Half Bath [Redux]

We honestly didn't mean to keep you waiting so long for the reveal.  We actually finished at some point in early-December, but have struggled to find time to pull this post together in the weeks that followed.  It feels great to have completed this project! As we've said before, it took a lot longer than we expected, but thus is the story of any DIY remodeling effort. Of opening up what another created in order to make it your own. A transformation. A redux.

Before you begin, take a second to remind yourself what we started with (i.e. the before shots).

Here's a quick rundown of the elements that make up the new half bath...if we forgot to address something, please drop us an email or a comment.

Toto Aquia II from National Builder Supply
Not only do we think it's the best looking toilet around, it has a great water-saving feature with the dual flush design. We found that most online retailers claim free shipping; but exclude freight items (such as toilets). National Builder Supply actually ships this toilet for free, making it $50-70 cheaper than other online retailers. This is the first toilet that I ever installed, so the process was slow, but completely manageable, as long as you follow the instructions carefully. For instance, when they tell you to turn each tank bolt equally, they actually mean equally -- as in a full turn on the left, followed by a full turn on the right...and repeat. As for the function and performance of the toilet -- we love it, especially the soft-close seat.

The sink and sink cabinet are both from Ikea's LILLÅNGEN bathroom system. 

The faucet is the Ikea DALSKÄR.

Since the faucet is chrome, we wanted to go with chrome accessories. Picked up the towel ring (not yet installed) and TP holder from Smedbo.

The lights are the ET2 Flash from All Modern. The medicine cabinet is also from Ikea's LILLÅNGEN bathroom system.  During demo we framed out the cabinet and countersunk it to keep the profile as clean as possible.

Finally, you'll notice we used drywall around the majority of the window frame, instead of using wood to trim it out. Since it is such a small space, we wanted to keep the lines as simple and clean as possible. The large window provides great light to the space and keeps it from feeling claustrophobic. At the same time, privacy is of utmost concern. Again, not wanting to add additional materials (such as blinds/shades/curtains), we opted for the Gila Privacy Frosted film. We think it adds a finished, modern look to the room.

Also, don't be afraid to use spray paint on your existing metal window frames and hardware that feature that oh-so-late-80s factory bronze finish.  For legal reasons I must point out here that the use of paint on a window frame may cause you to void your warranty.  So if that's something that concerns you, take head!

The Forbo Marmoleum Click flooring was covered in a previous post; as was the wall tile. 

So...our first major renovation project is behind us! We learned so much and hope to carry a lot of that into our next project...the kitchen.

Stay tuned...