Pardon our dust.

I stopped posting pictures partly because I'm too busy to deal with blogging. Also, because we're getting close the the big reveal on the bathroom and I want it to be a dramatic, so I don't want to post photos of things that are almost done and then have it be no big deal when it's really, finally done.

A few random comments:

Things got VERY dusty upstairs. As you know, I had to empty the contents of the master bath AND the weird dressing area/closet suite. Some of my clothes went into other people's closets, and some of my clothes are sitting in laundry baskets. Lots of toiletries sitting out on top of dressers, etc. When you repair walls, a lot of sanding takes place. Sanding creates dust. The kind of dust that leaves a very thin film on EVERYTHING, for example, this plastic folder that was not dusty when the project got underway.

It's safe to say that everything in the master bedroom is just as dusty as that folder. Bedding, clothes, pets ... everything. I try not to dwell on it.

Even though I'm not posting pictures, I'll tell you that the master bath is nearly done. We are still waiting on the special order shower door, and the mirrors aren't up yet, but the plumbing is working, the lights are working, and I'm starting to move back by putting stuff in the linen closet and the vanity drawers. It's quite awesome if I do say so myself, and the paint color lives up to its name, "Haven of Coziness". We're still all sharing one shower, and that is working reasonably well, but I'm doing a lot of crowing to get people to open the door and allow me to get to a sink and mirror in the morning, and that's getting old.

The big push on the closet will happen this week. I spent a LOT of time in the past few days finalizing the configuration of the closet hanging and shelving system. Actually the decision isn't really finalized, but I ordered extra of everything so if we need it, we have it, and if we don't need it, we'll return it. Once I had that done I thought I was through with decision-making, then I got an email from the contractor asking if I have towel bars and a TP holder. AAACK! No, I do not. Give me 24 hours and I will. <commence deep breathing>

One reflection in hindsight:  If you are remodeling a bathroom, do not pay extra for fancy finishes. Just go with the chrome. The chrome is less expensive, and it's shiny. I told myself not to cheap out on this project, so I paid the up charge for brushed nickel plumbing and shower door frame, and in hindsight I don't really think they're that great. Shiny would have been fine. Oh, well, live and learn.

I have a blog? Oh, right.

Life got a little bit busy, and I seem to have allowed a week to pass without updates. I offer a fast forward version of progress in the past 7 days, with no stories, because I'm tired.

The former doorway, viewed from the closet,
on its way to becoming a wall.

View from bathroom side.

Outlets!

None shall pass!

Later that same day, it's a wall!

Could it be, TILE?

On both sides, even!
Now we can measure for the shower door.

The box is holding the niche tiles in place.

 

Preparing paint samples. Long story.

A little power, a little painting.

Not a lot of "wow" to report from Friday. Our contractor finished putting in the flooring in the linen closet and in the back corner around the toilet. He also did some work patching over where the old electrical outlets and fixtures used to be and creating access for the new ones.

There will be 3 outlets above the double sink vanity
and 2 light fixtures above the mirrors.

Also, this is the doorway that formerly connected the closet and bathroom. It shows potential to become a wall soon.

A view that won't be viewable for long.

Remember the linen closet? It was painted a yellowish beige that didn't match the old white tile or the white door and woodwork. I'm not completely sure if the contractor intended to paint it for us, but it wasn't designated on the contract as something that would be redone. I decided to paint it white, because I already had some paint I could use, and because I took a serious nap today and who knows when I will fall asleep.

Before

After

Since it's Memorial Day, people were setting off firecrackers and stuff which got the dog all needy. At one point she actually backed into the closet with the wet paint on the walls; she's never been in there before. Silly Tussey.

Excuse me ... you're standing where the painter person is supposed to stand!

I'm floored.

Glory be, we have floor tile!

I only have one picture because we're not supposed to walk on it yet. Glue drying, or something like that.

In lieu of more photos, I will tell the floor tile story.

I believe in shopping locally when possible, so I started looking at tile at a local place run by a family friend. I did get good service and was shown this tile at the quoted price of $4.99/sf. I also saw some shower tiles I liked, and they said I could take the samples home.

I had the samples with me when I went to Home Depot to look at vanities. I ran into a former coworker who now works there and he commented that he loves that tile I had in my cart. I said thanks and then I realized he thought I had found it at Home Depot. I said, "Do you carry this? This is a sample from another store", and he said yes, it's right over here. He showed me a display and there was the very same tile marked $1.99/sf.

Again, I believe in shopping locally. I believe that I got good service at the specialty store, and I sincerely intended to support the little guy. However, HD was 40% of his price. That's 60% less, and when you're buying 70 sf of tile, that's a difference of $200. Gulp.

I bought the floor tile at Home Depot, and promised myself I would buy the shower tile from the local guy. The big boxes didn't carry what I had in mind for the shower anyway, but then the shower tile purchase didn't go according to plan, and that's a story for another day.

Here's a screenshot of the floor tile from the Home Depot website. It has a brushstroke/woodgrain look to it, and I like that it's big (12" x 24") and doesn't require lots of grout.

Just to see you tile ...

Today our shower got walls, and niches to put things in! We're talking about how arrange the tile, which will be very exciting to see. Drywall replacement and repair continues.

No more intercom, no more light fixture.

In with the new!

Today the tub base got installed, along with some plumbing. Mark did some homework on shower doors, he wants an extra tall one. Not much else to report, except it looks like our referendum for a new high school will pass! Confetti!

Nice to see something clean and new appear.

Old faucets out, new rough in.

Closet doors and framing GONE.

There's a door where there was no door before!

Today, circumstances at work necessitated me taking a full hour lunch break, so I came home to let Tussey out and snoop on the progress upstairs. Here's what I found:

There's a hole in the wall, dear Liza, dear Liza ...

The thermostat is GONE!
Looks like we've got a mystery on our hands!

When I came home again at the end of the day, there was yet another surprise!

Epic photobomb by Tussey!

I thought the doors would all get repurposed,
but this is a new one!

Our contractor's Dad was a State High math teacher,
so I found it funny that he showed his work on the wall.
Check out that old school long division!

Ah-HA! Thermostat wire found in the hallway!

It appears that some of the formerly tiled drywall
can be saved. The lower sections were repaired.

The shower base, unpackaged and ready to go!