Because of extensive damage both the hall and master bathrooms are a studs-out replacement, presenting the opportunity to reconfigure the back-to-back spaces. Like many homes circa 1964 the original master bath was very small, while the hall bath was larger and configured for kids and guests with two sinks and a full tub and shower combination. We decided to flip things around a bit, while retaining a tub in the hall bath and being sensitive to the period of the house.
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| Bathroom layouts - Before and Planned |
During deconstruction our general contractors found extra space between the walls of the two bathrooms, increasing the depth of the hall bath to five feet and allowing for a full-size tub instead of the 4 1/2 foot tub we had originally planned - yay! We saved the great louvered medicine cabinet and original towel bars from the hall bath and the cabinet over the toilet in the master bath for later use, and those pinks sinks and tub and the cabinets went to Re-Store to make someone's day.
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| Pink sinks |
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| Pink toilet and tub - on their way to Re-Store |
Back to Scott's less than convenient circumstances...The Retro Ranch only has two bathrooms and we just had two bathrooms completely removed! We were fully prepared having installed a shower on the patio. Yes, the patio had both hot and cold water spigots. Add a few select purchases from build.com and viola!
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| Breezy Shower |
While I was in Chicago Scott worked out the kinks in the shower system. The biggest problem was the shower curtain - there's nothing like having a damp cold shower curtain blown by the wind and stuck to your backside while you're showering or trying to dry off! Scott devised a system of safety pins, carbiners, twine and weights (logs, small cement bunnies and gophers, and an iron door mat) to keep the offending shower curtain in place. To Scott's credit, it works. I've had two nice showers out there since arriving home and there's something a little freeing about showering outside!
The other inconvenience Scott had to suffer was the lack of "necessary" plumbing. Fortunately, part of the renovation project plan was a porta-john for the crew! Discreetly placed next to the garage, Scott has been using the ports-john for the last two weeks.
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| For Morning Constitutionals and Light Reading |
Thankfully, the renovation project is far enough along that the plumbers were able to install a working toilet in the master bathroom yesterday - queue heavens opening and angels singing. Having arrived back in Portland just Monday evening I had minimal need for the porta-john.
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| Working toilet in the master bathroom! |
My next post (hopefully this week) will go into the nitty gritty of the deconstruction...stay tuned!