Web Analytics

Deuce Cities Henhouse

Bathroom Plan : Take Two


Hey Team, How’s it going? Welp, here I am, still talking about my dang basement bathroom again. I’m sorry, I’m that jerk that just can’t follow through. Now I’m ready though, I’m really seriously ready.

My plan is slightly different than the last time around. Before I was committed to black matte penny tile on the floor, and this 2.0 version includes some dark blue flooring options. I just sat down last night and pounded out a solid budget, and we’re going to see this bathroom through this time! Please allow me to refresh your memory… Last year we had the basement remodeled, and by that I mean completely gutted and rebuilt. There had always been a bathroom in the basement but it was tiny and gross, and nothing you would actually take a shower in (believe me, we didn’t). Our main focus was just the basement last year, our budget only stretched so far. Our basement plans however did include having the plumbing roughed in, the bathroom framing done, dry wall installed, concrete shower pan laid, electric run, exhaust fan inserted, and cement board in the shower. Right now it functions as a large dark toilet room.

So you know where I am going with this. I am ready to get the ball rolling on the tiling (so much tiling), sink, faucet and shower head install, and constructing built-in storage. As soon as I whip out all the stuff we can have this bathroom functioning as our guest bath/boys’ bathroom. Guest bath because we don’t have a powder room on the main floor, and boys’ bathroom because someday I’d like have to have the 2nd floor bathroom be a dedicated adults only zone.

There are a few design things in the bathroom that I know will happen, for one, we will be installing a Kohler Brockway sink with two faucets. I had my worker dudes rough in the plumbing and add lots of framing and supports within the walls to hold the weight of that babe-of-a cast iron sink. All the detail stuff is there, I just need the sink. Kohler makes them new, which is great as a fall back, but I’d love to run into a vintage version so that I could save a little scratch. I could see this taking down our 4k budget by at least 10%-15%, so it would be super great if we could magically find one. I’ve been hunting the local salvage shop every month this summer and haven’t found it yet. So if you know where I could find one, throw a gal a bone!

Other things I know about: I will be hanging two pendant lights on either side of the sink. It will be way too pretty to be a boys bathroom, but pretty enough for the guests who might have to use it. I’ll either purchase them direct from Rejuvenation, or maybe I’ll try and make my own pendant wonderfulnesses.

Lastly, there will be subway tile! I went back and forth on this, but now that I am beginning to lock in what may be the most wonderful blue floor ever, a simple subway tile with black grout seems like it would be a nice compliment. Yeah guys, the floors. So I am thinking real hard about tiling the floors with a dark navy concrete hexagon tile! Oh my gad, couldn’t it be the best? I want more dark blue in the basement and I think the bathroom floor could be the perfect spot for it.

The question is, can I handle installing cement tile? I’m a little scared, but I’ve been scared of doing stuff before and I’ve managed to come out on top. I think I can do this. The hexagon cement tile is from cletile.com. It is polished and sealed before they ship it, so the finish will hold up better during the install. It still needs to be sealed in the end, but I like the security blanket of having the tiles come with some protection before they are handed off to me. I’ll have to make all the cuts with a tile saw, which is fine – I’ve got some pals that can lend me theirs! But I have no idea how they handle being cut, do they chip easily, will it take me all the cuts to get it right? Tell me if there are there things I should know about before sending all my money through the wires of the internet to a tile company far far away to receive a special tile that I have never used before? If anyone out there has experience with cement (aka encaustic tiles), please let me know. I’d love to be told a thing or two.

The project right now is hinging on what I decide for the floor tile, once I fully commit, I can order the tile, wait 8-10 weeks and then begin the install. See it’s just so easy (not really). After that I can knock out the subway tile on the walls, find and install that sink, learn to be a plumber, build shelving, and wire up lighting.

20 comments
in Bathroom, Inspiration
20 comments… add one
  • Anna August 25, 2016

    This is exciting! I can’t wait to see it progress.
    It may have been asked/answered before, but what do you use to render your mockups?

    • Scoops August 25, 2016

      Hey Anna! I’ve used Sketchup for my basement mockup, it’s not intuitive at all, I watched a bunch of youtube videos and figured out the basics. It was a great tool when it came down to designing the basement and describing exactly what I wanted to the general contractor.

      • Anna August 25, 2016

        Wow! I’ve actually played aorund with sketchup before when I was designing a baby gate. I need to step up my game…

  • libby August 25, 2016

    Ohhhh HAI DREAM BATHROOM REALIZED! :D
    My husband and I are redoing the bathroom upstairs and this is pretty much exactly what I was trying to describe but he wasn’t picking up on it.
    Thank you for this. ;)

    • Scoops August 25, 2016

      Ha, for sure! Great minds ;)

  • Jordana @WhiteCabana August 25, 2016

    Yes! Go for it!!! Gorgeous!

  • yasmara August 25, 2016

    Katie Bower from the blog Bower Power did a whole blog on installing cement tile on the floor (maybe even a series?). Super, super detailed with tons of pros/cons.

    • Scoops August 29, 2016

      Oooh, thanks for the heads up, I will definitely check that out!

  • Amy August 25, 2016
    • Scoops August 29, 2016

      I have seen these sinks and I think they also look great, but I am mad committed to the Kohler, I’ve got all the plumbing just ready and waiting for it ;)

  • Amy G. August 26, 2016

    oh man!! Looks amazing, good luck with everything!!! I admire your design/follow-through/building skills!!!!

    • Scoops August 29, 2016

      Thanks Amy! Let’s hope I can deliver on that follow-through bit ;) Thank you!

  • Jana August 26, 2016

    I love the navy floors! The whole plan looks like a dream. I hope you manage to find a sink at a great deal too. I love those beauties too!

    • Scoops August 29, 2016

      Yes! I’m glad people don’t think I am crazy with the navy floors. I still haven’t pulled the trigger with ordering, but I am so close. I just need to do a little bit more internet research and then I’ll be ready!

  • Alyssa August 29, 2016

    This looks great!!! I like the switch to the large blue hexagon tiles. It will be beautiful, classic, and unique.
    I helped a friend install some large black hexagon tiles and it turned out so elegantly. Penny tiles are cute,but (as a fellow parent of two boys) the less grout lines the better for boys of any age.

    • Scoops August 29, 2016

      Good point! I wasn’t even considering the functionality of fewer grout lines. Another reason to go for it ;) I was however going to do black grout just for that boy reason.

  • Diane August 30, 2016

    Looks like a beautiful plan! A word of caution: A navy blue tile floor is never going to look clean. It shows up every bit of dust, hair, etc. And it shows water spots. I had a navy blue tile floor in a kitchen and spent a lot of time vacuuming and polishing it with windex. Or closing my eyes and pretending none of it mattered!

  • Elizabeth September 14, 2016

    your kitchen design is gorgeous! we of course love cement tile and we have lots of cement tile resources that may help you in your decision to take the leap or not. http://info.cletile.com/resources/cement_tile

    have you ordered a sample yet? if you sign up for an account you will receive a code for a couple of free samples.

    best,
    the clé team

  • Elizabeth Fein September 14, 2016

    your kitchen design is gorgeous! we of course love cement tile and we have lots of cement tile resources that may help you in your decision to take the leap or not. http://info.cletile.com/resources/cement_tile

    have you ordered a sample yet? if you sign up for an account you will receive a code for a couple of free samples.

    best,
    the clé team

Leave a Comment