What I did the day before yesterday

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Wanns know what is funny? At first, in the before pics my eye went right to those two water bottles. I had to laugh and thought, sheesh everywhere we go even the dude remodeling the bathroom has those water bottles right there!
Then I noticed toward the AFTER shots that they would be the guests complimentary waters. That BLUE label juts right out at you.If it weren;t for those I would have thought that was an original shot of the room (with the vintage furniture and colors). Nice. Very inviting. Can't wait to see it all on your website. Name of this room (so I can keep track in my mind)? History Dept?.
English Department, although much of the decor is actually Italianate...
You'll know the History Dept. when you see it... it has fabulous red, white, and blue curtains... made from bunting!!!
=) Kk.
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Where did you find your bunting? I am wanting to make those fan type things you hang. Saw some at Shopko yesterday, but they were small and $12.
Your work looks great. We finished the suite we were working on. DH is going to replace the back door and I will need to finish and paint around it. But existing works too. Will get pictures on web site soon. Way to go.
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Thanks!! And congrats!
We got the bunting at Lowe's. It wasn't big, but the window are 33" and it worked fine. I'll post pictures next week (I hope!).
=) Kk.
 
YS- Your new room looks awesome. The cabinet that the sink is sitting on, is that a piece of furniture that you retrofitted or was it designed to be a sink cabinet? If you retrofitted an antique, how hard was it? DH and I are diving into a bathroom remodel and I really like the look of a basin (above counter) sink and antique cabinet combo but the ones they sell at HD/Lowes that are purpose built aren't nearly as nice and are really cheaply made (although not cheaply priced).
PS-It's nice here in central MD today but our heat index over the weekend was 110 so be glad you are gone!
 
YS- Your new room looks awesome. The cabinet that the sink is sitting on, is that a piece of furniture that you retrofitted or was it designed to be a sink cabinet? If you retrofitted an antique, how hard was it? DH and I are diving into a bathroom remodel and I really like the look of a basin (above counter) sink and antique cabinet combo but the ones they sell at HD/Lowes that are purpose built aren't nearly as nice and are really cheaply made (although not cheaply priced).
PS-It's nice here in central MD today but our heat index over the weekend was 110 so be glad you are gone!.
Not YS here but we are doing lots of renovation too.
I actually bought a dresser to use for bathroom vanity but then it wouldn't fit.
To use a dresser for the vanity. All you have to do is remove drawers, take front off drawers and put a piece of plywood or other sturdy boards on the front behind the openings. Then you can either glue the fronts to the board or screw them onto the board from the back.
Cut the hole in the top and mount the sink. I would put about 6 coats of polyurethane on the top for protection first.
Then may have to cut holes in the back where plumbing needs to go thru the wall.
So not alot of work to convert to vanity. Plus better wood and something unique and probably lots less expensive.
 
YS- Your new room looks awesome. The cabinet that the sink is sitting on, is that a piece of furniture that you retrofitted or was it designed to be a sink cabinet? If you retrofitted an antique, how hard was it? DH and I are diving into a bathroom remodel and I really like the look of a basin (above counter) sink and antique cabinet combo but the ones they sell at HD/Lowes that are purpose built aren't nearly as nice and are really cheaply made (although not cheaply priced).
PS-It's nice here in central MD today but our heat index over the weekend was 110 so be glad you are gone!.
Believe me... mid-80's, breezy, not too humid... I'm lovin' it here!!!
We have a wonderful place here in town called Vanities of Yesteryear The husband-wife team got started because they were remodeling and retrofitted cabinets for vanities... then did some for friends... then for friends of friends... and now they have cabinets in 43 states and Canada. I checked them out for our first two bathrooms--gorgeous stuff that I just can't afford. I had picked out an adequate vanity for this bathroom at Home Despot, but it wasn't quite right and I thought I'd pop in there just to see if they had any that would work. When I saw the vanity I almost cried... so pretty, and so perfect. When my dh found out what I paid, he almost cried. It's one of the single most expensive things I've bought for the B&B (but then I'm cheap frugal). I paid a good price, though--she marked it down for me because it hadn't moved (most people don't want that look), and I think she knew I had the new B&B. Above it hangs a mirror from a yard sale... $4. The other new bathroom's vanity was a returned clearance item from Lowe's... $75, so I figure I've saved enough elsewhere to splurge on the perfect piece here.
On the third floor we have one we did ourselves, sort of (that is, my contractor did the actual work with stuff I bought). It is an old two-door cabinet that was left in our house in Maryland when we bought it. We used marble for the shower and put pieces of it on top of the cabinet like you were tiling a floor, then we put a countertop sink from Lowe's on top ($100), and a very cool faucet that looks like a garden pump ($200). So we have this beat up, worthless cabinet, with a marble top and a $300 sink & faucet... eventually (next week?) I'll post pictures of that bathroom and you'll see that it works out great.
As the previous post says... it's not that hard. You can take almost any cabinet (Vanities of Yesteryear has even done it on sewing machine cabinets), poly it well (they use a special polyurethane that is moisture resistant), put holes in the top for the sink and faucet and more holes in the back (or bottom) for the pipes. Vanities of Yesteryear also retrofits the drawers so that they all still work... they have a section in the middle cut away, and they add dividers so that you can still store things in the drawers, and they refinish their pieces to perfection. They're not cheap, but their cabinets are usually old pieces (i.e., solid) and the husband who does the work is a perfectionist that does fabulous work on the retrofit. They'll also do it to order for an existing cabinet, or you can go in their store and pick cabinet, sink, faucet and they'll do it for you. (Obviously you're welcome to stay here if you come to town to buy your vanity... but I'm sure you can do it online as well)
Good luck!
=) Kk.
 
YS- Your new room looks awesome. The cabinet that the sink is sitting on, is that a piece of furniture that you retrofitted or was it designed to be a sink cabinet? If you retrofitted an antique, how hard was it? DH and I are diving into a bathroom remodel and I really like the look of a basin (above counter) sink and antique cabinet combo but the ones they sell at HD/Lowes that are purpose built aren't nearly as nice and are really cheaply made (although not cheaply priced).
PS-It's nice here in central MD today but our heat index over the weekend was 110 so be glad you are gone!.
Believe me... mid-80's, breezy, not too humid... I'm lovin' it here!!!
We have a wonderful place here in town called Vanities of Yesteryear The husband-wife team got started because they were remodeling and retrofitted cabinets for vanities... then did some for friends... then for friends of friends... and now they have cabinets in 43 states and Canada. I checked them out for our first two bathrooms--gorgeous stuff that I just can't afford. I had picked out an adequate vanity for this bathroom at Home Despot, but it wasn't quite right and I thought I'd pop in there just to see if they had any that would work. When I saw the vanity I almost cried... so pretty, and so perfect. When my dh found out what I paid, he almost cried. It's one of the single most expensive things I've bought for the B&B (but then I'm cheap frugal). I paid a good price, though--she marked it down for me because it hadn't moved (most people don't want that look), and I think she knew I had the new B&B. Above it hangs a mirror from a yard sale... $4. The other new bathroom's vanity was a returned clearance item from Lowe's... $75, so I figure I've saved enough elsewhere to splurge on the perfect piece here.
On the third floor we have one we did ourselves, sort of (that is, my contractor did the actual work with stuff I bought). It is an old two-door cabinet that was left in our house in Maryland when we bought it. We used marble for the shower and put pieces of it on top of the cabinet like you were tiling a floor, then we put a countertop sink from Lowe's on top ($100), and a very cool faucet that looks like a garden pump ($200). So we have this beat up, worthless cabinet, with a marble top and a $300 sink & faucet... eventually (next week?) I'll post pictures of that bathroom and you'll see that it works out great.
As the previous post says... it's not that hard. You can take almost any cabinet (Vanities of Yesteryear has even done it on sewing machine cabinets), poly it well (they use a special polyurethane that is moisture resistant), put holes in the top for the sink and faucet and more holes in the back (or bottom) for the pipes. Vanities of Yesteryear also retrofits the drawers so that they all still work... they have a section in the middle cut away, and they add dividers so that you can still store things in the drawers, and they refinish their pieces to perfection. They're not cheap, but their cabinets are usually old pieces (i.e., solid) and the husband who does the work is a perfectionist that does fabulous work on the retrofit. They'll also do it to order for an existing cabinet, or you can go in their store and pick cabinet, sink, faucet and they'll do it for you. (Obviously you're welcome to stay here if you come to town to buy your vanity... but I'm sure you can do it online as well)
Good luck!
=) Kk.
.
What a great place!!! My husband made several vanities for our place from old furniture. Folks love them. What a wonderful idea for a business if you love doing that kind of thing.
 
Thanks for the tips. We'll have to do some research on whether to purchase or to try and make something ourselves...Right now we are just in the planning stage. I like the idea of re-using something old and DH is good with stuff like this and has done a fair amount of wood working, wood refinishing (we just refinished our hardwood floors. What a joy! Not!). We likely even have the waterproof poly on hand (wooden dog sleds require application of marine poly to keep them in good shape). There is also a great place here in Baltimore called Second Chance League which is an architecural salvage shop that has tons of great stuff spread out over 4-5 warehouses including marble tops, antique furniture, clawfoot tubs, sinks, etc. that we have used in the past and may check out for materials.
 
Thanks for the tips. We'll have to do some research on whether to purchase or to try and make something ourselves...Right now we are just in the planning stage. I like the idea of re-using something old and DH is good with stuff like this and has done a fair amount of wood working, wood refinishing (we just refinished our hardwood floors. What a joy! Not!). We likely even have the waterproof poly on hand (wooden dog sleds require application of marine poly to keep them in good shape). There is also a great place here in Baltimore called Second Chance League which is an architecural salvage shop that has tons of great stuff spread out over 4-5 warehouses including marble tops, antique furniture, clawfoot tubs, sinks, etc. that we have used in the past and may check out for materials..
Great suggestion on Architectural Salvage places. We have one in the area here...and it is just cool because you never know what they are going to have from one day to another. I'd stop in more often if I wasn't usually on the "bad list" at home for being a pack ra....errr.... collector.
 
I have to admit....looking at those pictures and reading the story behind them has given me the inspiration to get up off my duff and go finish that last room which is currently being used for a storage room. It's my smallest room and has been the quivalent of a "junk drawer", but I had folks wanting to sleep in there with all the stuff back during the Miami Boat Show when hotels were hard to find and expensive. Besides, Hatteras did a party/raft up using our boat as one of the specimens, along with several others rafted up out on the bay, and those who didn't have boats here wanted to be staying on our B&B. Needless to say, I'm already booked for next February.
I better go take a "before" photo before I get too deep in it. I've already cleared out the bathroom.
 
I have to admit....looking at those pictures and reading the story behind them has given me the inspiration to get up off my duff and go finish that last room which is currently being used for a storage room. It's my smallest room and has been the quivalent of a "junk drawer", but I had folks wanting to sleep in there with all the stuff back during the Miami Boat Show when hotels were hard to find and expensive. Besides, Hatteras did a party/raft up using our boat as one of the specimens, along with several others rafted up out on the bay, and those who didn't have boats here wanted to be staying on our B&B. Needless to say, I'm already booked for next February.
I better go take a "before" photo before I get too deep in it. I've already cleared out the bathroom..
Make a reservation for the room... gives you a firm deadline, makes mountains get moved!
=) Kk.
 
I have to admit....looking at those pictures and reading the story behind them has given me the inspiration to get up off my duff and go finish that last room which is currently being used for a storage room. It's my smallest room and has been the quivalent of a "junk drawer", but I had folks wanting to sleep in there with all the stuff back during the Miami Boat Show when hotels were hard to find and expensive. Besides, Hatteras did a party/raft up using our boat as one of the specimens, along with several others rafted up out on the bay, and those who didn't have boats here wanted to be staying on our B&B. Needless to say, I'm already booked for next February.
I better go take a "before" photo before I get too deep in it. I've already cleared out the bathroom..
Make a reservation for the room... gives you a firm deadline, makes mountains get moved!
=) Kk.
.
YellowSocks said:
Make a reservation for the room... gives you a firm deadline, makes mountains get moved!
=) Kk.
I'm not that brave yet! :D I've been putting this room off. This room has old, peeling wallpaper that, when new (and currently), has the background of yellowed water stains. You don't put THAT on a yacht! It gives the impression that it leaks! So, I've been wanting to remove the wallpaper. I found that some idiot prior owner wallpapered over beautiful Afromosia teak walls. That's a sin if there ever was one! Anyone who puts wallcovering over Afromosia Teak or Mozambique Teak (gold ribbon teak) should be shot. That's like wallpapering your beautiful mahogany dining table. I can't get the paper off except in little slivers...it seems like it's been put on there with some sort of glue that's not wallpaper paste, Elmer's glue, perhaps? And I need a shower curtain that is about a foot longer than the standard size. And I need to sew custom mattress pads and custom sheets and bed toppings....I have, however, finished the pinch pleat drapes which I hung in there about a year ago. LOL This room is pretty needy right now. I wouldn't dare book it yet.
whatchutalkingabout_smile.gif
It does have new carpet. Whoopty-doo!
 
I have to admit....looking at those pictures and reading the story behind them has given me the inspiration to get up off my duff and go finish that last room which is currently being used for a storage room. It's my smallest room and has been the quivalent of a "junk drawer", but I had folks wanting to sleep in there with all the stuff back during the Miami Boat Show when hotels were hard to find and expensive. Besides, Hatteras did a party/raft up using our boat as one of the specimens, along with several others rafted up out on the bay, and those who didn't have boats here wanted to be staying on our B&B. Needless to say, I'm already booked for next February.
I better go take a "before" photo before I get too deep in it. I've already cleared out the bathroom..
Make a reservation for the room... gives you a firm deadline, makes mountains get moved!
=) Kk.
.
YellowSocks said:
Make a reservation for the room... gives you a firm deadline, makes mountains get moved!
=) Kk.
I'm not that brave yet! :D I've been putting this room off. This room has old, peeling wallpaper that, when new (and currently), has the background of yellowed water stains. You don't put THAT on a yacht! It gives the impression that it leaks! So, I've been wanting to remove the wallpaper. I found that some idiot prior owner wallpapered over beautiful Afromosia teak walls. That's a sin if there ever was one! Anyone who puts wallcovering over Afromosia Teak or Mozambique Teak (gold ribbon teak) should be shot. That's like wallpapering your beautiful mahogany dining table. I can't get the paper off except in little slivers...it seems like it's been put on there with some sort of glue that's not wallpaper paste, Elmer's glue, perhaps? And I need a shower curtain that is about a foot longer than the standard size. And I need to sew custom mattress pads and custom sheets and bed toppings....I have, however, finished the pinch pleat drapes which I hung in there about a year ago. LOL This room is pretty needy right now. I wouldn't dare book it yet.
whatchutalkingabout_smile.gif
It does have new carpet. Whoopty-doo!
.
Can you use a steamer on the wallpaper? Not sure with the wood walls behind. We've steamed off several rooms' worth of wallpaper and our neighbors have even borrowed the steamer to make quick work of a border they didn't like. They're around $60 to buy, but you can rent them, too, if you can get it done in a day.
Another thing to try if steaming is not advisable is to spritz the wallpaper with fabric softener. Altho, if it's the glue that's the problem, that might not work.
 
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