Welcome back all you remodel addicts!

Want to see what a sledge hammer can do?  Yeah, I know you do!

 

The last picture is a view looking up into my attic space.  The soffit is gone!!  Yippee!!

Ahhh… the feeling of progress.  Oh, it does feel nice.

In case you are still wondering what I’m talking about here, today is the linking party for Week 2 of Calling It Home’s 6 Week Room Challenge.

You must get your little curious mind over there for some serious inspiration.  People are doing some really fun room remodels!

And in case you need to catch up on where I started, here is Week One.

So now that we’ve got all that stuff outta the way, let’s dive into the nitty gritty of completely redoing a room.  You’ve got the stomach for it, you’ve got the urge and the funds, and yeah you’ve picked out some rooms you like, but NOW WHAT?  A layout and reality check is in order.  Si senior… even in home remodel, as in life, we just cannot have “it all.”

Focus on your priorities and you’ll be very happy in the end.  Don’t, DON’T get sucked into crazy upgrade land where every bell and whistle will be luring you like a siren.  Focus, Focus, Focus.

So, here were my priorities…

1.  Light!  Lighten and brighten.  Walls be gone!

2.  Functionality – I needed a bath tub and a shower, or combo… since the boys are young now, we would get great use out of the tub, but they grow so fast that it couldn’t dominate the room either.  I had to get a nice sized shower in there too.  And it would be so nice to have easy access to everything so I could shower ’em without too much hassle.

Hence, my open concept bathroom was born!

A shower without doors might not be for everyone, but it will work great for us!

Did you notice that a little sink got scarified in the process?  Well, we started with a long 9 ft vanity and two sinks and shortened it to an extra long 1 sinker.  Do they really need two sinks?  I think not my friends, and honestly, isn’t it just one less for me to clean?

Plumbing in a bathroom is so important so make sure that you are ready for those decisions before you demo.  I highly recommend going to a professional center, either Ferguson or Pacific Sales (or similar in your area) versus an option like Lowe’s or Home Depot.

I’ll tell you why… they know their stuff.  They have better prices on higher end options and more pieces to look at in the store.  Just do it, you will be happy you did.

Another suggestion?  Be prepared to spend a sizable amount of your budget on the fixtures.  Do you really want to have cheap stuff to worry about in a year or two?

Here were the beauties I picked out (after much, much hair pulling)!

Hansgrohe Thermostatic Shower

I was between this and the Kohler Purist shower handles and diverter.  In the end, I went with less handles for a more modern look.  And why thermostatic… or what the heck is thermostatic??  Well, it keeps the temperature of the water at a consistent temp, which is great when you have little ones.  You can set the temp and turn the water on and off, but the temperature will remain the same.  It also guards against any scalding that can occur if multiple faucets/toilets are used.  It’s pretty sweet if you ask me, but it’s a splurge and will add about $175 to the cost of the fixture.

Then I got two hand showers… one for the tub area and one for the shower.

 

It just makes my life that much easier.

Rain shower head,  (Hint, the plastic knob-dodads make it easier to clean vs all metal options.)

 

The Kohler Purist tub filler, which I just love!  It looks like bamboo… all the others look like, well, you know.

The Kohler Persuade Toilet

 

Symmons sink faucet, but mine is chrome

 

And finally, a 63″ free standing acrylic tub that you can find at The Home Depot.  I had quite the stress finding a smallish tub – Hello manufacturers!  Not everyone wants a 70″ tub!  Sheesh!

 

Once you’ve got the pieces filled in (A LOT of work and research, I might add) then the plumbers can do their thang!

I learned the hard way to expect about 2 weeks for delivery on all my goodies… so plan ahead!!

And that’s what I have to share for this week!  I’ve got to say… my garage is looking mighty full and my living room has become a storage center for tons of boxes.

Progress is messy.

Have a great week!  Happy Creating!  Jessica