Full Bathroom Project

My updated 'green' vision for the full bathroom is starting to materialize, and will be close to done by the end of next week.

For starters, I replaced my vinyl shower liner with one that a soft, white 100% polyester washable liner. I also picked up a natural sea sponge + tea tree oil for bathing.

I've removed the popcorn-textured ceiling, and now need to re-plaster and prime it before painting (BM's Cloud Nine). The walls look like they may have been wallpapered once, or at least had a very sloppy high-gloss paint job at some point. So, another of my projects is to smooth the walls out (either by plastering, and/or by scraping and sanding) before repainting the walls BM's Peaceful Jade.  I also managed to acquire this lovely new faucet, for only $15 (using discount coupons and gift certificates!), which has a low-flow rate just 1.5 gpm.

I considered painting the cabinets white, but since the fixture are white and the vanity top is cream and gold-flecked (lovely 80s style), I decided instead to stain the cabinets a dark mahogany. Unfortunately, since most of the cabinetry is wood laminate, the stain won't come out as dark as I like ultimately, but, as you can see in the pictures, several coats is deepening the color.

Spring Break House Cleaning

Spring Break has sprung here at Hilltowne Hollow (as my new neighbors and I now call our little neighborhood) and the beautiful weather has inspired a wave of housekeeping activities.

My neighbor and housemate cleared out the gutters, I broke  down the recycling, and cleared off my back porch. This evening, I removed 2/3rds of the texture ceiling from my full bathroom, and am hoping to plaster, prime and paint (color: (Saybrook Sage) later  this week.

We've also begun sketching, in earnest, designs for a bike shed that will hold the 10 or so total bikes owned by the collective residents of Hilltowne Hollow.

Day Two: taking form

My best friend from Argentina arrived today to help me unpack and start to settle. Although we spent most of the day running errands and napping, we made significant progress toward a more organized space. We focused on the living room/home office. Tomorrow, we'll work on the kitchen.

Day One: unpacking begins

And so the work begins.

Amazing Tile Project Idea

I love the whimsy and boldness of the tile-work in this Charleston home, featured in Apartment Therapy DC's recent gallery. The first image is a children's bathroom, but I doubt I'll have the time or money to invest in gutting my own bathroom and installing a new tile shower or floor. The second image shows a tile-topped table, which would make an easier, more portable project for my kitchen.

Step 1) Find a table from craigslist or thrift that would look attractive with a tiled top.
Step 2) Establish a color palette. Been there, done that.
Step 3) Make nice with some local flooring contractors or tile distributers, and see if they'll throw a surplus tile or two my way.

Btw, don't you love the barn door in the second picture? Another future project perhaps: separating the kitchen from the rest of the house for  cat-free cooking and outdoor patio entertaining.