Guest Bathroom Redeux

I can’t believe we are finally done with the bathroom renovation. Considering that when we started I was listening to A-ha on my walkman and eating Pop Rocks out of my fanny-pack, we’ve come a long way. Many were the days that I really did wonder if we were ever going to finish this project but before I talk myself into a corner and lose all of your confidences in my abilities, let me share some reasons why God built earth quicker it took more time than usual.

1. WEEKEND-ITIS
When you’re doing most of the renovation work yourself, it takes longer. My husband prides himself on his handy-man skills and he should because he’s damn good at it. But he already has a full time job and when the weekend comes, there are always more fun things to do than pour cement.

2. PICKY-ITIS
As a decorator, I can walk into your house and tell you exactly what to do and what furnishings to pick. But in my own home, I am paralyzed. There are so many great lighting choices, tile choices, mirror choices, etc., not to mention the added pressure of knowing that it had to look killer because I am designing my own space. Torture.

3. BUSY-ITIS
My clients are my priority. I am very fortunate to have continual projects and I want to make sure that I do the best job for each client, so the bathroom remodel took a back seat to my other jobs. Everyone should be able to breathe a sigh of relief though because the time delay proves two things: 1. I am not addicted to speed and 2. I care deeply about making the right choices for my home and yours.

Now let’s get to the good stuff!

Here is the before shot. Yes, the bathroom was butt-ugly but we actually had a legitimate reason for demo-ing everything in it and that reason was radon. If you’re not familiar with radon it’s a cancer-causing gas that you can’t see or smell. The floor under the bathtub was leaking radon and had to be sealed with a concrete slab. The only way to get to it was to take out the bathtub and oh darn, the ugly tile with it.

And here is the new bathroom in all its glory:

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the amazing tile work done by my great friend Mark Watson? He own his own company – Watson Tile and Stone – here in Ketchum, and is one of the best out there. He is efficient, detailed, and very skilled. And more importantly, a fun guy to hang out with!

The vanity is my favorite element in the bathroom. Technically, I designed it myself but was heavily influenced by a vanity that Sarah Richardson designed for a mid-century home. I just needed to make adjustments for an extra towel cubby and narrower drawers and then had cabinet maker Mike Harder draw up some measurements and build it. Mike is very talented and so easy to work with! If you’re looking for a furniture builder, welder, or an all-around handy man, Mike is your guy.

Moving on to the accessories. I heart brass and probably everybody knows it by now, but I wasn’t looking to saturate the entire bathroom in a golden glow. Mixing metals is A-OK in my book and I like the unexpected element and warmth that different metals bring. The knobs were such a score! They are heavy and well-made and were only a ridiculous 6 bucks apiece! And how about those brass sconces?

A quick reminder of the beginnings:

My happy place:

I love this bathroom more than potato chips. It’s so serene and spa-like and totally worth the wait!
cheers,
Heather

Tim Brown Photography

SOURCES:
Brass Sconces|Mirror|Wall Paint|Photograph|Faucet|Soap & Toothbrush Holder|Towels|Walnut Vanity – Custom Built by Mike Harder 208.720.4816|Walnut Stain Finish – Archive Finishing 208.788.0858|Sink Purchased through Ferguson showroom in Hailey|Quartz Countertop remnant Sun Valley Rug & Tile|Toilet|Shower Curtain|Shower Kit|Bathtub|Subway Tile|Floor Tile|All tile work by Mark Watson 208.720.8479