Holy smokes! I can’t believe it…I mean it’s finished…we actually have a new bathroom! I don’t even know where to begin because I am so glad that it’s finished, and that I didn’t go through with the divorce I threatened Andrew with! Yay!
Andrew and I keep saying, it kind of looks like a bathroom you’d find at a nice camp, ha! Maybe I missed my calling?
Let’s begin with the process…I don’t know about you but every time I start a big project I begin in a thought space as though I have a limitless budget. I fly above the clouds and I dreamily say I want you and you and you and you until Andrew comes over with a big fat needle and I tumble to the ground with a loud thump.
I began this journey with my dream tile. I have wanted a particular tile for so many years. I have had it saved in a folder on my computer for so long after tracking it down from some random google image, and told myself I couldn’t imagine my dream bathroom without it. So I figured it all out. I contacted the company that hand makes it in Denmark (yep…see where this is going already) and after about 10 emails, we had it all figured it and I anxiously awaited the quote.
I thought since our bathroom was only 50 square feet, that surely I would be able to splurge a little with such a tiny space and I would be very thrifty with everything else but I HAD TO HAVE THIS TILE…and then I received the quote and my mouth has yet to go back to its original expression. Who knew tile could be SO expensive? Well most likely every other person but me. I tried a few other angles but eventually told myself, I need to rethink everything.
I had also wanted to have copper fixtures and hardware, I love copper. However, once again, I had a really hard time finding copper things and when I did, they were super expensive or not my style…so then I said to myself again, I need to rethink everything.
How our bathroom ended up was not entirely my plan to begin with, and it’s a bit more modern then my original idea, but in this case, being a bit more modern was more affordable. I do love how it all turned out though, and I enjoy these type of challenges. I never have only one idea/style when it comes to a room, so having to rework original ideas is frustrating at first, but for most of us with limited budgets, its just how it goes.
I decided to go with brass and even though it wasn’t copper, I think brass was a good second choice for what I had in mind. I was afraid of it being too much brass but now that it’s in, I’m okay if it is. So with a full brass commitment, I headed in to finalizing the bathroom.
We found affordable tile that we liked, purchased a used vintage sink and tub, and before we knew it, it was time to renovate. You can read all about the renovation HERE.
Andrew and I haven’t had a bathtub since we lived with our parents, so we were super excited to have a bath again, even if it is very tiny (4.5 feet). It’s not a spa retreat in there, but we’ve tried to make it feel as relaxing as we can…european style perhaps?
As I stated in my last post, I had to make peace with how I thought things would go and how some of them ended up. Some of the old fixtures wouldn’t fit the piping quite right and some areas of the tiling could have been better..ect..but we did this bathroom entirely ourselves (with help from Andrew’s dad) and now having done something like that, it’s a pretty awesome feeling.
I like to think about how years from now, hopefully many years from now, when a piece of tile starts to chip or falls off, I’ll remember back to the years before and all the work, stress and late evenings that went into creating this bathroom together. I’ll think about how small Wallis looked the first time I put her in the bathtub or let her sit on the bathroom floor while I brushed my teeth.
I’ll think about how the grout started to harden when we were barely through the second wall and Andrew and I gave each other pep talks that we could do it, or how Andrew wildly grabbed a handful of grout and said, use your hands, use your hands it works faster but regained his senses seconds later.
We were our old selves again, renovating the bathroom together. We were those two young kids who had fallen in love in college figuring it out as we went…grumbling, laughing and in the end collapsing on the floor and telling each other, I love you but I don’t like you right now and we are never doing this again. Knowing full well, we’ve said that many times before.
I’ll think to myself, where did it all go and probably shed a few tears because life is about being sentimental…even about bathrooms. Time you fool, now pass me the bath bombs!
Here are the after pictures (with a few before reminders), but again, you can see all the before pictures and read about the entire insane process HERE.
Sheila
Please tell me where you get that mirror/medicine cabinet! I love it! I’ve been looking for something similar for our renovated bathroom.
Tiffany
Of course! I found it at Pottery Barn and it’s a medicine cabinet. 🙂
Holly
Beautiful! I’m in the process of realizing my ideal vs my reality for our upcoming renovation so I can completely relate:) Would you mind sharing the source for your faucets (sink and tub)? Thank you!
Tiffany
Hi Holly, thank you for commenting…I know small budgets and large imaginations do not mix, ha! The sink and tub were both local vintage finds, so I am sorry I don’t have actual sources for them…but the faucets are from Vintage Tub & Bath. Good luck with everything!
dorothy e sergi
Hi There ! Love your bathroom ! inthe process of a remodel of a 1950’s bath now . Using the Davis sconce from Schoolhouse and saw your picture . We trying to make a decision on replacing the radiator and saw the model our plumber reccomended . Are you happy with the new unit ? Also which model did you use ? Thanks for any information you can share !