Posts Tagged ‘remodeling’

The powder room on the main living floor is in desperate need of a makeover. Everyone who visits my house and sees what we’ve done with the rest of it says, “You really need to do something about that powder room!”  I couldn’t agree more.   Currently, everything in it is original to the house, which was constructed in 1993.  Was this hideous floral wallpaper ever trendy?!

Hideous Powder Room circa 1993

As you can see, the previous owners of my home really loved the awful honey oak cabinetry.  It is in every room which requires cabinetry.  I could paint it like I did in the kitchen, but I really want a different vanity/sink in the powder room.  For starters, it’s quite small.  I’m thinking of replacing it with a pedestal sink:

Pedestal Sink

I love the wainscoting in that photo.  Whatever I do, some type of wainscoting is a must in the half bath.  Have you ever decided to change the wall color in your bathroom only to realize you must remove your toilet tank in order to paint behind it?  Yeah – it sucks.  I think a nice, classic, white wainscoting treatment is the solution.  It will probably only need touch-ups, and I can easily change the wall color above the wainscoting on a whim.

Let’s get back to the sink.  While I like a pedestal sink, I confess that I really use the storage in that crappy oak vanity.  Pedestal sinks don’t even allow you to place baskets for storage.  Thus, I’m also leaning heavily towards a console sink.  How about something in classic Carrara marble?

Carrara Marble Sink

It’s understated and timeless, but I’m not sure how I feel about exposed plumbing.  Am I being too picky?  What about another type of console sink:

Console Sink

That one is cute, and it has a place for storage baskets to hide toilet paper and stuff.  I also love the built-in towel bar on the front of it.

Rounded Console Sink

I just love the rounded shape of this one, and it also has some storage space.  It’s also about the right size at 22″ wide.  I can’t go any wider than 24″ in the bathroom unless everyone wants to bang themselves on the sink while using the toilet.

Decisions, decisions!  Half the battle of starting a new project is deciding what you want to do.  *sigh*

This past year was quite a busy one for us here at Maison du Childfree Chic.  We finally remodeled our 17-year-old kitchen.  We traded ugly faux-oak (foak) cabinets for painted white cabinets.  We removed old, chipping laminate counters and installed sleek white/gray granite.  I love everything about my new kitchen, but a few of the projects I did are my favorites!

1.  Converting a corner cabinet into a pot rack cabinet.  I love having my pots and pans within easy reach and so organized.  Before, they were piled on top of each other on cabinet shelves.

Corner Cabinet Pot Rack

2.  Open glass shelves and crown moulding in the kitchen.  The moulding dressed up the much-hated soffits, and the glass shelves made my kitchen seem twice as big.

Crown Moulding & Glass Shelves

3.  Copper tile backsplash.  I can’t tell you how much I enjoy this after years of having no backsplash!  Splatters from cooking are easily removed.  Previously, splatters stained the crap out of  the drywall.

Copper Tile Backsplash

It’s the little things for me.  I do adore my fancy new Wolf induction cooktop and over-the-range microwave, but it’s the little conveniences (like an easy-to-clean backsplash) which really make my heart go pitter-patter.  I guess that’s the big lesson from 2010; the simplest things can bring the greatest joy.