Bathroom Remodel - Part II

The bathroom isn't DONE, but it's done enough to share the 'almost finished' product.

Here's our bathroom as it looked before last weekend when I decided to 'get busy' on this bathroom update.

After doing the cabinets and countertop, I hit the walls with paint.  This was a challenge due to the vaulted ceilings.

Another view of the 'before!  On that wall at the end next to the toilet is a black shelf.  I didn't get it in any of the photos.

I lugged the step stool and the ladder into the bathroom and got my paint ready to go.  I had painted the lower halves of most of the walls prior to this point.  Second coats were completed where needed.... then... I climbed the ladder and simply moved up the walls until I was standing on the rung next to the top to reach the peak of the ceilings.

NOT. MY. FAVORITE. THING. TO. DO!!

The walls above the 'yellow tile' in the tub/shower are also
the green like the rest of the room.

Doing a second coat was on my least favorite list of things to do, but... you do what'cha gotta do, right?

The funniest site was probably me on a ladder that was half in and half out of the bathtub. 

The strange things one does for home improvement.

While the walls dried, I used a hammered brown spray paint on all the hinges, handles, bath accessories, and light switch plate.

You can see some of the
'hammered brown metal' hinges/handles etc.

Looking into the bathroom from the hallway.
(The back wall by the toilet it still 'wet paint'.
I don't think that big 'streak' will be there once it dries

Once the walls did dry I had to tackle the ladder again.  I think it was half worse and half better the second time around. Worse b/c I felt like I was going to fall; better b/c it was easier to get the final coverage.

On Saturday morning I began reassembling the hinges, doors, handles, drawers, accessories, etc then began removing the plastic and painters tape around the sink.  Let's just say that step could have gone better. Fortunately the caulk will cover the tape I couldn't get out of the resin.  LOL! 

I also put the cabinet on the countertop and filled it.

Another view looking into the bathroom.

I then washed the tub and tile and re-washed the toilet b/c I had gotten quite a bit of paint on it in my various stages of remodel.

I vacuumed the floors; put down the runners to keep the floors a bit warmer until we put down our flooring; then took a few pics.

I still need to scorch the barn wood boards with a torch and stain them; then cut and hang them.  Then I SHOULD take down the dated light fixture and paint it until it's replaced and do the same to the faucets. But.... at this point, the barn wood frame and flooring would make me So... SO.... HAPPY!

Eventually I may also tackle painting the lovely yellow tile, but... again, for now... I"m thrilled with how it's turned out.

It'll be nice that the girls can use their bathroom again too.


Leave me a comment and tell me what you think.  What would you add?  Or change?  What would you do to the faucets or the light fixture? Do you think it is it fine as is?

The sinks/cabinets/countertop all 'finished' except for caulking around the sinks, wall, and mirror.
And of course minus the barn wood frame around the mirror -- I really can't wait to see how that looks.

A close up of the countertop/cabinets.

Bathroom Remodel... On the Cheap... Part I

It has been a LONG time since I've been active on my blog. 

Sorry about that, ya'll. 

Life is full of blessings and I find there's only so much time each day to get to things.  Lately, my blog has not been top priority.

I'm making a concerted effort to 'get back in the saddle' with this here blogging business, however.  ;-)

I'm gonna jump in to share my guest/kids' bathroom 'makeover' that I did ALL.  BY.  MYSELF!  (Except the floor - that is yet to be completed and I'm hoping to hire someone to do it.)

I have to start off by saying I 'began' this project when I pulled up carpet -- yes CARPET - from this bathroom 1.5 -2 years ago because a) carpet in the bathroom just doesn't seem sanitary to me (maybe if I shampooed it constantly, but who has time or energy or ambition for THAT) and b) the girls aren't good at closing the shower curtain during showers therefore water was getting under the carpet and mold was growing.  EWWWW!

I have to say that I understand WHY the people who owned this house before my in-laws bought it put carpet in the bathroom.  Basically because IT'S COLD!!!  The trapdoor that goes to our crawlspace (which is just a dug out dirt hole in the ground for all intents and purposes) is smack dab in the center of this bathroom.  Once I pulled that carpet up.... cold air just rushes in constantly. 

I get it... The carpet insulated the floor AND blocked all the air from seeping through.  I'll need to come up with a solution to prevent that cold air blast moving forward.  Sigh.

So.... back to my story.... I pulled the carpet up and.... well..... left it.

When I say 'left it', I literally mean, L-E-F-T..... I-T!  I didn't pull up the tac strips; I left all the staples in the floor; bits of carpet were stuck under the toe boards etc.

It. Was. A. Hot. Mess. Ya'll!

Here's the LOVELy marbled-like laminate countertop that I wanted to 'change'.

In Oct I started a weight loss beta program with my cousin AND I went through Mom Mastery Boot Camp.  Between the two, my life was altered in MASSIVE ways -- in a GOOD way.

I had energy from losing weight; I had motivation from the programs and my Bible studies; I decided to get up and get moving.

I cleaned that bathroom -- floor to ceiling and everything in between.

Here's the room all cleaned and the tac strips removed with our ugly sub-flooring showing in all it's glory.

I then took doors off the cabinets, removed drawers, and sanded the countertop, cabinets, drawers, and doors.

Door removed and sanded along w/the frame.

Sanding the countertop and cabinets.

Next I grabbed my cabinet transformation kit - the same style I used for our kitchen cabinets (I had bought 2 in case I needed it for the kitchen, but with the hope I could use it for this bathroom.)


 I'm using the same colors in this bathroom that I have in the living room and kitchen/dining room so... perfect.




I painted the base coat on all the drawers and doors.  2 coats.

The doors on the table painted with the base coat.

After that dried, I applied the antique glaze coat and wiped off to achieve the antiqued look I was after.

The glaze wiped off until the desired 'look' was achieved
and the protective top coat applied.

This is the scary part - adding the glaze makes
me nervous as I just painted over dark
cabinets about this color.

Finally, after 24 hours of dry time I added the top protective coat. 

That part was easy.  Time consuming b/c of all the steps but.... relatively easy.









For the countertop - we didn't have it in the budget right now to purchase new countertops, but the 'white-marbled-laminate-look' we had going just didn't do it for me.

Off to Pinterest!

After a little 'Pinterest' browsing and HomeTalk looking, I decided upon using Stone look spray paint covered with Envirotex Light Epoxy Resin.  We had used resin on some of the girls' 4H projects so I was familiar with it but... this was much bigger than a small canvas or glass bead and window project.

I taped off the mirror, walls, toilet, and lower cabinet with garbage bags and plastic tarps.  I also covered the sinks and faucets COMPLETELY with bags and painters tape.

Everything is set to go.

Next I went to town with 'Stone' look spray paint.

It was a 'different' look, but not really what I was going for. 
So glad a few more coats of paint made it more of what I envisioned.

It took about 4 whole cans to cover the entire surface to my liking.  The first can left TONS of 'white' showing through.  The 2nd can didn't cover it much more and I was beginning to think that was the 'look' I was just going to have to live with.  I didn't HATE it, but.... I didn't LOVE it either.  After a day of drying I decided to try another coat (meaning can) of stone paint.  It was beginning to fill in those 'white' spots and look more solid.  I liked that better.  Another 24 hours later and I did another can of stone paint. 

The look was much more to my liking.

A trip (or 2 -- but that's a whole other post) to Fort Collins and I had my Envirotex Light Resin.  A morning later and it was on the countertop.  It wasn't a hard process, but frightening.  You have to mix the stuff 'just right' or it may not fully harden.  That'll be fun. 

Here's the countertop w/the resin as it's drying.  I'm hoping it looks FABULOUS once it's dry.

In addition, the resin 'drips' off the edge more than I expected AND it dripped a bit onto the cabinets. I wiped it off, but realized later when I put the antique glaze on the cabinet frames, that the stain 'adhered' to where the resin had been wiped off leaving odd looking streaks and smudges.  Sigh.

Once the resin was applied, I used my heat gun to 'pop' bubbles
and to even out the thickness of the resin.

I keep telling myself it's ok - it's better than it was before.

While in Fort Collins I found the 'perfect' skinny cabinet to put ON the countertop to 'divide' the sink sides and add storage.  I cleaned and painted it with the cabinet transformation kit so it 'matches' the cabinets nicely.  (You'll see it when we finally reassemble the bathroom.)

I have barn wood in the garage that I plan to 'scorch w/a torch' and hang as a 'border' around the entire mirror.  (I won't lie - this is daunting to me and a bit scary to even ponder doing.  But, it has to be done b/c I wasn't exceptionally 'neat' in applying the resin and there are 'splotches' all over the mirror bottom.  Nothing like motivation.)

I'm painting the walls sage green to match the rest of the house as well as the colors in the shower curtain.  I've only done a couple walls and only up as far as I can reach without a ladder so far.

I found a candle holder at the Goodwill with a bear, trees, and moose in a brown metal - it matches perfectly with the shower curtain and will be a fun 'top' to the new cabinet.

It's all coming together, slowly. 

I can't wait to share the finished project next week.  That's IF I manage to finish it and NOT fall of the ladder as I attempt to reach the vaulted ceiling.  ;-)

I'm also pondering the 'back wall' as you look into the bathroom.  It has some 'damage' to the drywall and 'just painting' it may not look the greatest.  I've researched a few options to make it look 'rustic' without too much cost, but.... I'm falling short finding the materials to put those ideas into action.  Right now.... my top choice is to get a few rolls of self adhesive cork and put that partially up the wall.


Guess we'll see as I move forward.