Tiny Bubbles, A Tale of Two Bathrooms

When we purchased our home we knew there were certain rooms that would require remodeling.  Some were on the short list while others would come later.  With a three bedroom, two bath house, every bathroom counts.

Our guest bath is used primarily by our teenage son and our daughter who has her own apartment but comes to visit whenever she can.  It also serves as the only bath used by our guests, so I wanted it to not only be functional but also pretty, not an easy feat when it's an actual functioning bathroom and not a powder room that is reserved for guests most of the time.  Our last house had a powder room which we completely remodeled to include a charming console sink, oval pivot mount mirror, and tumbled marble "look" ceramic flooring.   I loved the fact that I could display my fancy guest towels and special soaps and because we rarely used it, it was always fresh and ready for company.

In the new house we knew a powder room was not in the plans, so this would be the main bathroom used by everyone.  The wheels in my head began spinning even before we had signed the contract to purchase the house about how we would turn this small hall bath into a place where I would want to welcome guests.  I knew I wasn't crazy about the poorly laid tile on the floor or the fact that it only had one sink and we still had two children living at home, at least in the summer months, and it just lacked personality in my opinion.  Can a bathroom have personality...I think so!  I envisioned double sinks, beadboard, and a deep soaking tub with a tile surround to replace the bland  4 x 4 tiled walls and the molded one piece tub and shower surround.  Not that I'm against those things (we still have those in our master bathroom), but knowing I wouldn't be able to renovate the rest of the house for quite awhile I just wanted at least one special "finished" room and it seemed like the obvious choice.

We purchased the home from an elderly couple, he was in failing health and she was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.  It broke my heart that they were leaving, but I tried to reassure them that we would love the house and take good care of it.  They seemed pleased when we came back for a second visit and they asked if we were the "lovely young couple who was going to buy the house."  "Young" by their standards as they were both in their 90's!  I think they would be happy with the changes, at least I hope they would be because we truly do love this house!

Here is the bathroom when we first looked at the house.  You can see some of their medical equipment, and the grab bars mounted on the wall.

Here is a better view of the vanity area, taken after we had purchased the house.  You can't see it in the photos, but although the 1 x 1 tiles on the floor weren't ugly, they weren't straight and looked a bit like they had been laid by a drunken sailor!

Here is the bathroom now.  We kept the old vanity which was in great shape and an unusual size, so buying a new one or having one made would have been expensive and we liked the old one.  We special ordered a new double sink top and replaced the old wooden knobs with crystal knobs to give it a more vintage feel.  We replaced the toilet, added a new tub with tile surround and Mr. Tide installed all of the beautiful new beadboard and mouldings. (my fav!) 

We found the old pine mirror for just $60 at a local shop and the peg rack, made by my late father, is the perfect place to hang towels or our son's car washing chamois, seen here on the right!

Removing the old tile floor proved to be quite the challenge.  The tiles had been laid, not on cement board but on top of 3 inches of solid concrete!  We chose large 20 x 20 tiles for the floor and laid them in a diamond pattern to give the room the illusion of space.

The walls are painted "Maison Blanche" and provide a nice neutral backdrop for my seasonal towels and soaps.  The light fixture was a clearance find at a local lighting store and was only $25!

A rain head shower fixture was installed in the new shower and 12 x 12 floor tiles were used on the walls for something different and to lessen the amount of grouting required.  They are accented by an unglazed cream border with a floral motif.

Of course there are days when I miss having a powder room or bath that's designated just for guests.  Those days when the sink is covered with hair gel, toothbrushes, and all sorts of personal hygiene products, but I couldn't be happier with our new and much improved "guest" bath!  Knowing that Mr. Tide and Bugs (our son) put so much work in to tearing it out and then installing all the detail work that makes it just what I wanted, makes me smile every time I pass by the door!

Visit Remodelaholic for the weekly Remodelaholics Anonymous meeting to see more renovations!

Click on the button below to head over to Between Naps on the Porch to see other great transformations on Metomorphosis Monday.