From Blah to Spa...

Hello everyone, well its been a while since I've posted simply because I've been busy trying to recoup after hip replacement surgery on January 10th. 
Thank you all for all the well wishes, sweet cards and nice emails, its been very much appreciated!



I'm participating this week in another "Metamorphosis Monday" with Susan at Between Naps On The Porch along Traci's "Bathroom-Organization" at "Beneath My Heart"  for our master bathroom renovation.

This ensuite bath renovation is not "brand new" but every time I walk into this room it feels, timeless and fresh to me compared to what it used to look like.

We built our house in 1991 and at the time everything was "builder grade special" and the color of the day in the early 90's was peach, peach and more peach. The more peach one had, the better we thought it looked...wrong, wrong, wrong!

Now, nothing in my house is peach except if it comes from the produce department and is edible.
Anyway, back to what it used to look like; giant plastic garden tub with peach tulip tile surround, two sinks with peach tulip tile counter tops and everything had matchy-matchy shiny brass faucets that matched the shiny brass tulip lights. There was a stand-up shower stall and "potty box" combo and oh ewwwww...of all things, peach carpeting! What on earth was I thinking!!!

Here's what it used to look like:

This was the only picture I could find (I'm sure any others ended up in a landfill somewhere!) and as you can see it was builder generic. In the bottom right corner, you can see the giant plastic tub and big brass faucet.

So with the windows and plumbing in place that made the lay out easy...kind of, we ended up having to re-plumb for the tub faucet so it could be centered on the big window. Also (GASP!) we ripped out the walk-in closet to locate the new tile shower in its place. Oh yes, we also had to install all new plumbing for the new shower location...how odd the walk-in closet didn't have it already:) I wear scrubs to work everyday and I've never really been a clothes hound therefore a "normal size" closet works well for us.

So...come on in...

 my husband built all this you see...

here's what its looks like today taken from about the same spot as the "peachy original"...

New, lighting, bead board and beveled mirrors in custom built frames...all built, installed and hand painted by my hero, Mr. La Bella Vie...Porcelain pedestal sinks with a re-purposed vintage sheet music stand for storage

(inside we installed plastic pull out drawers for essentials). New hardwood floors replaced that disgusting peach carpet and a new double hung window replaced the fixed window at the end of the tub...



A view of where the double sinks and tub were located. That mark on the ceiling (to the right of the skylight) is the old walk-in closet and is now the walk-in double shower shown below.

Here's what it looks like today. A walk-in double shower and the new closet in the right of the picture.

Subway tile, polished nickle fixtures, rain head shower and hand-held shower head...

and the unexpected...salvaged vintage glass door knob for a shower door handle.

Gone is the "tub in a box" and in its place a white Porcelain cast iron

pedestal tub...one of my favorite places on earth:) 

"Telephone" shower/bath handle...

The details...

collected vintage door knobs and escutcheons' for the closet doors and linen closet...

custom linen closet and door knob...

Through the looking glass...

this picture is taken from the reflection in the linen closet door:) I love the sunshine against the hardwood...

no neighbors to obstruct a lovely view....

I hope you've enjoyed your (long) day at the spa, I know I do every time I walk in here thanks to Mr. La Bella Vie:) He took my initial rough sketch and idea then drew the actual design to scale on "Visio", a technical drafting  program. Below you'll see the sink and floor plan elevations he sketched to bring my vision to fruition...I'm convinced the man must have "Super powers" to be able to do this:)

He's used Visio many times over for other home projects including this room I posted on another Metamorphosis Monday.

Believe me when I say this project was truly a labor of love and the ultimate test of patience on my part because this lovely space turned into a very complicated DIY project but at the end of the day...it was so worth the time and effort!

Thank you again Susan for hosting another "Metamorphosis Monday" and Traci for the great "Bathroom Organization party", this was a fun post to do and I thank you both!