06
Things are moving along in our guest bathroom remodel! I shared the plan (and the before pictures) here, along with all the questions we were debating at the start of this project. One of the biggest considerations was whether we should DIY and build up our own skills, or hire it out and feel more confident that it was done right. In the end, we decided on a mix. We did the demo ourselves (except the tub) and hired out the shower installation and tiling. One day, I want to learn how to tile, but it seemed unwise to have my first project be a floor to ceiling shower where mistakes could mean expensive water damage...ya know? The contractors we hired did an AMAZING job and I think we made the right decision for us (just watching them install the shower door convinced me in and of itself...that thing was a beast!).
They finished the floor tile, wall tile, and shower door in one exciting week (it was fun to see all those changes happen so quickly!) then passed the baton on to us. Aaaaaand things slowed down majorly--ha! I envisioned us being like a cute HGTV renovation couple, working as a team and getting things done while we chatted and flirted and played happy music. But in reality, Ben worked on the bathroom while I watched the kids and peeked in every so often with a critical eye. I'm sure you can guess how well that was received. ;) There are a few things I'm not loving, so it's going to take us a little bit longer to get all the final pieces done.
The first thing is the paint (gah). This is all my fault for choosing a paint color without testing it out in the room first. I got the same white as we used in the rest of the house. It's a true, pure white and I love it everywhere else. But in the bathroom, the bright white walls make our subway tile look grey! I'm trying to decide if that's fine, or if I should repaint in a softer white that matches the tile. And I chose a semi-gloss finish (which was recommended for high moisture areas) but it really highlights any imperfections and looks super shiny to me. I wish I'd have gone with eggshell or satin, but in order to paint on top of semi-gloss you have to sand it first to give the next layer of paint something to adhere to. That sounds like a pain in the butt, soo I'm leaning towards keeping the paint color and hoping that it grows on me!
Another annoying thing is that after Ben installed the light fixture, we realized it was off-center from the vanity--something the previous light had hidden, since it had a bar backplate. Ben wasn't sold on this light anyways, so back it goes. I'm trying to find another light with a bar backplate so we don't have to move electrical and patch the wall. I'm thinking maybe this one? We have chrome on all the other fixtures, but I feel like this room needs some warmth and I'm not opposed to mixing metals.
On a positive note, I loooove our new shower with its fancy glass door and rain showerhead, as well as the marble hex floor tile, the vanity, and the round wood mirror that will go above it. This room is gonna be SO pretty when it's done!
I also couldn't be happier with the contractors we hired and the work they did. If you're in Spokane, we used Jordan and Tony from Classic Kontracting, and I gotta give them a little shoutout and say how great they were. I've heard that you can only get two of these qualities when it comes to a contractor: fast, good, or cheap...but I feel like we lucked out and got all three! They were efficient, meticulous, and stayed within our budget. They also kept the project area so clean, which I really appreciated! Jordan told me he was trained in Lean Manufacturing and it's a huge part of how he operates--which is why they were able to complete our project with high standards and on time.
I know everything is looking very sterile and grey right now--I purposely chose pieces that were neutral. But I'm excited to add in some warmth with accessories and finishing touches! This room needs some plants and color, for sure.
So, this is not our finished bathroom...but it's getting close! In the meantime, I wanted to pause and celebrate how far things have come. I can see my vision coming together, and (for the most part) I liiike it! Hopefully I'll be sharing a final reveal soon!
Related Posts:
Love all of this, you've done a great job!
Thank you SO much! It's getting there!
Really great post. This answered the majority of my questions about cheap bathroom remodel. When I read this I actually opened up a word document and started taking notes haha. https://www.portarthurbathroomremodeling.com/