Basement Bathroom Project - Phase I cont. sink faucet choices

Any opinions or other options that anyone would like to suggest for a single hole faucet in chrome to go with the Kohler Memoir pedestal sink shown below:

Chrome Baltimore Faucet available @ Overstock.com

I like the style of the above faucet.  My only concern is that it is listed as a "vessel" faucet and I worry that it might be too high for mounting on a sink.  Though, it is shown mounted over a sink and not a raised "vessel sink".

I also like this similar "kitchen" faucet that includes the hose sprayer, but not the soap dispenser.  I imagine the sprayer could be attached off to the side wall on a block of marble or tile, etc.  Nice to have a hand held sprayer to rinse items off and to fill a container with water, etc.

Basement Bathroom Project - Phase I cont. floor tile

Since the original Florida Tile, 4"x4" tile can not be replaced, I believe that I am going to replace it with some Silestone 12"x12" tiles in Blanco Maple that I purchased about 4 years ago. 

http://www.silestoneusa.com/colors/

Yes, 4 years ago!

Saw them.  Liked them.  The price was right (just about held my heart still when I realized they now cost almost $15. per square foot tile) and bought the 3 or 4 boxes that the store had just as one purchases a dress they like.  As the occasion to wear will eventually arrive.

Basement bathroom floor area is roughly 26 square feet.  Let's pray that none of the tile gets damaged, as I have approx. 35 tiles total.

One more gravitation from what I had originally envisioned for the basement bathroom shifting and changing.  Glad that I already had the tile, as my other choice would have been white Italian marble tile; which I don't have in my "inventory" of building materials.

Guest Bedroom - Toilet Seat

You know you are not jaded when replacing an old, original 1983 Briggs toilet seat with the support feet broken off and for some reason suffering from a poor paint job is replaced.

Yes, that is what I did the other night.  Replaced it with a new Bemis elongated bowl toilet seat.  What a difference it makes in the appearance of the bathroom.  Plus, future guest won't be wondering "Why the hell doesn't she just replace this crappy old toilet seat".

For those of you that have never replaced a toilet seat.  It is easy, easy, easy.  Big plastic screws and oversized plastic wing nut like hardware.

Check this task off of the never ending list!

Half Bath - Lighting

The half bath, on the first floor of O'Dea-O'Dea was all original hardware up until a week and a half ago when I replaced the toilet.  The old Briggs toilet actually had a bowl and tank that had the 1983 stamps on them.  But, I wonder if Mrs. O'Dea-O'Dea never noticed the difference in colors between the two pieces or if the tank was replaced at a later date.  White bowl and off-white tank.  Lovely....  Plus, in spite of replacing the internal hardware back in early 2009, the toilet was intermittent with its desire to flush.

It was replaced with an American Standard toilet and at first I thought the internal workings were malfunctioning and thank God, it was just a matter of slight manipulation to get it working properly.

The floor needs to totally be pulled up, as a water leak from the bath above years or decades ago pooled in the half bath floor and warped the sub floor and lifted the tile towards the wall.  A project for another time.

For now, I am just trying to freshen and lighten up the bath a bit.  Items such as the builders bronze vanity light clashes violently with Mrs. O'Dea-O'Dea's metallic Asian print wall paper.  Some may say the paper has to go.  But, personally, I think it is just grand!  Brushed silver with white bamboo designs.

The light is going to be replaced with a Quorum Ashton Vanity Light in Satin Nickel.  Another piece that has a couple of small parts that I have the manufacturer researching the replacement finials or what I refer to as "screw balls".  The lighting fixture is missing two of the three and they are rather large and matching Satin Nickle, so they are not easy to replace via a lighting or hardware store.




Quorum, Ashton Vanity Light in Satin Nickel



Another dilemma is the brushed/satin nickle accessories (toilet paper holder, towel ring and towel bars) have round hardware and when I removed the builder's old chrome hardware discovered that the wall paper was cut around the perimeter of the wall mounts and therefore, there are bare spaces on the wall that I have to find a solution for in terms of cover-up.

Any suggestions?

Basement Bathroom Project - Phase I cont. sink

Prior to starting the bathroom remodel, I purchased a new white carerra counter top with white porcelain sink in a 19"x25" dimension from a contractor (via Craigslist.org).  I was quite certain that this was what I was going to find a cabinet vanity for and have installed in the basement bathroom.


Within the last week, I found a 1930's, white porcelain on cast iron wall sink and matching pedestal built by Standard in excellent condition as well as a nice 8" spread chrome on brass faucet set.  On the same shopping trip, I found two old porcelain pull chain vanity light fixtures and an old metal and beveled mirrored medicine chest with original glass handle.


This was in my quest for a higher quality chrome faucet set for the marble bath vanity and the "find" ended up shifting my thinking and direction on my design to more of a retro look.


Less than a week later and I am out again and stumble across a really beautiful square Kohler Memoirs sink and in the back of the shop with all of the other odds and ends I noticed that one of the pedestals looked similar.  But, one of the workers told me it was from another sink that had broken and had been thrown out.


Low and behold, I contacted Kohler this afternoon and by chance they are a set!  Sweet!  They have already forwarded me installation instructions, as well as have placed the wall mounting hardware on order for me.  (http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/115740_4.pdf pdf instructions and dimensions) 


Having been on the search for an 8" spread chrome faucet set, I don't think it will be too difficult for me to make a choice on a single hole chrome set.  Already have a couple of styles that are for sale on Overstock.com that I believe would suit the style of this sink and not break the bank.



Basement Bathroom Project - Phase I

The basement bathroom project got started following the completion of the floor tile installation in the bedroom and laundry/utility room.

Let me tell you, I was not prepared or ready for the project to start.  But, the man I had doing the other work told me he had another job coming up, so I decided to have him remove the old bath tub, sink and toilet and wall board in the shower area that had been exposed to water over the years.

Rather interesting to see him cut the metal tub in two and for me to be able to carry a half at torso height without issue. 

Surprises never cease.  the waste disposal company, I am contracted with actually took the tub pieces.  I guess, it falls within the size and weight limitations once cut in half.

The toilet and sink, were donated.  I hope someone else can at least use them for parts. 

Things have not gone smoothly with the worker.  For one, he was insisting that a harder backing board was not required behind the shower wall tile.  Just "green" board.

Thank you, Home Depot staff for knowing the correct answer to that construction issue.

Yes, one should use a cement type board such as Hardie board behind tile and an area that is exposed to moisture.

At that point, I thought things would go well.

Not...

He and his co-worker "cut" the board (it should be scored and snapped) smaller than the wall area that is being recovered by tile and then proceeded to adhere tile to the wall without using the fiberglass tape and adhesive to fill the gaps.

I am talking about gaps large enough for me to put my fingers into!

At one point, I went downstairs to check on progress and he had put up an off-white/cream colored tile along with the white tile.

"What's with that tile?"

God help us.  There were a handful of pieces in the box of new tile and he doesn't have enough common sense to stop and let me know that he's out of tile and that there is this other tile in the box.

Of course, I told him to remove it.

In brief, he got upset and in his fit somehow managed to chip the new tub, as well as scratch it.

Talk about inappropriate behaviors.  He then took some white appliance paint I had downstairs for repainting the air vents and did a piss poor job of spray painting his damage.

I even inquired before he left that day as to what the chemical odor was and he ignored me.

Low and behold, when I went to admire the new tub up close.  The spray paint was still sticky and had drips running down the inside of the tub.

Long story short - The tub was removed and I ended up purchasing a better quality Kohler cast iron and porcelain tub.  It took them almost two days to get that tub connected to the drain.  He told me it was finally connected and fine.  Checked later and the drain isn't fine.  Requires being manually held up for the water to drain.

As for the tile...  It isn't readily available in stores.  I had to travel about 45 minutes away to a tile showroom to identify the existing tile and the closest current match requires special order.

Yes, Mr. Worker smashed all of the tile to take the tub out without ever inquiring as to source of replacement tile, etc.

Plus, he did the same for the line of tile on the floor and that is no longer available and there are no like substitutes.

My newer neighbors are nice enough to let me gut their master bathroom of the 25 year old wall tile, as they are planning to renovate.
The floor, it appears will have to totally come up and be replaced.

Stay tuned....