Last week when I wrote about our small and awkward bathroom with the awful banjo countertop so many of you pitched in and left great suggestions, so thank you for that.
As of this morning, the bathroom has been totally gutted and I’m hoping that by the end of this weekend the HH will have the tile in place and the bathroom will be ready to use by the end of the month. After all, The Girl is coming to stay for a few days in early March and wouldn’t that be nice. Yes, yes it would. 🙂
So far, the remodel is going well and the only surprise has been a bit of wallpaper that was hiding behind the toilet when the HH removed the old one. I guess the previous owners just painted around it when they changed the wall color from cream to grey?
It kind of makes you wonder how long the moldy fruited wallpaper was in there. Anyone recognize the pattern? My guess is the 80’s, but who knows.
Anyway, with the old toilet removed, and the new toilet {which is 3″ shorter and has a round seat rather than an elongated one} there still isn’t enough room to place the toilet along the long wall.
It’s a tight fit, don’t you think? Claustrophobic almost. It makes me itch just looking at the picture.
Call me crazy but I don’t you should have to shimmy into a bathroom space and have your feet touch the baseboards. What if someone with a size 10 shoe came to visit? Then what? And their hands? Their bathroom hands would be all over that wall!!
The only other option would have been to go with a tankless toilet {which neither of us like} and that would have required a plumber to come out to install it. Not that having a plumber come out is really that big of a deal, but why install something you don’t like? Isn’t the whole point of remodeling a home you plan to live in for a very long time to make it your own and fill it with stuff you DO like?
So the HH will be installing the new toilet back in the same spot the old one was in before. 😉
Yesterday he mudded the walls. He’ll probably go over them one more time today and then sand everything down so I can get in there and paint the walls and trim before he lays the tile.
The new sink and sconces should arrive any day now, and so that means this little project is running right on schedule. And you know what? It feels so good to finally be home. To know we aren’t going anywhere and to be able to personalize this place just for us.
What a great feeling. Life is good!
Have a wonderful day everyone,
~Mavis
Nora says
Hi Mavis! looks like your US siphonic toilets are way larger than the European models (flush down) …? Maybe you could find one of those?
What do your other readers think?
https://architizer-prod.imgix.net/media/mediadata/uploads/1505496681166siphonic-vs-washdown-toilet-toiletfoundcom.jpg?fit=crop&w=625&q=60&auto=format,compress&cs=strip
Robin in WI says
The photo of you with your knees almost touching the wall made me laugh as it reminded me of the very narrow and cramped women’s bathroom at the back of a little old hamburger shack in Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine State Forest. 🙂
Lana says
Our oldest son’s first house had a super narrow space with the toilet so that you had to keep your arms in front of your body to sit down. Let’s not discuss the finishing up part!
I know what you mean about staying and knowing it is work for the long haul. We love our two story house so we are putting in a stair lift to make our old peoples lives easier.
Lissa says
Famous last words from Mavis :). Being “home”. Your home updates (and grocery purchases) are always my favorite posts. I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the honey do list. Especially the bird houses.
Still enjoying my string of hearts about the fireplace. Maybe Easter eggs for next year.
Carrie says
Its amazing how your prospective changes when you dont feel ‘home’ anymore. We have decided we would like to build and have an ADU for my parents. We’ve begun looking for property. My opinion about our current house (which we still love) and our belongings has changed to “would I really store this for a year or more? Would I want this in a new house?” And when we build I want xyz or I dont want xyz. We wont build anything fancy as our budget will be low, but it has been so fun my dream about. My mom is loving it as well and calls almost daily with updates in what she has purged or sold on marketplace.
Karen says
Tear out the wall if it isn’t load-bearing and enlarge the mini-bathroom! Then you could turn the toilet onto the long wall with ease. It is probably a stud wall, not solid stone like here in Europe.
Linda Practical Parsimony says
I am not sure I could actually sit down on the commode or actually get up! At my last house, we usually ended up sitting askew, not exactly sideways.
Shannon says
I don’t know…I think having the toilet in that location could really give you some good leverage while you’re…you know…
Sue says
It is so nice to hear you say this is your forever home.
What a great feeling!
And yes, that means you should make things how YOU like them.
Congratulations again!
Sandy says
How about a pull chain toilet with a high tank? I bet in Maine you can even find old ones, toilets are easy to update, we have restored a 1915 house and put all old toilets in the bathrooms. They aren’t fancy low flush and less water kind, but they work great.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Montecristo-High-Tank-Pull-Chain-Toilet-Single-Flush-Round-Bowl-in-White-with-Light-Oak-Panel-and-Brass-Top-Entry-Pipes-20131/314990012
Mable says
The shorter the toilet, the harder it is to use when you get old or injured. Speaking from experience.
Mavis Butterfield says
It’s shorter in length. High toilets rule. 🙂
Laura L. says
Amen to that, Mavis! When we go to our kid’s home, their toilets are so low it feels like you’re sitting on the floor and it’s a chore to hoist yourself up, so yes, high toilets rule!
Cheryl says
My small bathroom off the family room has the toilet facing the wall, and it’s not so bad. At least when you open the door, you don’t have it staring at you, right? And, if it’s hard to get up, you can always use the sink and door knob to help you up, I do! lol.
I know you guys are fairly young right now, but since this may be your forever home, I hope you bought the higher chair height commode. We are older over here, and let me tell you, the higher commode is the bomb. Much easier to get off and on…lol, especially when I had knee replacement surgery.
Whatever you do, I am positive it will look wonderful!
Gigi says
Good thing you didn’t change the toilet location. You would probably run into code issues. Minimum is 21” clearance in front and recommended 30”.
Katie says
I’m glad you didn’t turn the toilet! Me and my size 11 shoes would have hit my head on the wall trying to stand up every time if it had been in that position!
Idaho girl says
If you move the toilet to the other wall, you’d need to move the water supply line and the drain pipe. That might help make a decision
Marcia Hein says
Hi Mavis, I keep looking for an update on your tiny bathroom makeover. Please don’t keep us in suspense!
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Marcia, I’m waiting on a piece of art for the wall. Then I’ll post the pictures. 🙂