Category: Lower Level Bathroom

Basement Progress: Bathroom

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While writing this post, I realized we’ve never shared true before pictures of our basement bathroom.  So, here is the completely blank slate we started with.

And the Frankenstein-esque vanity before paint.

For the bathtub surround, we cut the large floor tiles in half to create a large subway tile pattern.  The height of our trim treatment hinged upon the height of the tile and the window sill.

We used a sprayer to prime and paint the entire basement at the same time.  Here is what our bathroom (and the rest of the basement) looked like one year ago.  Remember, I was due on April 1.  Can you say, “Down to the wire?” 

Lots of white paint!

Finally, after a year (with breaks) of renovating, we were ready to add color to our walls.  That was a huge relief!  We still haven’t finished everything, but here it is today.

Still to do: build drawers and false front for the vanity, start finish the shower under the stairs, which will also be a steam room, and hang the mirror.

There you have it, folks.  Our basement bathroom in all its unfinished glory! 

How long does it take for you to complete a project?  Are you like us: finish 90% and then move on to something else until you get a bug up your butt to finally finish it?  Or do you keep focused until the entire project is just as you’d like?  I’m afraid to put anything too personal in bathrooms due to the creep factor.  How have you decorated your bathroom?  Any art I should know about?  Share links, too, please.

Our Past Four Years…

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We have done quite a bit to our humble rancher since Ben bought it back in 2004.  Most you can see, like paint and trim, but others are a little more difficult to notice-if you can see them at all.  So, here’s a little recap of things Ben did before we were married:

  1. Cut out and installed egress windows in basement bedrooms and the office.
  2. Drilled a well.
  3. Installed wood burning fireplace.
  4. Removed siding to add insulation all around the house.
  5. Replaced all upper level windows, enlarging the bedroom windows by one foot.
  6. Replaced the kitchen linoleum with tile.
  7. Knocked down the kitchen wall to create a half wall: 

8.  Closed ½ bath and created ¾ master bathroom.

Changes we’ve made since we’ve been married:

  1. Added trim to the 3rd bedroom and repainted.
  2. Added trim to the guest bedroom and repainted.
  3. Repainted living room and built an entertainment center.
  4. Gutted and refinished main bathroom.
  5. Added oak floors and trim to master bedroom.  Repainted.
  6. Installed a new glass back door.
  7. Finished 1st basement bedroom.
  8. Installed a central vacuum system.
  9. Added trim to the dining room and repainted.
  10. Removed the chain link fence and built a new painted white fence.
  11. Planted 17 fruit trees, boxwood, roses, peonies, lilies, and other flowers.
  12. Installed a larger electric panel and moved it to the laundry room.
  13. Built and hung new shutters and window boxes.
  14. Dug a trench to install the geothermal system:

15.  Gutted and unfinished master bathroom.

16.  Installed a new front door.

17.  Finished office, including built-in bookshelves and cabinets. 

18.  Finished basement living room with painted trim and built-in entertainment center.

19.  Finished basement bedroom with trim.

20.  Finished basement bathroom, complete with 6 foot jetted tub, open vanity and soon to be steam room.

Of course there are several smaller projects we’ve finished, too.

Things I Love About Our House

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I’m sure most homeowners at least like their houses.  We love our house, especially some of the features and details.  Here are some of our favorites:

Our deep windowsills:

Our master bath window sill is marble clad:

The pantry above our stairs is great, too, although the doors could use a little love. 

It is huge and holds almost all of our non-perishable food items, paper towels and larger dishes. 

We have added white trim to almost every room in our house.  It seems obvious that we love it, so here are some detail shots:

I love the crown moldings above the doors and windows in our master bedroom.  It is convenient to have the hidden lighting, too. 

The guest bedroom trim is simple, but definitely adds character to the room.

Here’s the plate rack we added to our dining room.  Capped off crown molding and quarter round trim provide storage for large platters, but serves as artwork, too. 

White trim in a basement bedroom brightens up the space and adds interest. 

Our basement bathroom is outfitted with simple trim topped by a shelf, providing a display area and small storage.

What do you love about your house?  Maybe some architectural details?  Lighting?  The layout?

Basement Progress: During

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We’re back to show the progress of our basement.

First, Ben framed in the walls and moved the duct work.  It ran through the middle of the ceiling and tall people hit their heads when they walked down the stairs.  Next,  we started hanging, taping, and mudding the sheet rock. 

The Framing Process:

SHEETROCK!!

Then, Ben laid 20″ square tiles and 6″ square tiles in a pin wheel pattern throughout the basement living room, office, bathroom and landing area.

After Ben (with some help from his brothers) finished sanding the sheet rock, it was time to start adding trim.  Miles and miles of glorious trim! 

We decided to extend our staircase to open up the landing area. 

Basement Progress: Before

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WARNING: What you are about to see is ugly and messy. 

Basement Living Room Before:

Every living room needs an ugly green couch and punching bag. 

My Office Before:

Small Bedroom and Laundry Room Before:

Large Bedroom Before:

As you can see, our basement was almost completely unfinished.  The large bedroom was the first finished room in the basement.  It was completed back in August 2007.  We figured we would need another guest bedroom before V was born.