Bathroom Remodel

ANSWER:  Fits best with a nice glass of wine and a scented candle burning.

As with every step of the restoration of the cabin, we try to keep the rustic charm in mind.  However, when possible, we "sneak" in features to make it more comfortable for us and our guests.

Currently, we have just one bathroom in our 1,440 square foot cabin, it's located right next to our guest room.  I have wanted to remodel it since we bought the place!

BEFORE

The fixtures were rust-stained and chipped, the floor was stick-on tile squares.  Someone had built a goofy box around an antique pedestal sink -- too high and too big for the location.  The only thing I really liked was the cedar boards on the walls.  The effect reminded me of the sauna at the YMCA from when I was a little girl.

So, after the earthquake, we had "a little plumbing problem".  The walls had to be removed around the tub, the ceiling was GONE in Preston's room downstairs and water was everywhere.  

2/28/01 A 6.8 Earthquake!

I placed a claim with the insurance company and Tim and I decided that now was the time to do the remodel while all the walls where ripped out.

The contractors came in and gutted the room. (The toilet however, was removed and put in place 5 times during the remodel -- it was our only bathroom.)

As it turned out, the ugly old stained and chipped bathtub was actually cast iron, not porcelain as first thought.  It was a good 500 pounds, but they managed to get the mammoth thing out the door instead of removing the outside wall!

The hunt-was-on for a whirlpool bathtub that didn't scream "contemporary".  Tim found a standard size bathtub style for us.  At first glance, it just looks like a basic tub, which I felt blended better into a rustic cabin than anything else we saw.  The size has proven to be perfect too, because it doesn't take forever to fill up!  We use it so much more than we would if it were one of those mega-huge models.

NEW COMPLETED!

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I picked out slate tile in colors that would complement the cedar wall plank treatment.  The hope was that the texture and colors would give the room a natural outdoor feeling.  

With that, the "tile guy" was summoned.

These custom built-in shelves caused a lot of friction between the contractor and the tile sub-contractor!  

I had "pulled a whammy" and asked for the framing to be done, when the original plan was to be a flat wall. Although I was happy, and the tile guy was happy to do it for me -- the contractor was miffed at the delay and increased costs.  They went nose-to-nose, but worked out their differences in the end. As the customer, I came away with a huge amount of respect for the tile sub-contractor and for the pride he has in his work!  If you ever need work done (he even does marble and restoration work in historical buildings), I couldn't recommend a better professional than him!

You can contact him, Doug Cox, owner of C.M.G. Tile at www.Geocities.com/cmgtile e-mail CMGTile@Glacierview.net

Ready for the new tile to be added.

He looked forward to artistic challenge of customizing built-in areas for me. I literally showed him boxes full of bathroom clutter to show him what I needed to fit back into the bathroom.  Then I explained that there would be some "necessary" things to keep in mind for soaking in a relaxing tub of bubbles.  Of course, a place for a candle and someplace to set a glass of wine!

He chuckled and said,

"Then I better build in another shelf !"