Bath Before & After

One of the first projects we tackled was the downstairs bathroom. My husband claimed that it made the most sense, because it would be quick and easy. We started in the spring, and we intended to be finished in enough time to spend the rest of the summer working on the kitchen (which we have still not even begun, two years later). The plan was to strip the wallpaper, paint, and install a new toilet, countertop, sink, faucet, and light fixtures. Unfortunately, I started pulling down the wallpaper behind the tub, and the entire wall was water-damaged from a leak in the roof. The water was running down the back side of the wall when it rained and the wallpaper was hiding the staining, so we and the previous owners had no idea. So, all of the tile around the tub had to come down, then the wall behind that, and part of the ceiling. We also had to get the roof repaired. After the repairs were completed, my husband re-tiled the tub surround, put in new bath fixtures, and replaced the 1970's yellow formica with a new granite counter and a porcelain sink from Home Depot (free shipping to our porch!). Of course, the standard-size countertop was too big for the built-in oak cabinet, so he made it work by cutting into the wall and sliding the entire thing back into the wall, then installing the backsplash against the walls where it should be, and it worked out.

I found some old trim in the attic that I cleaned with our air compressor and spray painted white, which we then added as a crown molding after I had painted the walls an icy aqua. I bought a chrome shower curtain rod designed for a clawfoot tub, and we hung that so the shower could be used. I found the shower curtain and the rug in Anthropologie's sale section and bought the fixtures on eBay. It was hard to get good photos in such a small space, but I think you get the gist. And I still can't figure out why someone thought this tiny bathroom needed two doors...