Light at the end of the tunnel...

I see light at the end of the tunnel but it's a really long tunnel and the light is pretty far away still...

When the contractor told me initially that this job could take 6 weeks I remember laughing and thinking there is no way this is going to take 6 weeks.

Maybe 4 weeks?

At the start, this reno was moving fast and then it slowed down a bit but was still on schedule.  I thought "wow we'll be finished soon".

Maybe 4 weeks?

Today is officially Week 4 of the Master Bathroom reno.

I was wrong...

It's going to take at least 6 weeks and then we will be waiting for "finishing touches".

Tiling Delays

The tiler has finished the shower wall tile and is grouting today.

But this has taken a few days longer than expected because
a) the tiler was tied up on another job and started 3 days late and
b) the handmade ceramic tile is not perfectly square (that's why we picked it) and it took much longer to install and work around the niche and
c) the sliced pebbles still need to be sealed.

The tiler has been here for 8 days now and probably will be here again tomorrow!

Before Grout

After Grout

Custom Cabinet Delay

The custom cabinet finishing pieces were supposed to be here tomorrow (Thursday Feb 11).  But they are now delayed until next week - a week later than scheduled.  I am told this is due to the dark colour we chose and the cabinet makers are really busy right now.

Shower Glass Delay

Because the tile is taking longer than expected, the shower glass site measure has been delayed a few days.  That delay puts off the shower glass finish to install date (usually 2 weeks from measure).

Window Blind Delay

This delay was caused by me.  I chose the blind colour without having the walls painted or the tile installed.  I had cold feet right after and decided that I wanted to wait until I had the other "colours" in the room before I finalized the blind colour.  Nancy is coming back on Friday morning to finalize the colour with me.


Brandon, the contractor, came by this morning and filled me on what will happen in the next few days - he's just waiting for the tiler to finish so he and his crew can come in and do some more work.

Good news - I may have a toilet by the weekend!!

Until next time...
Marie

Reno Wish List Update 2016

As I've mentioned before my hubby and I have a wish list of home improvements.

We've been in our house 18 years now and we've done a lot.  But we still have some things on our list that "need" to get done and also stuff we'd "like" done

So each year, usually in the spring, we try to sit down and prioritize the list.  There isn't much left on this list since we've been knocking stuff off the last couple of years but I wanted to post an update.

You might not be interested but I like to use my blog as a photo album and place to record stuff.

Here's our last WISH LIST with updates (in no particular order):

Kitchen - Cabinets/countertops and move some appliances? (2017)
Outside Front - Front doors/Landscaping/Rock work/lighting/driveway (2018)
Outside Backyard (was done 10 years ago but needs some minor repair work)
Garage Organization - finish walls and install shelving/storage - this may never get done!
Misc Repairs and Organization throughout house (ongoing and again may never be finished!)
Re-Do Den Flooring - Replace damaged cork with faux wood plank tile (2017)
Replace Kids' Bathroom Toilet - (2016)
Paint Jackson's Room - last painted in 1997!! (Summer 2016)
Master Bath - total gut (2016 ongoing as we speak)
Laundry Room - total gut  (done 2014)
Paint the Exterior (done 2015)
Replace Windows - not all just 3 large ones on front of house (done 2015)
Replace Bathroom Windows - 2 in master ensuite and 1 in kids' bathroom (done 2016)

I just have to keep buying those lottery tickets so we can finish off this list...or move!

Until next time...
Marie

Indecent Exposure...Not!

See that roof line out the window?  

Well that's my neighbour's house and they have a second floor bedroom window that looks directly into our bathroom shower.  

Something we suspected but didn't fully realize until we took out the glass blocks.

I've met with the Blind Lady (aka Nancy from Taylor Lauren Designs) and I'm going to be getting Hunter Douglas Silhouette powerview motorized blinds for this window.

They are battery operated and can be remote controlled.  We won't have a loose remote control in the bathroom - we lose the tv one all the time - so we'll wall mount ours.

Until next time...
Marie

Master Ensuite Reno Continues.....3 1/2 weeks

This past Wednesday was officially the 3-week mark for this master ensuite renovation.

This is what it looks like so far...

Floor is done & grouted

Shower niche (back wall) was tiled same as shower floor

I really love how the dark background (pre grout) makes the pebbles stand out.  Unfortunately, the grout I picked for the plank floor (and will use on the pebbles) is not as dark as I would have liked for the pebbles.  The tiler tells me that it will darken once he puts the stone enhancer on.

The shower walls are being tiled (to be finished Monday).
This took a lot of planning to make sure the niche is framed nicely and that the tile isn't too cut up into little pieces around it.

The cabinet boxes were installed yesterday (and the countertop suppliers came today to do a site measure for the quartz)

NOTE:  We ended up changing the wall paint colour to Cloverdale Paints Hearth CA045

Next week:
Tiling and Grouting continued/finished
Baseboards, door frame and window sill installed
Cabinet fronts and gables installed & hardware
Tub and Toilet installed (fingers crossed)
Shower glass site measure
Electrical finished and Lighting installed

I am having blinds installed on the big window over the tub and I'll post about that separately.

Sounds like a lot left to do still, but it will go fast now that the tiling is getting done.

Until next time...
Marie

Choosing Cabinet Hardware

I still cannot believe how many decisions I've had to make with this bathroom renovation.

I do not remember there being this much involvement when I did the kids' bathroom 6 years ago - mind you I was going through chemo and radiation so maybe I wasn't that focused on it.

That's not the case for this bathroom.  I am super focused and on top of everything....

It really has been an ongoing process from the initial inspiration photos (over a year ago) to the selection of materials, re-selection of materials (pebble shower floor), paint colour, re-selection of paint colour (hubby's input), grout colour debates and research,  doorway transition piece finishes, custom cabinet paint colour, window styles/glass, window coverings and all the other normal stuff like fixtures and faucets.

Maybe I'm just over thinking it all....but hey someone's gotta do it and it's my bathroom!!

Anyway, back on track to the topic of this post....

Picking out cabinet hardware.  The other day I stopped by the cabinet makers and picked out my cabinet hardware.

I was all set to use these beautiful pulls.  They are rounded on the inside and feel great in your hand.  I LOVE them!




But then I had a light bulb moment and looked at a photo of my sink taps.




You see what I'm getting at?  They don't match - style I mean - the taps are tradional and the pulls are contemporary/modern.

I hadn't given any thought to "matching" my hardware to the "look" of my taps.  Until now.

So I ended up choosing these knobs instead.  I really like the aged finish in the second pic rather than the brushed nickel "matchy matchy" look in the first pic.

Uggh another decision...but at least these are better suited to the taps.

I really loved those original pulls though!!

I'm going to put them in my idea file for the Kitchen reno...

Until next time...
Marie

I'm Floored!

After lots of back and forth with grout colours I finally choose 

Mapei Sahara Beige

  

 Here's how it looks with my Porcelain Wood Plank Tiles

I did some research and with these faux wood plank tiles it is recommended to pick a grout the same colour as the darkest tone on your tile.  Here's another example of what I mean.

I know that with some of the dark wood tiles, black grout is being used to simulate the look of real wood flooring.

It looks awesome and now it has me wondering if I should faux wood plank tiles to re-do my den (the cork flooring is getting chewed up by the rolling office chairs in there!).

I'm going to use the same colour grout on the shower flooring - Pacific Beach Pebbles (Sliced).

It's beginning to look like how I envisioned it - very natural looking with calming colours and materials.

Tomorrow the cabinet box gets installed and the shower walls will be tiled.

After that, things will progress very quickly and soon I'll be soaking in my tub with a glass of wine....

Until next time...
Marie

GRRRRRR Grout!

I hate choosing grout!  I have a hard enough time picking out the tile and now I have to pick grout!!

Light or dark?  

The light (top) is CUSTOM Chateau and the dark (bottom) is CUSTOM New Taupe.

As well we had to change our shower floor pebble tiles to cut pebbles (see new tile below).

The tiler suggested that the flatter pebbles would be a better choice for the shower floor since the smaller pebbles would get covered in grout and leave patches and that the taller pebbles would be uncomfortable for our feet.


Until next time...
Marie