Reader Redesign: Bathroom Bliss
This is one of our favorite bathroom remodels, and to think that one of our readers and her fam did it all on their own! Amazing. Here’s her letter:
Love watching you guys work your magic! Saw your call for before and afters, and thought you might get a kick out of this one. It was a fave of mine because it was a family affair. Kids (4 teens and assorted friends) ripped out the tile and hauled everything including the doozie of a harvest gold cast iron tub. Have you ever tried to move one of those beasts?! I found a great old antique asian altar table to use as a vanity. Also another old carved piece to use as a door for the medicine cabinet. At our local Goodwill I found a piece of counter and a kitchen drawer base… which we stuffed in the underutilized linen closet for kids drawers and getting ready space. Sounds a tad funky but we love the result. Thanks for peeking… and keep on keeping on with all of your wonderful inspiration! – Linda
Here’s the doozie of a before:
And Linda’s stunning after pics:
Are you not blown away by the lovely textured wallpaper? That gorgeous antique vanity? The fact that they turned a dated and dingy bathroom into a spa like oasis? Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous photos with us Linda! Makes us wanna take a sledgehammer to something…
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It feels strange to love a toilet paper holder this much
Its great. I cant wait to finally send the pics of my remodel! Its almost complete.
Can we get :
1. The info on how to turn the dresser into a sink?
2. The info on the wallpaper
Oh yes… and where did they find that toilet paper holder!!!
I really like the old dresser and subway tiles. Since it’s a top mounted sink, it’s actually fairly easy to mount to the dresser provided you have space or cut out the back like the regular vanity.
I’ve seen similar paper holders at Pottery Barn outlet…Not in that finish, though.
Holy Cow…This is the best bathroom EVER.
I second the motion to give us details on how to turn a table or other piece of furniture into a sink!!
Very pretty bathroom re-do!! Loving the seagrass-like wallpaper and Alter table as a vanity. Wya to re-purpose the unexpected!
Great transformation! Love the vanity as well. Oh and the toilet paper holder of course!!!
That’s one crazy re-do! I’m so not a wallpaper person, but I am digging that seagrass paper. I love the texture of it, especially contrasted with the smooth subway tiles and fixtures. Nice job!
I’m going to now put my “drawing guy” on my toilet. Who woulda thunk it? I mean seriously. I haven’t had any idea where my drawing guy should go. We already know I’m a dolt with using proper language for items ….I’m sure the “drawing guy” has a technical name.
Also love the severed hand on the vanity. ha! I’m sure that has a technical name too.
Here is a project for your readers.
http://theheadlemur.typepad.com/remodeling_for_geeks/master_bath_project/
Holy crappers. It’s AMAZING. I want to live in there. Well, for a few minutes at a time, maybe.
Loves the remodel, I have got to know more about the wallpaper. Sources PLEASE!!!!
Love the paper, love the tile, love the mag rack/toilet paper holder. Very clever!
Hey guys,
We just emailed Linda to request those sources and info for ya. As for turning a piece of furniture into a sink base, we do happen to know a bit about that process. My mom has been doing this for ten years- she’s quite the inspiration. In fact, stay tuned for a much overdue House Crashing of my mom’s NY casa.
But back to the subject of Linda’s sink base conversion. All that’s needed to convert a piece of furniture into a vanity is a hole cut in the back for pipes to be run through and a hole cut in the top for drainage from the sink down to those pipes. It’s also super important to be sure that the piece is solid and sturdy enough to support the weight of a ceramic sink and even a granite countertop if you so choose.
Oh and sometimes drawers or storage spots inside the piece have to be altered to make room for all the underworkings of the sink, but it’s really a relatively easy switcheroo. Maybe Linda will explain a bit about her sink base conversion technique as well!
xoxo,
Sherry
Linda’s bathroom is so awesome, as is her entire home. You should see her KITCHEN, which she reno’d not that long ago! She has one awesome eye at using materials in a new way.
That’s fabulous news because we just happen to have a request in for pics of her latest kitchen transformation along with another bathroom that she made over. Can’t wait to see (and share) those pics!
xo,
Sherry
Thank goodness the floor got replaced! What a relief it must be not to look at that every day anymore :)
WHOA! I don’t know how I missed this post!
Thanks for that great post Sherry!
Ok…on to some questions…
We snagged the toilet paper holder off of EBAY…yes it is a Pottery Barn holder…holds two rolls at a time.Whohee. We need that with 4 teens using it!
Wallpaper…little secret…from Lowes and NOT real grasscloth, but a vinyl that is so close you have to actually touch it to know(I mean REALLY touch it). I knew the real stuff would not hold up in a steamy bath.
It was fairly easy retrofiting this piece as a vanity. We could take both drawers out (under the drawers is empty)…then simply cut a smallish (4″)hole in the back. Using the vessel sink above the counter entailed only cutting a small drain hole. We were able to position it so that we only had to shorten 1 drawer (by taking off the back, cutting the sides…and nailing back back on). My biggest worry with the sink was the ancient patina (would it hold up to water? would it hold up to shaving cream?..and God knows what else a teen could find to leave on it?)It is amazing I simply use a paste wax (like briwax) every few months!!
You can find a few of the other reno pics on my blog http://coconutsandlimes.blogspot.com/ But I will make sure to send the whole kaboodle to John and Sherry to share!
Hee…drawing guy (perfect name) is still in there…but the hand (ex voto) is back in the LR where it is much happier!
Thanks for your great comments…hope I answered your questions!