I initially titled this room “Moody Half Bath” on my mood board eight weeks ago, and I think I delivered.

I am so happy with the space! Next, I plan to finish my laundry room and kitchen.

Follow along on Instagram @livingonlexington

This week consisted of wrapping up the vanity facelift and creating storage in the old doorway. I think both turned out great! Not only do they both look so, so much better, but they also add more functionality to the space which is very important in a house that lacks storage.

Part I: Vanity

After making cabinet doors for the uppers in my kitchen, I decided I would tackle one more cabinet door project in this bathroom (it saves so much money). I tried an easier method to create the doors, and it went much faster but still wasn’t problem free. In the end it all worked out and I am very happy with the end result. The vanity looks so much prettier. The best part, the doors actually close and are soft close! Talk about an upgrade.

Remember the – we’ll call it a shift in design– that I had with my counters? Well, that forced me to order new hardware for the vanity. My first order was a TOTAL disaster. The knobs that shipped were SOOOO tiny. No wonder they were such a great price. 

After adding the miniature knobs to my growing return pile, I searched Amazon once again for knobs that would coordinate with my new, dark counter. I found some, for a good price, that look so good with the tricorn black vanity.

Part II: Doorway

I touched on this doorway in my week 1 post. This used to be the entry into the house. I don’t have great photos or video to show how bad the design was, but below is a mockup of the original layout vs the new layout. Essentially, when using the back door to the house, you entered into the mud/laundry room which opened to the bathroom. There was a doorway between the two rooms, but no door! From the bathroom you entered the kitchen. If you were using the bathroom and someone showed up at the back door, they had a perfect view of you. Also, in order to get to the backyard, you had to go through the bathroom. Not very practical.

The laundry room has been reconfigured and an entryway has been added from the laundry room into the kitchen/dining room. I didn’t want to totally remove the old doorway from the bathroom for a few reasons:

1. The trim around the doorway is nice, old, and good quality 
2. The vanity is built into the doorway trim and the vanity is staying
3. I wanted to use the space for additional storage, if possible

So, instead of removing the trim and drywalling over the old doorway, I turned it into a feature wall with storage at the bottom. There isn’t a lot of storage, but it’s the perfect place to store toilet paper! I also made a teeny tiny counter out of scrap mdf, spray paint, and epoxy. Next week I plan to add artwork and shelves.

When the One Room Challenge ends, I plan to finish the laundry room and kitchen that I’ve been working on for a year. After that, another new project!

Is the bathroom done? 

• No, but I feel like I’ve made great strides and it’s really starting to take shape! 
  

Does reality match my initial plan?

• No, but I think I might like the reality better! I went a totally different direction with the counters which injected the space with a dark, almost glamorous, personality. Also, I found a GREAT deal on a mirror at Habitat. My original design included a simple, black mirror, but who can say no to a $5 mirror? I think this accidental find adds another layer of personality. 

Do I still keep thinking of new projects for the space?

• Yes, there might be a few last minute additions if I can squeeze them in.
  

For now, I’m happy enjoying what I’ve created so far.

Follow me on Instagram and help me with a few last minute decisions!

Good news though, I was able to use a bit of vacation time to make great progress!

My focus this week was to tackle the counter. I have made all of the counters in my kitchen and dining room, as well as a few tabletops for my family. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? Well, if you spend some time on StoneCoat Countertops YouTube channel, you’ll realize it’s so much easier than it sounds. They are a GREAT resource!

All of the countertops I have worked on so far have been from scratch. Using layered mdf, wood glue, clamps, and a router I built my own custom countertops. After they were built, I used StoneCoat epoxy to transform the mdf into beautiful, functional counters! Again, it sounds much more impressive than what it really was. I think epoxy is a pretty user-friendly medium as long as you like to follow the rules, and I LOVE rules.

Naturally, I decided that I would resurface my existing bathroom countertop with epoxy. The rest of the counters in my house are pretty subtle. They are very carrara marble esque. I had planned to create a similar style in my bathroom; however, I wanted to pump up the drama. The plan was a lot of contrast and more pronounced veining. I even found white and dark gray marble drawer pulls to use on the vanity (featured in my mood board), I thought they would tie things together nicely!

Because I was starting with a slick, laminate counter instead of mdf, there was a bit of extra prep work. 

1. Clean the counter (extra)
2. Sand the counter (extra)
3. Use a bonding primer (extra)
4. Create a base layer using paint
5. Epoxy: color coat
6. Sand
7. Epoxy: clear coat

Everything went swimmingly until I began to mix the epoxy for my color coat.

With epoxy, it is really important to have precise measurements and mix the parts (A&B) together really well. If not, there will be curing problems. No one wants sticky spots in their counters! I always use a drill to mix my epoxy, and I always mix for at least 3 minutes.

After I poured the epoxy into my mixing container and began to mix the contents, my hand (holding the mixing cup) slipped and guess what happened next? EPOXY WENT EVERYWHERE. Not just epoxy, unmixed epoxy! All over my recently completed One Room Challenge projects. . . Four weeks of work! After a few seconds of total shock, I scrambled to get the epoxy back into the cup. All I could think was “this is still unmixed epoxy, I can’t have a sticky counter”. I had to change all of the paper covering the floor, throw my epoxy covered outfit away, change really quickly, and MIX THAT EPOXY. I mixed up another smaller batch and prayed that I had equal amounts of A & B for a curing combination.

This is my 8th epoxy project, that means I have mixed epoxy like this at least 14 times before, and I have never spilled anything. Let alone spun it with a drill all over a newly renovated space.

I was so frazzled by the events that, apparently, my plans for a dramatic white and gray marble countertop completely escaped me. That beautiful, dramatic, veining that matched the drawer pulls is NOT what I created. I don’t really know what happened. I do have a counter full of DRAMA though. Both in style and the process! I’m going to call it a happy accident.

And just like that, this half bath got even moodier.

I do have to buy new hardware for the vanity now.

It’s week 4 of the one room challenge. This week’s focus was on a ceiling treatment, installing trim, prepping for the controversial counter cabinet, and finding a vanity light that would work in the space.

Ceiling Treatment

I was thinking of using tongue and groove boards on the ceiling. I’ve seen this done so many times and love the look and warmth it adds to a space. However, because my $20 cabinet was already too tall for the space, I needed a thinner option. I recently installed LVP flooring on the main level of my house. Since I ordered extra, I felt like I could sacrifice a box to try on the ceiling. Hopefully, I’ll still have enough for the second floor…time will tell. I used the same glue that I already had on hand to adhere it to the ceiling. Gravity was not on my side this time, but it worked! Is it perfect? No, but it looks so much more polished and, in my opinion, is a huge upgrade.

Trim

I had a stash of crown molding in my garage from a previous project, so that is where I started. I decided to get myself a new tool for the job and purchased the Bosch laser distance measurer. Forty dollars well spent! Once the crown was installed and painted, I knew I wanted more trim, but I couldn’t justify the prices. I decided to check out Habitat Restore. I love our local store in a weird way. The atmosphere and customer service are the worst I have probably ever encountered, but I find it part of the charm. I was able to find nice quality trim for another layer for $12. I also found another treasure that I’ll share it a couple of weeks. I installed this layer of trim about 5 inches lower than the crown. I am so happy with the visual interest it adds to the room. It draws the eye up and makes the space feel taller.

I was so excited about the trim that I totally forgot about my counter cabinet. After the crown and picture rail trim were installed, wood filled, caulked, and painted, I realized that I needed to cut out a section of the trim to accommodate the cabinet. What fun would DIY be without these little obstacles?

Lighting

Since I am planning to add a cabinet that will sit on the counter and extend to the ceiling, my lighting situation needs some adjustments. There are 2 big problems that need to be addressed:

1. The vanity light is in the center of the room and it now needs to be centered on the sink.
2. The cabinet will cover the light switch (the only one for the room).

Because my walls are plaster, I really didn’t want to move the box for the light and risk destroying a huge section of the wall. The doubter didn’t like that idea either since he is my electrician. Instead, he suggested finding a light with a large back plate that would allow some flexibility in the install. I took his advice and found a light I loved and a price I loved more ($50)! Unfortunately, that light didn’t end up working and I had to order another one. The second one was twice the price, and I don’t love it as much. It will work though. I still have some tweaking to do to get it installed just right, but the size allows me the flexibility that I need to center it over the sink. I also found a solution to the no light switch problem. I bought super cute smart edison bulbs from amazon. They were a pain in the butt to get connected, but they work! Now I don’t even need a light switch. Who even uses those old things these days?

I thought this week was going to be a fun one because it was time for the paint, but I didn’t consider all the prep work that needed to be done. Most of my time this week was spent patching walls and sanding and sanding AND sanding. Then wood filling and, of course, sanding some more!

After all of the back-aching prep work was complete, I was finally able to put some colors on the walls. I went into this challenge knowing that I wanted a black vanity. I did not have a color selected for the walls. I knew that I didn’t want light and bright for this room, but I didn’t want something too dark either. Ultimately, I decided to go with Sherwin Williams’ 2022 color of the year, Evergreen Fog. I did waiver a bit on this color when my local store did not have a paper sample or the correct base to mix a sample. I ended up just going for it, and I am so happy with that decision.

Since I wanted the trim and walls to be the same color and finish, I decided to spray the room. It was a great decision. The prep work took me 5+ days and the actual painting took me less than 1 hour. I do have to go back and touch up a few areas, but what a time saver! Also, the finish is great!!!

I am so happy with the color and looking forward to making more progress next week!

The easiest, and fastest part was the demo. Because most of the room is going to be refinished instead of reinvented, only two things needed to be removed: the cabinet doors and the truly awful ceiling tiles. Both the doors and ceiling tiles were easy to remove, but the ceiling created quite a mess. The boards underneath the ceiling tiles had to be removed a little more carefully so the plaster ceiling would remain intact. I was a little surprised, although I shouldn’t have been, to find a wallpapered ceiling! My guess is that there are actually a couple layers of wallpaper up there.

Emptying this room took longer than it should have. There were a lot of extra junk items to relocate. I had trouble finding places for everything but ended up using an extra storage cabinet that was waiting to be moved to the garage. When it is time to move back into the room, I will organize, donate, and recycle items that I no longer have a need for.

In true Living on Lexington fashion, my design and plan for the room has evolved (in my head) to be something much more elaborate. I had a number of arguments with myself about biting off more than I could chew and making the most out of this room renovation. Ultimately, I decided that if I could find the “right” piece of furniture to change my design, then I would give myself permission to complicate things.

I was looking for a cabinet to install on the counter and turn into a built-in storage unit. This would take away counter space, but extra counter space isn’t really needed in this half bath. What is needed, in all of my spaces, is extra storage. I have a big doubter in the family, my dad. He often questions my ideas. He definitely was not on board with this idea, but I think it will work! I will dry fit the cabinet before doing anything permanent. If I hate it, I will revert to my original plan.

I browsed Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, and a few home improvement sites for the right type of cabinet for the space. I needed a cabinet that would fit the space but also provide enough storage to justify the change of plans. I had a difficult time on Marketplace, so I hopped around sites. Eventually, I went back to Marketplace and…

I found THE cabinet, well actually a pair of cabinets! Even better, right? I won’t actually be using both in the bathroom.

I found a posting that pictured two cabinets that were tall, but not too wide or too deep. There weren’t any dimensions on the post, but there was a photo and the seller was only asking $20 for the pair. What a steal! I reached out right away and made a plan with the seller to pick up the cabinets. She was really nice and asked me to send her a reminder text when I was on my way. The whole day at work I was so excited to get my cabinets. I rushed home, let the dogs out for a bit and prepared my little SUV. I had to put my back seats down and for good measure I moved the passenger seat all the way up and tipped the seat forward. I got the dogs situated and sent the seller a text that I was heading out. I received a response right away. The seller let me know that she was, in fact, not a she. Apparently, the seller uses his daughter’s Facebook account to sell items… All of the sudden the doubter (my dad) was in my head telling me that I needed to be careful about buying things from strangers, especially cabinets that I didn’t need and would make my bathroom look stupid. After a moment of apprehension, I decided to do a quick FB search on the seller. He had good ratings, so I texted my dad the address that I was heading to and told him to come find me if he didn’t hear from me in an hour.

And I was off…

As I pulled up to the seller’s house, I realized one BIG problem. There was no way that these cabinets were going to fit in my vehicle. Instantly, I realized that I should have asked for dimensions before making so many plans. It wasn’t even going to be a close fit. I got out, greeted the seller, and instantly admitted that there was no way the towering cabinets in his driveway were going to fit. He very politely agreed and looked at me like, “What were you thinking?” I quickly made plans to go get my parents’ truck and come back. The seller was SO nice about it and asked if I wanted to check out the cabinets before leaving. He wanted to make sure that they were what I was wanting. All I was thinking was that for $20 there was no way I was not going to want them!

I headed straight for my parents’ house and called my dad to let him know I was alive and that I needed the truck. He didn’t even answer! I called my sister. She answered, listened to my problem, and agreed to join me on the second attempt at these cabinets. My sister drove and entertained me the whole way back to the giant cabinets. She even impressed me by backing into the seller’s driveway. (I hate driving.) Once again, the seller was super nice and very helpful. He pretty much loaded the cabinets by himself. He even jumped into the back of the truck to rearrange a few scraps of wood to make sure that both cabinets fit. And let me tell you, they just barely fit! I thanked the seller, gave him his very well-earned $20, and we were off. My sister and I were on our own to unload these cabinets. They were HEAVY! We got them in the house and they looked even bigger. I didn’t mind though, I got such a great deal, and I LOVE a deal.

We grabbed dinner, returned the truck, and had a good time laughing about the day. When I got back home that night, I realized just how tall the cabinets were. I hadn’t realized the problem earlier, but they might be too big for my plan…

Another challenge accepted!

There are a number of unfinished spaces in my home, but I’ve decided to tackle my half bath over the next eight weeks. While I’m not new to DIY, I am new to documenting and writing about the process. Great news: I now have a site! It sure isn’t anything fancy or impressive at the moment, but hopefully this bathroom will be.

The Bathroom Before…

This is what the bathroom looked like when I bought my house. There was a lot of wallpaper, a strange colored counter and backsplash, a faucet that did not work, cabinets that didn’t close, and a toilet that was rotting the floor beneath it (I learned about that one later). But…it was a bathroom, and I was confident that I could fix all those things!

The very strange part about this bathroom, and the house really was the fact that this was the entrance from the back deck. When I toured this house, that toilet was one of the first things I saw. Definitely not an ideal layout but super convenient when you get home and really have to pee.

It’s been several years since I bought this house, and I’m finally ready to tackle this bathroom. There have been little projects here and there. Those were just quick fixes to get us by. Last winter we replaced the toilet, subfloor beneath the toilet, and the supports beneath that. Since the floor was torn up, I put down new flooring then too. However, this room has become a dumping ground and is full of junk.

Goals for the Space…

Goal 1: Create Storage

Obviously there is a major storage issue happening here. Partly because I need to purge, partly because there isn’t enough storage in the house itself, and partly because the cabinet doors take 300 tries to get them to stay closed.

Goal 2: Add Functionality

I mentioned those cabinet doors above. They are a problem that will be addressed. Also, because the old doorway to the bathroom is now closed up, the light switch needs to be moved closer to the functional door. Currently, you have to walk up to the vanity to turn on the light.

Goal 3: Make the Closed Doorway Intentional

I want to keep the old doorway trim for a couple of reasons. First, the trim is beautiful and a statement. Second, the vanity, which is staying, is built into the doorway trim. Third, I think it could add something special to the space.

Goal 4: Make it Pretty

This is a bathroom right off of my new kitchen. I love the way my kitchen is turning out, and I want the bathroom to be an extension of that style and design.

Shop the Moodboard

NextWall Morris Flower Botanical Wallpaper

Amerdeco White Marble & Gold Knobs

Antique Brass Cabinet Latch

Phiestina Matte Black Faucet

Stone Coat Epoxy