, the boys - being 10 and completely starved - inhaled their breakfast and went off to play. I probably would have been just as good a hostess if I had put out a box of PopTarts on the table along with juice boxes and let them have at it.

So, here I sit debating on whether or not I take a nap as soon as DS#1's friend leaves or should I actually start the "BATHROOM PROJECT"? This Bathroom has haunted me and now I have determined that this will be the weekend when it gets taken care off. Not to mention DD has one of her girlfriends from our old home in NY coming to visit in 2 weeks and I don't want to frighten her with the "we are in the middle of redoing that bath" room. Almost all the wallpaper has been removed and I purchased fine sandpaper for smoothing out some areas before painting. I have picked out the paint color (Kennebunkport Green!) and need this room to be completed. Of course, I still need to get to Lowes for the new lighting fixture, although, I know how hard to to understand why I am ridding myself of the lovely large round light bulbs on a chrome bar - think lighting around a Movie Star's dressing table - BUT it must be done! The bathroom must come into the new century! Must, I tell ya!!!!



Anyway, it is cold here (not as cold as other places but for us...it is COLD!) so I guess it is as good a weekend as any to get to it.