Showing posts with label The Simple Home - Bathroom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Simple Home - Bathroom. Show all posts

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Bathroom Project in Process

We started this project updating in our master bathroom about two weeks ago. While we wait for lights and sink fixtures, I decided that the pale pink blinds need to go and this needed to go up. He's so sweet to be my "honey-do."

My part is to re-caulk around the sinks. I've been attacking that area and realized what a poor job had been done by the builders leaving big gaping holes around the tile where the sink should be set. I'll post pictures later, but I have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself for getting such a clean look - removing all the grout.

The next project - labor - I'm going to do is remove the old grout around the tub. It's white and should have been almond. From their, I'll move on to the shower - which is - not pretty.

What projects are you working on?


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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

5 Tips on Updating Bathroom Faucets


Michael and I went into this last leg of updating our 80's home not fully realizing the speed bumps we'd have in the "simple" task in choosing new faucets, lighting and mirrors for our master bathroom.

I really thought I could simply venture into Home Depot (a favorite place) and pick out matching pieces for the two sinks, bathtub and shower. My thinking quickly changed when I started noticing that every thing I liked was high end. My thinking also changed when I realized that I needed to really match or at least complement the brassy looking 80's door hardware.

Since starting this fun adventure, I've made no less than four trips back and forth to different Home Depots and Targets. I've expanded my journey to looking at bathroom remodeling pictures and to the online options with Home Depot, Bellacor, the Lighting Catalog, Overstock.Com and anything else I can find.

Today, my mind is stuck. Like everyone else our budget is limited to a dime. My mind is stuck because of the pressure to make the right choice with our limited resources. I want it to be lovely and at least match or complement.

HGTV has some helpful tips for any woman wading through the decision to update bathroom faucets.

Tip # 1 .... Pay Now or Pay Later
You may sputter a bit at the price of some faucets, but paying for quality now can save you searching for a plumber — or new faucet — later. Look for solid-brass construction instead of plated metal, and check the warranty. If you need to pinch pennies, consider a different finish. Polished chrome is one of the most popular finishes because of its timeless color and least expensive price tag. This is a good tip! Read more . . .

Tip # 2 ... Think Sink
Bathroom sink faucets come in four basic varieties, based on the configuration of the sink on which they're mounted: 8 inches, also called widespread; 4 inches; single hole; and wall mount. This is a good tip! Read more . . .

Tip # 3 ... The Choices

Most of the 8-inch or widespread faucets have three pieces, the tap and the hot and cold handles, which means some 8-inch faucets can fit holes not exactly 8 inches apart.

If the span is 4 inches, a 4-inch faucet is what you need. These usually have a base and come in one solid piece. Read more . . .

Tip # 4 ... Style Savvy
Configuration isn't the only faucet decision you'll need to consider. Read more . . .

Tip # 5 ... The Match Game
Your faucet should match or complement the tub faucet as well as other hardware in your bathroom, such as towel racks, hooks and the toilet paper holder. Choosing from a manufacturer's design series can take away the guesswork when making your decisions, Stephanie says. Read more . . .

Now I'm really confused, just when I thought I'd head toward 'investing' in polished bronze, this article says chrome is the leader in choice!!! I'm thinking this project might take longer than originally intended as I think and ponder and scout around some more. Got some ideas?

For more great tips read the fantastic comments here.

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Updating a Bathroom on a Dime

I love my home and have enjoyed the process of creating sanctuary in the spaces of my home.

A few years ago we started updating our 80's home. We ripped out all the 8" white tile, ripped out old Berber carpet in the family room and the original carpet in all the bedrooms.

We changed up the dark brown cabinetry and base board to Dunn Edwards Swiss Coffee (love that color) and warmed up the floor with dark walnut 5" planked hardwood floors. The last room in the house to be changed up was our master bedroom and bathroom. This long awaited project took off two weeks ago and all that's needed now is updating the faucets.

This is where you come in. I'd like your opinion and here's the challenge. I have a itsy bitsy amount of money and need to replace the lighting and the faucets and find some Cottage or French Country style mirrors. The floor is a deep bronzy brown color and the tile is beigy.

This is what the counters look like. I forgot to snap a picture of the total before, but if you can imagine wall to wall mirrors - you get the point.



I'm thoroughly enjoying the swiss coffee white cabinetery. I'm not sure it's all "matching" with the tile, but it's at the very least - fresh.



Darling husband patching some missed holes and getting ready for a second coat of this embracing yellow which is a hint of a shade lighter than what I used in our master bedroom.




With all this updating, I think I would I have conclude that my style is mostly Cottage or French Country. In all the magazines and books I am drawn too and drool over - it's these two styles that distract me most.



One of two sink faucets that we need to replace. OK, this is....uh.....ugly, I know and full of calcium - the original faucets.



A little tub action. Check out that BIG picture window. I had a pale pink (no clue why I picked pale pink) wooden blinds. Michael's in the process of painting them white. Any other ideas?



This is the tub. The shower has the same brassy looking stuff. Take note of - or, no, don't look at that ugly grout line along the edge of the tile. Actually, that's my next project. I'm invigorated by the inspiration and how to help from Sherry and John's This Young House blog. Check our what they did here.



Now, I think this bath ware is still in good shape. If I don't have to - spend the money - I'd like to keep it. So, as you pass on ideas, please let me know what you think? Is it possible to find matching sink faucets that will still work with this?



Oh, this is my flooring. The photo is a bit glarey, but it's a rich stained concrete - needing a bit of repair, but I still enjoy it.
This is the suggestion that my husband has come up with. They are an antique bronze finish.

Do you think it can work? Would you use this? If so, can it work with the existing tub/shower faucet along with hinges and door hardware that is the goldy brassy color that matches the tub?

Or, maybe this rubbed bronze one is better? What do you think?

So, help me out! I need faucets, lighting and mirrors. Can't wait for the help!



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Friday, September 12, 2008

freshen up the simple home

Fall is here! Declutter and freshen up. Save time and gas with theses specials at Target! Oh free shipping!

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

organized bathroom ideas


I just found these great ideas here at Home Made Simple and just had to post them here.


Organization for Large Bathrooms
Move a bookshelf into your bathroom to allow extra room for mixing decorative bath items with everyday, useful items.

Take an old wooden ladder, tip it against the bathroom wall and attach with brackets. Add wider pieces of wood to the steps for additional shelf space or for displaying decorative items.

The addition of a travel chest or trunk to the bathroom can be a wonderful accent piece and a very useful place to store spare towels or linens.

If your space allows it, consider incorporating a cushioned bench with storage inside for added comfort and space.

Repurpose a nightstand with drawers for additional storage space. Assign a drawer to each family member so they can easily store their bathroom-related belongings. You can dress up the drawers by adding personalized monograms or a picture of each person.

Organization for Small Bathrooms
Create one basket that contains items you use every day that can be stored away in a linen closet or under the sink for easy access.

Hang a mirror on the back of the bathroom door or the inside of the medicine cabinet to create an additional space for more than one person in the bathroom at a time.

Over-the-commode shelving is a great space saver and beautiful, inexpensive shelving options are widely available for purchase. Or you can try this idea:
Inexpensive L-brackets with pieces of wood/press board cut to custom size for your space. Wood/press board can even be covered in fabric or contact paper to accent your décor.

For a sink with no cabinetry underneath, attach a strip or hook and loop tape to the underside of the sink. Affix the matching piece of tape to a piece of fabric chosen to accent your décor and cut to size. Fabric will create the look of a skirt around the sink and provide space to arrange baskets for cleaning supplies, extra rolls of toilet paper or a small trash can.

Organization for All Spaces
Use apothecary or similar glass jars to store cotton products. It’s a decorative and less cumbersome solution that lets you know when you’re getting low on supplies. Your guests will also know exactly where to find these items.

Organize towels by color, size and type. If you’re crunched for space, try storing extra or seldom-used towels in a guest room closet or on a shelf in the mudroom.

If you have an especially busy bathroom, create a family bathroom schedule so everyone can use the bathroom in (relative) harmony.

Make the Most of Personal Care Products
When you organize or clean your bathroom, take some time to thoroughly go through your products. Discard your makeup and medications that has expired or is no longer needed.

All products have a lifetime of use that allows them to be most effective. Once this period of time is up, they may not work properly, but most importantly can become contaminated. To avoid complications, follow these tips to make sure what you’re storing and using is safe.

General Rule: all makeup and hair products should be used within three years of leaving the factory. Normally, the back of the product is labeled with a coded date or you can label your products with a permanent marker (so it won’t rinse off) when you purchase items with a “safety” 18 months from the purchase date. Label this directly onto the back of the bottle or container, so you can easily tell when it’s time to toss.

Natural or organic products: These typically have a shorter life, because they do not contain preservatives. Try using these products within 3-12 months.

Makeup brushes: Keep them clean by periodically washing in warm, soapy water. Let air dry on a towel and they will fluff up like new!

Keep it cool: All makeup, hair products and medicines should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place away from sunlight, humidity and heat. Try using colored, dark plastic bins or decorative baskets that keep direct sunlight from getting into the bottles.

Bathroom Cleaning Tips
For a great springtime clean all the time, try these tips for keeping your bathroom fresh.
As a general rule, start with the top and work your way down—for example start with the shower walls and work down to the tub.

The sink should be the very last thing to be cleaned, because you will use it throughout the cleaning process.

Try keeping a bath caddy of every item you need to clean your bathroom under the sink. That way everything is right there when you need it, and it’s easy to do a quick touch up for unexpected guests.

If you have a small space and no place to keep a bath caddy, consider a caddy placed somewhere else which contains all products you use to clean the entire house. To keep cleaning tools separate, only use one color of sponge for the bathroom and label gloves for the bathroom with the letter “B.”

And remember, cleaning as you go is the key for keeping your bathroom clean and tidy! Always put your bathroom items back where they came from after each use and encourage your family to do the same. Then, do a quick once a week clean up to save yourself from long cleaning routines.

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