Hello there, my friends. Today I’d like to talk about one of the first bathrooms I renovated. This was one of my first paid clients’ bathrooms, and I was overjoyed to have designed it. As a result, this is still one of my favorite design jobs to this day. This was a job I did about 15 years ago, and of course, all of my photos were taken with a disposable camera. As a result, I’m going to apologize right away for the poor photography.
Project: Cheney Family Bathroom.
Location: Buffalo NY
Year: 2006
Here is the bathroom Before:
This is the window that greets you as you enter the bathroom.
The tub following the removal of the old tile
The fear of designing The First Bathrooms I Renovated
I was afraid not because I didn’t know how to do it, but because it was for a paid client. Remember, I had already designed my own bathroom, which is why I was hired to do my clients’. There were many ups and downs in this bathroom. I had no real contractors because I was a new designer. As a result, all of the renovation work was done by myself, my husband, and my father-in-law.
My clients didn’t have a lot of money in the beginning, but I didn’t mind. I was only concerned that I had the opportunity to do it. My client, on the other hand, was not cheap. She really wanted me to do well in her bathroom, so she gave me a good budget back then.
The good, the bad, and the downright ugly of renovating this bathroom.
To begin, there were some ups and downs, but let’s start with the downright ugly. As I previously stated, there were no contractors at the time, so I had to enlist the help of my husband and his father. Marks’ father was an expert woodworker who knew his way around a construction site. In fact, before I knew him, he ran a business called Key and Cleary Construction.
However, this was no longer what he was doing. He was, in fact, a retired teacher, and Mark worked as a district manager for the Buffalo News. And what about me? I was a visionary designer and dreamer. So, needless to say, we weren’t the dream team for renovating.
In the house, there is only one bathroom.
My client only had one bathroom in the whole house, so this job had to be done quickly. This was downright ugly of renovating this bathroom. This wasn’t a little makeover, this was a full gut job and I thought I could get it done in a week. Friends, when I tell you I was ambitious, I was. My client and her family left to go on vacation for a week, and for some reason, I told her it would be done when she got home.
You’ll probably figure that wasn’t the case, and it wasn’t. As a result, that made for an upset client, and I understood. However, I totally underestimated the work of this renovation. The downright and ugly thing was that at that moment, I let my client down.
Let’s get to the good stuff about the first bathrooms I renovated.
Anyway, I had big plans for this bathroom, and as a new designer, I was going to make them come true. First and foremost, I wanted the walls to be gorgeous and unique, so I chose wainscoting. Who, on the other hand, was going to do this part of the job for me because God knows, I didn’t know how? Keep in mind that my contractors were my husband and his father. My father-in-law is incredible.
He finished it quickly and precisely. Every measurement was precise, and no corners were cut. The wainscoting was completed. My father-in-law had pulled off a win for our non-renovating team.
You can see the wainscoting pretty well here. This was basically board and batten done to perfection.
The floors
I was overjoyed because I had made the curtains myself. This fabric was the first item I discovered for this bathroom, which accounts for the vibrant colors. Occasionally, inspiration comes from something as simple as a pattern on a piece of fabric.
I’m almost sure that the blue bowl that is on the back of the toilet is no longer there.
My first choice for The Bathroom
If you look closely at the fabric, you’ll notice that the window served as a jumping-off point for the bathroom. I adore the fabric and felt compelled to make this room work with the pattern’s blue-green and white colors. My client was not interested in being involved in the selection process; she simply wanted me to do what I do. As a result, if you’re going to leave it in my hands, I’m going to do whatever I want.
There is nothing wrong with delegating tasks to your designer if you admire their work. However, I always encourage my clients to communicate their preferences for a space to me because, at the end of the day, they are the ones who will live there, not me.
Now, let’s get back to the bathroom. Here are some more pictures of the first bathrooms I renovated.
The original tub was retained, but a new tile surround was installed. I adore the tile with the waterfall. It’s lovely and fashionable. Another one that I adore is the white tile with the pattern.
A whole lot of cuteness1
I remember being overjoyed just to be able to get a chair in the bathroom at the time. That chair is a shade of green that I painted. It was completely white.
I am at a loss for words when it comes to the wainscoting. I absolutely love it.
Another look at the bathroom tile!
An even closer look.
So cute!
There’s a shimmer to the floor tile, and I wish you could see it. Although this was an expensive purchase, I was able to reduce the amount I needed by cutting it into strips. Remember that you don’t have to utilize the entire amount whenever you want to include something that you adore in a place. As the saying goes, “less is more.”
The end result was a satisfied client.
When we couldn’t do the task in the week I promised, my client became quite discouraged. However, as time passed, everyone, including my client, understood how much effort a bathroom renovation entailed. We all learned that excellent work cannot be rushed and that it is a process. Have you ever had a bathroom renovated? If you completed it within a week, please provide me with your contact information so that I may recruit you. In all seriousness, it was a process that I’m glad I learned early on, and it taught me a lot of valuable lessons. Here are a few things I discovered along the way.
- Never make a promise you can’t keep
- Bring in the experts from the beginning
- Always prepare for the worst
- Don’t underestimate the job
- Bring in a professional photographer to capture the job
As I previously stated, my client was satisfied in the end, and I am grateful for that. In fact, after working on her bathroom, she hired me for a number of other jobs. Like her, I adore this bathroom, and even more so, the lessons it has taught me.
Believe it or not, I have some sources from this job that I can refer to, such as.
- Elite Trimworks Inc. for the wainscoting
- The Tile shop for the higher end tile on the floor
- Joanne Fabrics/ window covering
- Home depot/
It is really funny how I kept some of my old notes from The First Bathrooms I Renovated. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my previous work, and that you realize that that was then and this is now. I was a novice back then, but now I’m an expert at what I do. If you are interested in my services, please contact me.
If you liked The First Bathrooms I Renovated or want to know more about bathroom renovations check out these posts below.
- How to Create a Bathroom Design Budget
- I am displaying my previous portfolio
- How to Design a Bathroom Wisely
- Dated Bathroom: Behind The Scenes Part 1
- Behind the Scenes of a Dated Bathroom, Part 2
Key Interiors by Shinay is a Full-Service creative interior design firm specializing in creating beautiful homes from the ground up. We work with busy professionals and couples on all stages of their design projects, including new construction, renovations, and design. Want to work together? Book a 30-minute discovery call with us here.
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