Why didn't someone warn me about contractors?.....

Let me preface by saying that Dear Hubby and I are great DIYers...... except that we aren't really great finishers (is there a theme here?)

We had never hired a contractor before to remodel any of our house but when it came time to do the full bathrooms, we bit the bullet and hired one. After all, this was a bathroom that needed to be gutted and we really NEEDED this one to be finished in a timely fashion.  So far the project that the contractor said would take 3 weeks is on week 8. Found out from a co-worker that this is normal!

But the results so far are fantastic! Thanks to Grammy Linda at Behind My Red Door and Janae at CozyCoops Corner (and the dozen of other prim bathrooms I have found on the web) for their inspiration.  Unbeknownst to them, I checked out every detail of their bathroom pictures they had on blogs or picture trails to get what I wanted.

Here is how it turned out.........

BEFORE                                         AFTER

This bathroom was last remodeled 20 years ago and has suffered through 4 kids (2 of them boys and you know what kind of damage boys can do to a bathroom floor!) The mirror in the AFTER picture I found at a yard sale for $5.00 about 8 years ago. I knew I was saving it for something!  The tile on the counter is the same as the tile on the floor.  The light fixture came from The Country Store of Geneva. But you could also get it at The Country House.

BEFORE                                  AFTER

Don't you just love the old wallpaper?  It was very in and Colonial 20 years ago.  The wrought iron towel rack as well as the toilet paper holder, the hand towel star hanger, the shower curtain, the shower curtain hooks and the window valance all came from The Country Porch.  I have an old RC Cola wooden box that is red to hang over the towel rack as soon as I can get Dear Hubby to hang it.

BEFORE                                          AFTER

The old bathroom was so bad that when we replaced the windows in the house, I didn't even bother to paint the sash!  Dear Hubby made the heart shaped toilet paper holder all those years ago.  How 1980's is that? You can see the beadboard ceiling and crownmolding in the AFTER picture.  The bathroom had the lovely, always popular popcorn ceiling.  YUK!

The picture on the left is to show the wrought iron bath fixtures I picked out from MOEN.  I just love them.

The picture on the right is a better view of the vanity.  Our contractor made a custom built cabinet because he knew we would want to finish it ourselves.  I stained it with Early American Minwax stain, followed by two coats of latex paint and two coats of Bri-wax.  Just love the finish on it.

I still have to add the decorating touches.  I know what I want, just have to make them.  They are mostly Prim makeovers that I have been hoarding old frames for.

I would like to publicly apologize to my children and anyone that has spent the night at my house for having to suffer through living with a bathroom that was in such disrepair.  I wish we could have afforded to get it done much sooner. 

And now on to the Master Bath.  Contractor said 4 weeks ............ any bets?

Blessings, Cathi