Grouted

grout eidos ambar and area
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

We have grout on all the walls. The tiler was a little concerned and a wee bit confused because I told him the silver grout was for the walls but when he mixed it it didn't resemble anything silver at all - it's more like a sandy beige.
I don't pick the names, only the colours.
He's gonna have fun with the one for the floor tomorrow: summer wheat. Summer wheat? Toasted barley would be more like it.
As long as it matches the floor tiles I'm happy.

More shopping

Because I was frustrated that the vanity didn't go in yesterday, which meant I couldn't order the countertop for it, I had the "spendies". That's when I have the money, the time and the energy to purchase something and nothing is going to deter me. I could have bought something cheap, like a bar of chocolate, but I didn't think that was going to satisfy my craving - it had to be something bathroom related.
So I threw the dogs in the car and headed off to the fancy fixture place in town where, as luck would have it, the guy who delivered my shower base was just finishing with a customer. He asked if I'd had it installed yet and mentioned how he loved his and the teak insert he'd ordered. Teak insert. That would slay the spendies good and dead. A few questions about the durability and slipperiness of the wood and all my concerns about the slatted base were laid to rest and then the clincher: you don't have to clean the base as often.
Done, sold and sated. I'm much happier now.I can go back to dreaming about non-essentials like this.

Noncompliant Dogs

sadie lounging
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

I was so fed up of the kitchen looking like an animal doss house that I ordered two Fatboy modern dog beds from Design Public. If you clicked the link you will have seen the extremely cute black lab lounging on his red Fatboy bed.
Maybe my dogs didn't like the colours I chose (lime green and brown), although dogs are colour-blind aren't they? Maybe I didn't adjust the stuffing enough for their comfort. But they have flat-out refused to have anything to do with them. I have resorted to putting blankets on top of the beds to entice them, which sort of defeats the purpose but nothing works.
Here is a nice photo showing the dent that Sadie made when she stepped over the dog bed on her way to find a better place to sprawl out and here is Polly ignoring her bed.


Steven suggests I give in and give them their old duvets back but I'm persevering for a while. I want a sleek, modern kitchen with sleek, modern dog beds and I'm not prepared to give up yet.

Measure twice, cut once

not enough room
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

We installed the girls' bath vanity this afternoon, at least we attempted to. I swear I measured this space at least five times: length, height, width, every which way. I measured the plumbing also, but only once and obviously NOT correctly. I need an extra two inches on the left. Bugger.










So far I have come up with two solutions:
1) Notch out the back of the cabinet three inches; remove middle drawer, cut 6" off back and bottom of middle drawer, glue and clamp back shortened front to back piece.
2) Move the water pipe right 2.5"
I knew we had to move the vanity over an inch and put in a filler so we could open the drawers but I never thought it would be 2" short.
Damn imperial tape measure! Metric is so much more precise. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Heavy Glass

That's what we have ordered for the boys' bath shower. I thought that all glass was "heavy" but it seems also to be the technical term for the glass used to make the frameless shower doors. We ended up going local and chose clear glass with polished chrome handles from The Shower Door in Huntington. They were the only people to demonstrate the special hinge that stops the door from swinging out too vigorously, which is very important in this household of really clumsy people. I was worried that someone might push the door too hard coming out of the shower and smash it on the wall. Now I can breathe easier.
Although it's ordered they can't take precise measurements until we have grouted and the grout has cured for 48 hours. So realistically it will be Monday at the earliest before the order is processed and then it will be "two weeks", which I take to mean four weeks to manufacture the doors. I was assured because ours is simple- just two pieces of glass, really - it should only be two weeks. But I was also told that the vanity would take 10 days to make and that was back in January, many, many "ten days" ago.

Toto Toilet @ Prime, Huntington, NY

Toto Toilet @ Prime, Huntington, NY
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

We went for brunch at Prime Restaurant in Huntington, NY. The decor is gorgeous, warm woods, cool marble, blazing fireplaces and a killer view over Huntington Harbor. But the best surprise was the restroom. Not only do they have motion sensor swan-neck vessel faucets, but they also have my Toto Nexus toilet. And yes, I did lift the lid off the tank and it was installed with the Toto G-max fill valve. I shall be telling the plumber this next time I see him.

Floor Tiles Are In

boys' bath floor in
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

Just a little update. The floor is in. Hurrah. I worried it would be too dark but it's perfect. It echoes the tones in the redwood floor , the great room ceiling and those umbrella stand lamps.
The tiler did say that I was challenging him when he saw the 24"x17" Porcelanosa Ferroker floor tiles, and I have to say that I do not know how he managed to hold them and make the cuts necessary to go around the toilet wastepipe. Even carrying them upstairs was a challenge. Those babies are heavy.
On Monday he will finish the wall tiling, then grout and then the glass door guy can come and measure. He has me a little worried though; he isn't sure how they are going to drill through the wall tiles to hang the doors because the Area tiles are so hard. That doesn't bode well for the towel bar and robe hook either.
What kind of drill cuts through really hard tiles, anyone? Diamond, do you think? We went through this with Pete the Floor Guy and the redwood floor. He had to go buy a whole new blade for his saw. I guess this will be the same. I'm off to research drill bits.

Spoiler Alert-injured toe pic below (fuzzy)

Yep, I managed not to hurt myself at all doing the demolition on the boys' bath, not with the flying shards of tile, not even carrying the heavy stuff out to the curb. Then we farmed out the trade work, plumbing, electrical and tiling so I couldn't injure myself there could I? Well, I suppose I could have dropped a 24"x17" Ferroker floor tile on my foot while appreciating its beautiful bronze and pewter tones but, no, I managed to photograph it without crushing anything vital (or breaking the tile) so kudos to me.
Yesterday evening, though, I was excitedly running upstairs to see what the tiler had done during the day, when I failed to leave enough clearance between my toes and the baby gate we use to keep the dogs out of the tiler's way. It hurt like hell and this morning it is a pretty shade of purple. Can't bend it either.
Worst is, I can't brag that I did it engaged in a house renovation project. It was just a clumsy moment. Bah.

Tiling 3/4 done

Just a quick update on the boys' bath. Tiling is about three-quarters complete. It's so pretty and light that I more relaxed already.
As you come up the stairs you can see the light flooding out of the room and then the trees reflected on the tiles. That's so cool and an unexpected bonus. Such a difference from the previous "crazy bat cave" theme we had going on before.

The annual swarm

The clocks have sprung forward and the temperature is nearly 60F so it must be spring, right? I wasn't convinced because I like to go by the equinox but when I looked out of my bathroom window this morning I noticed this beauty. At the moment it's only tiny so we will need to get rid of it pronto.
Every year it's the same, they build 'em, we knock 'em down. A kind of renewal of the earth ritual, involving sacifice and slaughter. These guys are getting craftier. The first year they were in the weeping juniper, which is a good 15' from the house and easy to spray and remove. Last year they were under the garage overhang - a quick bang with a stick into a waiting sack and they were gone. This time we are going to have to get on a ladder, on Saturday when the temperature is set to plummet 30 degrees to below freezing and we may be blanketed by a late snowstorm too.
I'm looking forward to it. Let battle commence.

Bathroom Tile

Boys' bath tile
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

Real progress was made yesterday. The tiler was concerned it wasn't going fast enough, but he had to straighten the wall before he started and work out a pattern for the window to solve the pesky problem of possible future water leaks form the shower. So I was really happy he got a whole wall done.
I was going for a totally clean look with the glossy 12" tiles but I actually like this. The wall behind the vanity and toilet will be tiled with the mosaic and the other walls with the large field tile. It just adds another accent. I love it when we have a happy solution to a problem. I love it more when we can discuss it rationally and come to an agreement that suits us both.
I finally found out why the plumber installed a generic fill valve in the new Toto toilet rather than Toto's patented G-max system. He says the G-max is an inferior copy of this $10 Korky fill valve and he'll install the Toto one in the next toilet if I want because he'll be happy to get a call to repair it when it breaks down in two years' time.
If he'd told me that at the time, I could have decided whether to try it or trust him but he didn't, nor did he tell me he was ignoring my precise instruction to install the shower base as we'd discussed because he knew better. Working with the plumber is stressful because he doesn't communicate and he complains about everything from the choice of fixtures to the placement of the pipes. Mostly he complains that I'm European and haven't chosen Kohler or American Standard fixtures. Hmm, I'm not about to apologise for either the land of my birth or my taste. But at least he doesn't make fun of my accent like one guy we had (very temporarily) working for us.
Enough rant, I love my tiles, I can't wait for it to be finished so I can see the total effect.

Framed

framed house plans
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

The real remodelers do actual framing, lite remodelers get the plans framed.
Well, at least people will be able to orient themselves before they go off exploring the house.
This was Steven's birthday present. Happy Birthday honey.

Challenges

If you live in a twelve-sided house, one of your walls is going to be off, probably by a lot. That's a given, and today we found out which one. Of course it's the boys' bathroom wall, the one that you see as you come up the landing. And the bigger the tile the more obvious it will be. And that window in the middle is going to complicate things too. I'm beginning to understand why the original owners went for a busy broken pattern - it's much easy to hide the flaws that way.
The tiler is attempting to mitigate the problem right now, which involves a lot of "oh, c'mon" and "gee whizz", both of which he apologised for. If I were tiling that wall it would be more like "@#!&" and "%~/*". In fact just thinking about it makes my language more creative. And I'm resisting the temptation to run upstairs every five minutes to see how he's getting along, which is also very stressful. I've got a serious case of remodeler's remorse. Right now I can't remember why we started this remodel, the old tiles looked fine didn't they?
At least we've come up with a creative solution for the window frame, involving the accent tile. I think it's going to look ok, of course I hope it will look fabulous, but I'll settle for straight and tasteful.

The new window, same as the old window

bath window exterior
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

But without the fogging, with low argon, and fully operable. An open window over the shower, it's going to be a huge novelty. We only have to work out a tiny design dilemma, to wit: how to finish the tiles neatly around it. I'm leaning towards a small trim abutting the tiles rather than the 2" piece by that was there before. Small is usually better. If a bullnose had been available, I might have been persuaded to go with that but luckily, because I hate bullnoses, Porcelanosa doesn't have anything that will match the tiles.
The new window, like all the replacements in the house is by Marvin.

New profile photo

I haven't really calmed down enough about the Toto installation (or the shower base install* for that matter) to blog about it. At the moment I'm alternating between tears, swearing and sang froid, all the signs of grief, I have to note. I am too emotionally invested in this project.
But in the interest of looking at things in a more positive light I have changed the photo on my profile from the original photo I took of the back of the house on the day of the "walk through" April 2004, to one I took last year (2006) with the new paint and stain.

Just to remind myself that some contractors do a bang-on job, and that we have made at least one positive contribution to the renovation of our home.


*it looks like a Bugatti with a Trabi hubcap

Freakin' plumber

is making Jane freak out. This morning I went to take out the trash and I noticed that the Toto G-max fill valve was still in the Toto toilet box. Now that was surprising because the toilet had been flushed three times by the plumber before he left. I ran inside and opened up the tank and there was an ordinary Fieldmaster fill valve inside. Why? Why would anyone take a piece of equipment specifically designed to work with the toilet and replace it with some generic thing?
I rang Toto to see what would happen if we left the Fieldmaster in there and they said it would affect the fill rate and eventually the flow of the toilet. Great. I ordered the Toto is because the G-max has a great reputation and because all the plumbers like them. This plumber told me it was a "good" toilet. So once again why? I'll be asking him to explain and then install it as it was meant to be installed, but only when I've calmed down.

Welcome Toto Nexus

New toilet
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

It's so slim and shiny and clean. Isn't that the prettiest wc you've ever seen?
Okay, the Toto Neorest (tagline:Sophisticated Sensuality) is possibly more impressive but at a retail price between $3200 and $5600 depending on model I'm unlikely to do a proper comparison. Plus, the Neorest has a remote control. Who needs a remote control in the bathroom? The possibilities for losing that thing would be endless and probably quite expensive. And this bathroom is only 5'x8'. The Neorest lid opens as you approach it and flushes as you leave. In a space that small it would be constantly opening, flushing and closing. We'd probably wear it out in a six-month.

More gems from the plumber

One thing the plumber asks that is guaranteed to make modernemama freak out:
"Did you measure this?"
The answer was: I measured it; my husband measured it; two contractors measured it and YOUR DAD measured it.
"Well, I'd better check, it looks big.....hey, what d'you know, it just fits"
Good, now if I could just remember how to breathe again.

Things you are relieved to hear your plumber say:
1) "There's nothing difficult about this, it's just different"
2) "The base went in"
3) "Let's break for lunch"

Do all plumbers moan?

new grohe shower valve
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

Five Things You Don't Want To Hear Your Plumber Say

1) I've never seen one of those before
2) I've never installed one of those before
3) I don't know how we are gonna install that
4) That's too heavy for the wall
5) That drain won't fit

I heard all of those on Friday afternoon. The offending items were: 1,4 the Grohe Freehander and 2,3,5 the mti-whirlpool shower base, both of which had been approved by the plumber's father (also our plumber).
They are coming back on Monday morning to install the toilet in the other bathroom and put in the shower base in this bath. I can't wait.

Bye Bye Green Vanity

bye bye green vanity
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

I'm missing you already. You and your faux marble top (that weighed a ton) and matching Kohler avocado toilet, which, according to the plumber must have weighed 300lbs. They don't make them like that anymore.

Now we just have this little hole in the floor, and a scrap of that wallpaper insert on the vanity on the wall. It must have looked really, truly groovy in 1970.