This is one heinous bathroom.
After writing two checks on November 9 (one to the ACLU, the other to Planned Parenthood), I gathered my implements of destruction and started hitting things with a vengeance. I’m still angry, but at least I’m making progress on the long-overdue bathroom rehab.
First to go was that stunning gold-tone mirror; behind its strip of lovely lights was a bit of a shock, in the form of exposed wiring.
I’m no electrician, but I’m certain that’s not to code.
With that monstrosity relegated to the ever-growing trash heap, I turned to the walls, ripping off the layer of vinyl wallpaper to expose two layers of hardboard attached with plaster bolts and construction adhesive. And whatever that adhesive was, I’m guessing it’s now illegal; it works too well.
Looks better already.
I’m not sure what that material is around the top, but it wraps onto the ceiling and I can’t manage to cut it with any of my various utility blades – so I’m leaving it for now. I don’t want to pull the ceiling down on my head. Yet. It’s going to be a long time before I get around to plaster repair.
Oooooh! Original, but unsalvageable, anaglypta. (That wall is coming down.)
The rough plan is to knock a door through from my bedroom (after I take out the bathtub in the way), and knock through into what was a pantry (behind the wall above) in the second-floor kitchen, and put a bath/shower there.
Hallway to the bath. No, the chimney cupboard doesn’t usually live there.
The door at the back right above is how one currently gets into the bathroom, and the picture is snapped from just outside my bedroom door. The wall straight ahead is the side of the old pantry; that wall is toast. The door to the left is the entryway to the former kitchen, which will become a stupidly large laundry room/second bathroom sometime before the next presidential election (giving me two things to which to look forward). In the meantime, the plumber is going to do the rough-ins…so I’m tearing out that room, too.
Below is the current floor plan(ish). The red line in the hall will be a new wall; the red in the wall will be the new door. Then the hallway (and old pantry) becomes part of my en suite bath. The one possible structural fly in my ointment is that the wall on the right of the hall – the one into which I’m putting a large opening for the shower (basically, doubling the size of the current doorway) – is load-bearing. There are king studs and big beams in my future. Or perhaps my future holds a massive pile of bricks formerly in the shape of a house.
I don’t really have the whole plan worked out yet (like what the heck to do about the pesky HVAC duct). I just had to break something.
Rude Mechanicals Press Blog 
The 19-teens house I had in Detroit had the ceilings covered with canvas and a skim coat of plaster. I suppose an easy way to hide all the defects.
Good therapy.
Yeah, tearing down tacky gilt work seems like the appropriate exercise for the moment.
With ya on feeling the need to break stuff
Good for you for donating too. Good luck with future destruction and fixing.
Those are some truly commendable charities Meghan! I noticed Nick Offerman is also venting some of his frustration by fundraising for the ACLU. I fear Planned Parenthood is on its way out, or will be greatly diminished over the next four years.
As for your renovation plans, they look great! I’m in the throngs of a scaled-down bathroom remodel on our third floor. I don’t have the money for a plumber, so I’m constrained by “Brian’s Rule of Plumbing”: NEVER MOVE A DRAIN. I’m glad to hear you’ve got a pro doing the rough-ins; I think that’s the most frustrating part of plumbing for many DIY renovations.
Looking forward to seeing this project as it evolves!
Oops – no “H” in Megan. Sorry about that!
One of the other M’s in my life has been harping on me for the past year that she DOES have an “H” because I always omit it when writing to her. At least now I’ve pinpointed the person whose name I read so much that I thought all Megan’s were sans the silent letter!
I don’t have the money either… but I’m doing it anyway 🙂
Fitzy/Schwarz 2020 campaign?
Good luck Megan. This too shall pass…
Good lord no.
That is the problem with this country. Anybody who is capable of doing the job wants nothing to do with the mess that it brings. So, we are stuck with choices we have.
I too wanted to destroy something lately. But I decided I would rather finish my Welsh stick chair before I forget how.
I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, Megan! I hope to see you again, soon.
J
I always want to break something so… instead, I’m finishing the trim-out in my new kitchen. I say mine because I do 99.9% of the cooking. She boils eggs and can make a mean grilled cheese sandwich. To her credit, she’s good at feng-shui, color coordination AND telling me what to do next. Still, I love her.
Addressing your frustration, just keep saying to yourself, as I do, “Warren 2020 Warren 2020 Warren 2020…”
I, on the other hand, have been smiling for the last two weeks. Good luck with your bathroom.