First Light Designs

What a difference a week makes! The shower tiling is 99% done. Take a look:

Here’s a close-up of the product niche:

I asked for a shelf inside the niche so that I could put soap on the bottom ledge and shampoo bottles on the shelf.

I’m sure you noticed the beautifully mitered corners. It’s enough to make a quilter’s heart sing! Did you also notice that the tiles on point at the back of the niche match the ones on the outer wall? Erik, the tile man, is a real craftsman.

Here’s a close-up of the bench, nice and symmetrical:

Notice how the tile wraps around the corner? You can also get a good look at the “droplet” tile accent and the dust cap, which go all the way around this side of the bathroom. A row of subway tile, the droplet accent, and the dust cap will also form the backsplash of the vanity, which will help tie the two sides of the bathroom together.

The half-wall that forms an alcove where the toilet goes will have the same quartz surface as the vanity top. Here’s the half-wall with its wood trim prep:

Here’s a look at the south wall, where the vanity, mirror, and sconces will go:

Next up: grout and paint. I think the vanity may be installed in the coming week, too. As good as the bathroom looks now, it will look even better at the end of Week 8!

Updates on several fronts this week. First, a look at the shower curb underway:

Notice the base row of white wall tiles to the right of the shower.

Base row of tiles: done. Now the subway tile starts up the wall:

Tile work had to stop so that the window on the north wall could be removed . . .

. . . and replaced with a new double-hung window:

Both windows were trimmed to match the two double-hung windows on the other side of the bathroom.

With the new window in, the tile work could continue:

On the other side of the bathroom, the pocket door was framed:

As you can see, we were able to use the original five-panel door. (It will be painted white.)

We were also able to use the original trim on the other side of the door. Here it is back in place:

That door you see on the right goes to the linen closet.

I’ll have a lot more to show you next week so please stop by!

The tile is down on the bathroom floor. Here’s a view looking south . . .

. . . and northeast:

Setting the 20″ x 20″ floor tiles on the diagonal — on point, as we say in the quilting world — was an easy design choice. I use that setting in many of my quilts.

Here’s another view looking north:

The 2″ x 2″ tiles on the shower floor are the same product (Century Darwin porcelain tile in the Floreana pattern):

A few things had to be done before any tile could be laid. More prep work on the floor of the shower . . .

. . . and on the bathroom floor:

Do you know what those curly things are? You’re looking at one of the splurges in this remodel: an electric heat mat. I think the investment will be well worth it on a cold day!

The heating mats were covered by some of that self-leveling compound:

Next up: white subway tile wainscoting on the shower/tub side of the bathroom.

If you’re a new reader, you can catch up on previous posts relating to the remodel by clicking on the links below:

March 16: Happy Birthday, House!
March 27: The Bathroom Remodel Begins
March 31: Bathroom Reno, Week 1
April 8: Bathroom Reno, Week 2
April 15: Bathroom Reno, Week 3
April 21: Bathroom Reno, Week 4

Thanks for stopping by!

The walls in the White House bathroom are looking good. All of the open spaces in the walls have been filled with sheetrock, and the only lath and plaster you can see now is in the area where the shower will go. After the walls had been mudded and were dry, the crew sanded and vacuumed. They did such a careful job that almost no dust escaped into other rooms in the house. Now, after priming, the walls look almost good enough to hang pictures on!

The work this coming week will focus on the shower area, above, beginning with building the shower pan. Then the tilework begins!