Young House Love

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Day One Of Our Big Bathroom Makeover For Granny

There are almost always three main steps to the room makeovers that we tackle, and depending on the scope/depth of them, they can take a few days or a few months (ok, and sometimes we jump around so much that things take years). Either way, the order seems to go like so:

  • prep/planning (brainstorming, picking a color palette, going shopping, priming, sanding, spackling)
  • bigger upgrades (painting walls, refinishing or painting cabinets, laying new flooring, etc)
  • finishing touches (curtains, new hardware, art, accessories – all the things that add “you” to the space)

So when John’s mom mentioned his grandma’s half bathroom could use a little makeover we got to put those three steps into action. It resulted in a three day bathroom blitz that involved two seven hour drives and some obligatory midnight painting (thank goodness John’s parents traveled with us to keep Clara busy and happy). First you should meet Granny. She lives in Huntington, West Virginia, and is one of the happiest, kindest women you’ll ever meet. Here she is holding baby Clara for the first time:

GrannyOne Clara Meeting Granny

And you know we love to share the day-by-day play-by-play, so with further ado, here’s what our To-Do list looked like for our turbo-charged three-day project (along with guesses about when we’d actually tackle things in parenthesis after each line item):

  • Brainstorm colors & go shopping for accessories (Day 1)
  • Spackle/sand/caulk everything to prep the room for paint (Day 1)
  • Rebuild the cabinets a bit so they look more balanced (Day 1)
  • Prime and paint the cabinets for a more updated and open look (Day 1 & 2)
  • Paint the entire room, including the ceiling (Day 2)
  • Fix a few issues, like a rusted duct and an old dingy corner below the sink (Day 2)
  • Redo the floors, which were that old sheet laminate stuff (Day 2)
  • Revive some hardware/accessories with a fresh finish (Day 2)
  • Make & hang curtains to add some charm (Day 3)
  • Bring in some meaningful art (Day 3)
  • Add some functional/personal accessories to finish things off (Day 3)
  • Reveal the whole shebang for Granny, who promised not to peek beforehand (Day 3)

Here’s her charming 1920’s house, which they’ve in since the 1940’s so John’s mom and her siblings all grew up here. John’s late grandfather (“Papa”) actually did a lot of the handiwork himself over the years so there are lots of stories and memories tied to this place.

GrannyOne 0 Grannys House

In fact, it was Papa who converted an old kitchen pantry into this little half bathroom! So everything from adding the plumbing to the electrical was all him. But that was decades ago, and the room was looking ready for an update, especially thanks to some wallpaper that Granny was “ready to tear off the walls” herself (at 90 years old, she still has that DIY spirit running through her veins, by the way). So here’s what the room looked like before the wallpaper was removed:

GrannyOne 1 Before Sink

GrannyOne 2 Before Drawers

Thanks to Granny, our Aunt Ellen, and our Uncle Dean, the wallpaper was all miraculously removed before we arrived around dinnertime – just in time to work the night away prepping the rest of the room. But not knowing our store options in Huntington, we did some shopping before we left, including a mad dash into HomeGoods for some items we thought could work (we over-bought, knowing we could return whatever she didn’t need). We also knew Granny might have some of the items that we grabbed, so ideally we would get to use some of the new stuff, and some of her existing stuff, for a nice mix (and some nice savings).

GrannyOne 3 Shopping Cart

We also stopped at our favorite fabric outlet (U-fab) and grabbed a yard of pretty floral-printed fabric that felt a lot like Granny (it’s made by Braemore, for anyone looking for it) to make sweet little cafe curtains for the one small window in the bathroom. Here’s that fabric with some of the accessories we picked up, just so you can see where we were “going” in our brains:

GrannyOne 4 Fabric Frame

We also stopped into Home Depot and grabbed some new flooring (which you’ll see more of during Day Two) and we used our seven hour drive to brainstormed a few other ideas for the space while we took in the road trip scenery (slash kept a pooch and a toddler occupied).

GrannyOne 5 Driving There

Here’s what the room looked like when we arrived. It was already looking worlds better with just the wallpaper being gone.

GrannyOne 6 Wallpaperless Sink

GrannyOne 7 Wallpaperless Drawers

Apparently the paper came down with just a little tugging, so that was the good news. But without the wallpaper, some areas of the room actually looked even more worse for wear… like the bottom corner of the sink, the burned outlet, and the rusted vent on the other side of the pedestal sink.

GrannyOne 8 Problem Areas Under Sink

Yup, there were definitely some areas that needed attending to…

GrannyOne 9 Gunk Along Sink

So we got right down to business. My job was cutting all of the old caulk out. It’s a step that doesn’t look much better immediately (sometimes it looks worse)…

GrannyONe 10 Gunk Cleaned Up

…  but once we get some fresh caulk and painting done, it looks as good as new.

Speaking of cutting out caulk in general, it’s amazing how much of it there can be. Just look at my pile after tackling the sink, the baseboards, and other random corners that also had bits of leftover wallpaper and cracked flooring:

GrannyOne 11 Pile Of Gunk

I actually ended up using an entire tube of caulk in this tiny space! Everything from the baseboards to that area around the sink and the doorway/window trim got some fresh caulk. It’s definitely a tedious job, but so worth it for a polished look.

Then it was on to spackling and sanding. We just used regular old Dap spackle (with the blue lid) and a spackle knife, and pressed it into every crack and crevice, working our way around the room. Sometimes I’ll sand something before I spackle it, just if there’s something hanging off (ex: a flake of plaster) so I get a better finished look and a less crumbly foundation under my spackle job.

GrannyOne 12 Sherry Sanding Wall

Meanwhile, John was off doing some wood cutting in the middle of the kitchen. I guess this is what happens when you don’t have your usual workspace and tools with you?

GrannyOne 13 John Cutting Board

He was cutting a small plank of wood to cover a gap in the top of Granny’s cabinets since they’re actually two cabinets pushed together and topped with an old hollow-core door. So we filled the gap for a seamless look by nailing the plank into the 2 x 4 pieces that were already there to support the counter.

GrannyOne 14 How Board Attaches

It would of course look more seamless once it was painted, which meant it was time to remove the hardware and prime those cabinets.

GrannyOne 15 Board Attached

Here’s John rolling on some primer (this post has a much more thorough rundown of how we prime and paint cabinets).

GrannyOne 16 Painting Drawers

And here are the drawer fronts all drying in Granny’s back-room-turned-cabinet-painting-studio:

GrannyOne 17 Drawer Fronts Painted

It took us a good four or five hours to prep the room as well as prime the cabinets and the countertop, so our to do list now looked like this (with little notes next to each remaining task about when we hoped to tackle them):

  • Brainstorm colors & go shopping for accessories (Day 1)
  • Spackle/sand/caulk everything to prep the room for paint (Day 1)
  • Rebuild the cabinets a bit so they look more balanced (Day 1)
  • Prime and paint the cabinets for a more updated and open look (Day 1 & 2)
  • Paint the entire room, including the ceiling (Day 2)
  • Fix a few issues, like a rusted duct and an old dingy corner below the sink (Day 2)
  • Redo the floors, which were that old sheet laminate stuff (Day 2)
  • Revive some hardware/accessories with a fresh finish (Day 2)
  • Make & hang curtains to add some charm (Day 3)
  • Bring in some meaningful art (Day 3)
  • Add some functional/personal accessories to finish things off (Day 3)
  • Reveal the whole shebang for Granny (Day 3)

We had high hopes that we could bang everything out in our three day blitz, and we were really happy with our end-of-Day-1 result. A nice fresh clean slate to start gussying up in the morning. So it was off to bed exactly at midnight, after a very full day of shopping, driving, prepping, and priming.

GrannyOne 19 Clock

We’ll be back with the full Day 2 rundown tomorrow, we just have to edit some photos (um yeah, we might have taken 1,294 in just three days…). Are there any other bathroom updates going on? Or shopping/prepping/brainstorming? Have you ever done a little room makeover for someone you love? It sounds weird, but it was even more fun than doing something like this for ourselves because the excitement of the big reveal for Granny got us so dorked up and giddy.

Comments

  8. danika says

    My husband and just bought our first house – it was his great-great aunt’s home {she passed away in February}; a half bath and the tub-room have the same floral wallpaper as John’s Granny’s bathroom! And unfortunately, it did not come off easily for me, reinforcing how much I hate wallpaper. :)

    So excited to see how Granny’s bathroom turns out!

    Reply

  9. Morgen says

    Please tell me you aren’t going to throw away the cabinet pulls! We are renovating a 1965 mid century modern ranch and know how amazing those knobs are to find! Sell them or donate them please. You will make a renovators day :)

    I look forward to seeing all of your progress!

    Reply

  10. Riki says

    Perfect timing for this post! I am starting a major bathroom reno this week.

    Currently my bathroom has: a pink (yes, pink) tub, a crimson red tile floor, and horrible gray tile on the walls. Oh, and a gray toilet and gold fixtures.

    I’m getting rid of the tub, building a custom shower, and putting in a bunch of lovely (modern!) grey tile. It’s not a DIY job but I happen to have a father who specializes in building custom tile bathrooms so I’ve convinced him to build me one. :)

    There is NOTHING better than a fresh bathroom.

    Reply

  12. Kristen @ LoveK says

    How sweet of you two to give Granny’s bathroom a makeover! I can’t wait to see how the unique space turns out!

    P.S. Do you have any posts discussing how you caulk around doors/trim? We’re needing to do that in our house and I’d love to read your tips!

    Reply

  15. Danielle says

    Looks like this bathroom is off to a great start! So glad you all got to take in some scenery. Both my husband and I are from WV. I am from Morgantown while he is from Charleston. We live in DE now and miss it terribly!

    Reply

  16. Michelle Kersey says

    Looking great thus far! Can’t wait to see day2! :D The impending surprise is so much fun with a makeover! I was stoked to surprise my son with his new bedroom last year :)

    Reply

  20. Reenie says

    How fun and sweet of you guys to help granny. It looks so much better with the wallpaper taken down. Can’t wait to see the updates and finished project.

    Reply

  23. Jennifer says

    I LOVE giving people surprises!! I bet she was thrilled! I hope we will see a video of it?!
    I feel like I’ve been working on my half bath for a year…oh that’s right I have! You can see the before here:http://www.refreshandrepurpose.blogspot.com/2012/09/window-inspiration.html I’m still waiting (I don’t know why, maybe my 3 children needing to eat breakfast lunch and dinner?) to finish my roman shade and do a reveal. But at least it’s only the shade I’m waiting on…I couldn’t live with that sink and the toilet was the first to go.

    Reply

  24. Kalyn Mace-Guilloux says

    So cute! Love it :) I lived in Huntington and never noticed that house (don’t know where it is, obviously), but it is SO beautiful outside. Whew. So cool to see DIY and beautiful homes run in the family.

    Reply

  27. Nora Rose says

    Can’t wait to see a flash bathroom update! We did our’s this winter in a weekend but I can’t wait to see what you guys do to see if there are any ideas we can use to spice our’s up!

    Reply

  28. notsupermum says

    Looks like an interesting little project and I’m looking forward to seeing the other two days work. I’m currently planning a newly extended downstairs bathroom/laundry room. I’m not sure what to do with it because it is essentially a new room.

    P.s. I had to look up the word ‘spackle’ it’s not a term used here in the UK.

    Reply

  30. carlotta says

    I’m the Italian girl who pre order your book, and I’m going to be in Huntington visiting friends today! it’s sucha small world.

    Reply

  31. Jessica H says

    Such a great thing for you guys to do! The front picture of the house exudes so much older home charm. Any chance we might get to see some of that great character in any of the other rooms?

    Reply

  33. Emily H says

    Hi guys!!

    Considering this house was built in the days of lead-paint-possibility, how do you handle room makeovers like this one? I’m in a rental in the Fan built in the 20s and want to ask my landlord if I can do some updates, but I’m worried about bad jujus I may stir up in the process! Thoughts?

    Thanks!! You guys rock! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thankfully the bathroom was converted/rebuilt after lead paint was an issue (the plumbing, walls, and paint were added much later by John’s grandpa) so we didn’t have to worry about it, but in older homes we either suggest zero sanding and just repainting everything (so no lead dust is released, which is actually the safety recommendation) or to use a lead paint test kit (Home Depot sells them for cheap, just to be sure) before you tackle anything. Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  34. Stephanie @ Legally Blinde says

    Oooh, I’m so excited for this “bathroom bootcamp” series! You guys are seriously inspiring. I live in an apartment in a very old building, and my bathroom (the tub/ tile surround, especially) could use some TLC. Now I’m considering re-caulking on my own… we’ll see, but it would definitely be a huge improvement. Can’t wait to see what else you guys did! Also, what a nice, generous thing to do for John’s grandma – I’m sure she and the rest of your family are beyond appreciative. It’s really nice that they already had the wallpaper stripped when you got there!

    Reply

  35. Esther says

    It’s so funny that your post today was about bathroom reno’s, because that is what has been on my mind this last weekend. I can’t wait to tackle our bathroom. Everytime I clean that room, I get the urge to tear everything out!
    Your Granny’s house looks absolutely charming!! Love the picket fence.
    Looking forward to the reveal!

    Reply

  36. Leigh Anne says

    Gahhhh! Can’t believe you guys were so close to me. We live in Charleston, we’re transplants( from Louisiana) but we love WV so much. So sweet of you guys to makeover a room for Granny ;-)

    Reply

  37. LeCheech says

    We’re buying a new house instead of renting [FINALLY]… But the house we want has all new stuff in it so we don’t really need to redo everything, we just need to paint and accessorize so that it’s not all neutral.

    Oh, did I mention ALL THE HARDWARE is ORB by default? Oh yes, I drooled BIG TIME. I’m going to be getting color ideas from the line you released, I’m loving the Shiitake Mushroom and Antiqued Aqua– not in the same room mind you, but I love them. :D

    Reply

  38. Chelsea @ Riding Escalators says

    This is so great! My grandma still has the DIY bug too! She’s constantly rearranging furniture in her house or painting and reprinting rooms, or ,, her more recent task was to pull up all the carpet on their stairs and install a runner herself!! She’s always my go-to when I need an opinion, including over this weekend when I was trying to decide on a front door color!! Would love a few more opinions though!!

    http://ridingescalators.blogspot.com/2012/09/red-door-blue-door-front-door-screen.html

    Reply

  40. Brandi from Bloomington says

    Can’t wait to see the finished product since I’ll be tackling a 1920s 1/2 bath next. I have one question, where do you go for ideaboards? Do you use a website, software, or the good, old-fashioned ideabook?

    Reply

  42. Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says

    Question – on your other post you deglossed, and sanded the cabinets before priming them. On this post it looks like you just primed them. Is that because they were already painted?

    Just curious if I can leave out the deglossed and sanding step when I do my cabinets.

    Reply

  43. Brynn says

    What a beautiful gesture! You guys are truly wonderful people.
    We are gearing up to paint pretty much everything in our new to us house! Been studying your tutorials like I am studying for an exam. I feel like every other sentence I say starts with “Well on YHL they did…” LOL

    Reply

  45. Brenda says

    I love the idea of a blitz makeover. It’s fun to see what regular people can do in a short amount of time (as opposed to a team of professionals with professional budgets and resources). It’s also super sweet that it’s for John’s grandma. She sounds very spunky!

    Reply

  46. Megan @ The Mego Blog says

    So fun to see this progress! What a great way to spend time with family and help at the same time. I just posted on my blog today about little bathroom updates (a curtain and art) but it is definitely more of a process for me. It’s fun to see someone do it all in 3 days! I kind of like that type of a challenge. It’s like those crazy tv shows that do total room makeovers in a few days!

    Reply

  47. paintergal says

    Yep, I’ve done room makeovers for my sister (master bedroom) and my mom (kitchen, bathroom, living room, and dining room) It is a satisfying experience.
    Looking forward to the next progress post.

    Reply

  48. Karen F says

    such a neat project – can’t wait to see the rest, and can’t believe you did it in 3 days! also, the outside of her house is so pretty!

    Reply

  49. Wom-mom Ethne says

    Every time my mom goes to MI (from MN) to visit our fam out there, she does work on their houses. As a kid, she re-did my grandma’s bathroom. It’s still looking good, even though it’s all pink paint and flowers a la the early ’90’s, but Grandma likes it and it’s still in good shape. This past time, she tore out rotting siding and roofing on my aunt’s house and pretty much gutted the whole place (outside). She’s pretty much the DIY home improvement whirling dervish. If I do a blog post about my aunt’s house make-over, I’ll let you know for sure.

    Reply

  50. Steph says

    You two are too sweet. I love how family oriented you guys are, it’s part of the reason I love your site so much! That and your creativity is amazing!

    The last pic with the clock made me so happy. It reminds me so much of the heart clock the Wizard give the tin man in the Wizard of Oz. Was my fav movie as a kid, the pic brought a big smile to my face :) Thank you!

    Reply

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