Build Up That Wall

Day two of the bathroom reno is now complete, with a two-week break in between.  We went skiing last weekend, driving nearly to the Canadian border to Jay Peak, VT, in search of decent snow.  We found some in the woods, but by the afternoon the groomed trails were solid ice, some of the most hazardous I've ever seen.  The snow gods seem to want us to spend this winter working on the bathroom.

We continue to use this shower, because it seems there's an issue with the temperature control on the downstairs shower.  It doesn't get very hot.  It's actually sort of pleasant showering in the open room, and when you get out, there's a nice view out the window of the reservoir behind our house. 

So, on Saturday, Matt and his dad framed out the new bathroom wall and the closets that will be added to both the bath and the bedroom.  The bedroom closet will be 24 inches deep, but we decided that would be excessive for the bathroom closet.  Instead, we'll make it 14 inches deep and put a built-in bookcase in the bedroom behind it.  I like that idea a lot.  (The partially-framed area to the left will be the bathroom closet in front, the built in behind it.)

The bedroom will be 10 x 12, which is still a decent size for a fourth bedroom, plus it has three windows, one with a water view, a built-in, and a closet.

We wound up with 21 inches of added width to the bathroom, which feels luxurious.  When you sit on the toilet, you can't touch the wall in front of you.  Big change.

Next, they're going to bump out the ceiling, and then put up the wallboard.  I can't wait to see how much bigger it's going to feel with the ceiling opened up.

What am I doing while they're working hard?  I'm shopping online for faucets and shower doors, and agonizing over the fact that the tile I wanted doesn't seem to exist any longer, and its close second has gone way up in price.  I'm also toiling away in the basement trying to turn random salvaged furniture into beautiful new things.  More on that coming soon.

We spent Sunday relaxing and biting our nails in anticipation of the big game.  I made guacamole, and an awesome brisket from this month's Bon Appetit with roasted potatoes and broccolini, which we ate while we watched a game with a very painful ending.