Master Bathroom Mayhem!

The day we closed on our little home, our master bathroom toilet stopped working.  Really karma?   We could have just replaced the innards of the toilet for about $30, but we had planned to replace that toilet anyhow because it is toddler sized.  I mean- tiny!   We are both over 6' tall and I am not a small person and have bad joints.  It just wasn't going to work for us.  We found a dual flush toilet, ADA height at Costco for $89 including the wax ring and all the innards- plus new water tube and all that.  It just wasn't worth replacing the inside of a toilet we really couldn't use.   So while we hadn't planned to immediately replace the toilet, it quickly went near the top of the list.  Hopefully in the next few days this bad boy will be flushing away!

We got some "mis-mixed" paint for about $6 and the kind man lightened it for us- this is for the bathroom- so we started painting prior to installing the toilet.  We got a good portion in and realized we probably won't have enough paint for the whole bathroom (it will need 2 coats), so the plan is to see if we can get it matched and pick up a second gallon.  We noticed a strange texture to the walls and some "wrinkles" at one point and I realized they must have painted over the typical "wallpaper" walls in mobile homes.  Other than the wrinkled area (not sure I can fix that) I think the texture isn't necessarily a bad thing!  We also need to frame out every single window in the house- none have any sort of molding!  This one, being so small, will be inexpensive to do and can be done quickly and easily.   The peel & stick floor tile isn't in bad condition- a few need replacing and there happens to be a few unused tiles under the sink so that will be done too.  The color is a much brighter & lighter mint color than it appears in the pictures- hopefully I can adequately take pictures to show once we finish!  

Another thing I can't figure out is the toilet placement.  I get centering it under the window but it is sooo close to the wall!  The toilet paper holder is actually overhanging your knees!  With all that space, why they didn't center it more is beyond me.  We will be moving the toilet paper holder!

I painted around the toilet (with some "help" from one of our 7 year old twins), and then when Sherri got home she worked on the cutting in at the ceiling (she's got a few inches on me!) and I took a putty knife and popped off all the shells the previous owners had hot glued around the mirror.  Intersting.  I think I understand what they were going for- maybe.  If they had filled in the area with shells- like a shell frame a few inches wide- I probably would have left it.  These random spaced out shells on the old paint color didn't do much for us stylistically!    We plan to frame the mirror and replace the fixture above.   I will re-paint the vanity and I am considering trying to refinish the counter.....I don't think Sherri quite trusts that it will be durable.   We are also watching for a great deal on new faucets- even used- just nicer!   

         

Besides power blasting, I mean, cleaning the shower (ewww it is so gross!)  We need to do something about this typical 90's mobile home mirror.  It was above the former corner garden tub.  It is permanently affixed to the wall and we fear if we tear it off it will take the wallboard with it.  I *think* we will repaint the trim and hang shelves in front of the mirror for decoration.  I really don't desire having a huge mirror directly across from the tub!!!  

The Girls'/ Guest Bathroom

This bathroom isn't getting a whole lot done.   The tub especially needs a really good scrub (Cleaning Paste to the rescue!)  The sink, vanity, and fixtures are old, but will have to wait for now.  I will probably end up re-painting the vanity to freshen it up.  We will refinish the frame on the mirror too. We are hoping that a scrap piece of wainscoting we found in the shed will fit the wall opposite the sink and toilet.  If not we may buy another piece and put the scrap behind the toilet.  My parents have some leftover molding from some updating they did a few years ago, so I will add that as a chair rail. The wainscoting will be white and the top.....well, you will see!   We also obviously need to invest in a new shower rod and I would love to put some floating shelves over the toilet.  My parents gave me a shower curtain and matching rug I fell for at Target, and then we grabbed the matching bath mat. My goal here is bright and fun!
Here is the before:
 
           

The Girls' Bedroom

We have 7 year old twin girls with very specific taste.  They claim they want separate rooms, yet won't sleep apart.   They will continue sharing in this house, at least for now!   Their room probably requires some of the least amount of work- paint, carpeting and then decorations, but follow the progress here!   The room will take a little creativity as there isn't really a good place to put a twin bed, much less bunk beds- who designed these things?!?

Here are some before shots:

The Beginning of a New Chapter

We closed on our new home, and new beginning, June 17, 2016 with dreams of what could be.  As my mom said, "if someone didn't have vision, they would have left as soon as they walked in."  I'm not sure if she was complimenting my vision, or expressing disdain over the amount of vision necessary!   I will stick with the belief she was giving me a compliment!   My mom loves renovation and decorating- she definitely missed her calling as a decorator.

Back on topic.  Our budget was so incredibly tight.  We actually went over what we wanted to in order to purchase this place, but the lot rent was almost $100 a month less than other places (yet, the nicest mobile home park we've seen- go figure!)  That freed up a bit more for the actual purchase cost.

Next problem: after paying our bills, we have very little left for actual renovations!  We will be doing almost everything ourselves.  We are having professional roofers replace the 20 year old roof- we know our limits!   We are calling in favors as available to us too!

We are lacking A LOT of furniture- we left it all behind or sold it when we moved here.  With our budget being what it is, this means we will be doing lots of bargain hunting.  Fortunately we have most of the bedroom furniture needed- so what if we end up sitting on lawn chairs in the living room!

Our first stroke of luck was finding a 5 gallon bucket of white paint marked down to $25 and a gallon of mint green paint, very similar, but slightly darker than what I envisioned for the master bathroom, marked down to under $7.   The kind man, at the unnamed large box store, told me the customer before us put him in a wonderful mood, and agreed to lighten the color slightly for me for free!

Spare Bedroom

That same day my dear wife tore out the carpeting in the two front bedrooms.  Temperatures were hitting 100 outside and we didn't have power turned on so we had to quit before passing out.  We will tear out the padding in those rooms and the carpeting in the master bedroom this week- as well as start painting.

The day we closed on the house, the toilet in the master bedroom stopped working completely.  We had planned to replace it because it is toddler sized- and we are definitely NOT toddler sized, but it suddenly got bumped up near the top of the to do right away list instead of being a member of the "when possible" list.  Fortunately we have two bathrooms!

The kitchen- wow- I don't know if I can scrub hard enough to remove the years of who knows what.   We don't have funds to replace counters or cabinets so we will be getting very creative!  

I will be including before and after pictures as we go along- so hang on for the ride, let me know your thoughts, and all advice is appreciated!

Girls' Bedroom