Details
Working Through The Punch List
This is one of my favorite parts of a project. The heavy work is done and all that's left is the myriad of details. At this point we're finishing off the restoration of accessories, getting the right wall plates, and so on. Let's get into it!
Papering Done
The wallpaper is finally up. Hanging the paper didn't actually take that long, and probably could have been done in a day. But old backs and tired minds spread the papering out over a couple hours on a couple weekends. Nonetheless, the paper is up and the bathroom is already looking fantastic!
Oh, and I should point out that, much like Bruegger's company during the wiring of the third floor, Linus has been a constant presence throughout this project! Such a good pup, that fella.
Shower Curtain Rod
The bathroom here at 173 has one of those old style L-shaped curtain rods. I've never seen a need to change it, although when we pulled it apart for the wallpapering last week it was clear the long straight bar was really showing its age. I tried polishing it, but it was just too far gone. So I ordered a new one on Amazon. Let me be honest - I ordered FIVE of them. Probably enough for the next hundred years! I ordered five because they came in a pack of five for, now get this - $10! Why not? We'll find other used for them I'm sure.
You may have noticed in the picture above that there's a chain hanging from the ceiling. Way back in the 2002 bathroom update I noticed that the shower curtain rod was sagging at the turn in the "L". Typically, you'll see a solid support bar affixed to the ceiling used for rod support, but in 2002 - I didn't know they existed.
Back then I just improvised and got one of those hooks people use to hanging plant from, and used some wire to support the rod. It worked all these years.
But this time, instead of the wire, I used some thin, light chain, plenty strong enough to support the rod. In the previous version, I secured the wire to the rod using a washer and a self-tapping screw. This time, I used an eye hook that passed all the way through the rod, and secured it with 2 nuts. Not that it ever has, but this shower rod isn't going anywhere!
Covers
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the covers that came on the new GFCI outlets and switches. But the three-switch plate had to be replaced. I made a quick run to the store and noticed some cover plates that reminded me of some of the nice metal plates we installed in the dining room and the hallways.
So I picked up a set that had some nice lines...
They just kinda lifted the look of the bathroom just a bit!
There is something about a bathroom that feels like a fortress. A closed bathroom door may only be about two inches of plywood, but it feels like an iron bar. - Ursula Vernon, Castle Hangnail
The Accessories
In the 2002 update, we picked up a robe hook and a few shelves for the bathroom. They're chrome and white plastic, reminiscent of the pieces found in bathrooms beginning in the early 1900s, and they fit well with the bathroom style here at 173.
A few projects that used Krylon paint (FYI - not a sponsor)
∙ The great snow sled rebuild of 2019.
∙ An old stool picked up at an estate sale.
∙ Restoration of a 1918 Sargent hand plane.
∙ Maybe the first project at 173, a kitchen shelf.
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And one for Rust-Oleum - my Anvil.
The only problem is, the white plastic parts had dulled and one had yellowed. After a quick search, it became abundantly clear the same set was no longer available. As I described in Part 3 of this series, I decided to restore the old ones. I de-glossed the plastic with acetone...
And simply spray painted them with some Krylon gloss white...
And - for the most part they essentially turned out like new. I took some Turtle Way to the chrome pieces, and all the accessories are back in good shape!
And just like that - it's time to move back into the bathroom. It'll be nice to have everything back in its place, and when we meet again, we'll be wrapping up this project. 'Til then, thanks for stopping by!
