Restoration - Some Light At The End of the Tunnel

Closing old window off the east porch, and creating new blackboard.

This post is about our bathroom remodel.  The last time it was remodeled was 1945 when the Quien family installed the first bathroom in the house, the room was formerly the kitchen pantry.

Because we installed a new bathroom shower--we closed the old large window and installed a small awing window.  I told Jon, don't tear out the old exterior window frame or clapboard--I have an idea to make it a blackboard.

First,  I ask you a question--isn't there always a pot at the end of a rainbow?

The toilet sat next to the door at the east entrance during the bath remodel (about six weeks).  At some point we totally forgot it was a toilet and used it as a table.  Thinking about that now sounds so yucky.

Let me show you some photos

DEMO:

East entrance - bathroom window shown lighted (center of photo)

So, as I mentioned before the bathroom was added to the house in the fall of 1945 by the Peter and Ruth Quien who were getting ready for the wedding of daughter Mary Jane to Edward Fossum November 10, 1945.  

The mother of the bride Ruth, her birthday was also November 10th.  

What do you think my birthday is?  You guessed correctly.  My birthday is also November 10.

To read Donna Quien's article about the first bathroom:

http://1893victorianfarmhouse.blogspot.com/2011/03/november-10-1945-memories-from-member.html

Bathroom Window (before)

 The curtained window was the only privacy wall for anyone taking a bath in the tub.  I never took a evening bath--cause you never know who may come knocking at the east entrance door.  You know what they say?  The night was blind, but the neighbors weren't.  Ha. Ha. 

 

This is our friend Steve Stichman helping my husband Jon demo the bathroom.

Before Photo: the curtained bathroom window.

Removing plaster

Jon turned and said to me, "I want to run away from home."

The 120 year old plaster was opening up like a spring bud . . .

The bad plaster was directly over the toilet and the tub.  I remember looking up at the ceiling many times while bathing, seeing five intersecting plaster cracks in the ceiling.  Uft-dah!!!

I wondered who would be the first one to take a direct hit from a chunk falling old plaster.  Glad we got the bathroom remodel going before someone got hurt.  I saw little gritty pieces of plaster on the floor as a warning for some time.  

The simulated marble Melamine wall covering might have been added during the 1960s. 

Before Photo

We're keeping the medicine cabinet and light fixture; they're cool art pieces.

Our downstairs bathroom has three doors.

This is the east door leading to the office.

The office

The kitchen, just beyond the west door of bathroom

Back to photos of the bathroom demo:

east wall (sink area)

We kept vintage light fixture to re-install

removing old plaster

removing the cast iron tub

I'll be checking with Ray the tub restoration guy from Neenah, Wisconsin.  He can look up the Kohler serial number and tell me the day it was manufactured.  

It is fun to note--we purchased our upstair's bathroom Kohler claw foot tub from Ray.  That claw foot tub serial number indicated it was manufactured May 12, 1903 - Plant Line 2, Kohler WI, about 11:30a in the morning.

***

Blueboard/Concrete bloard installation, taping, mudding, and tile work:

Reserved space for storage bins

Our master tile guy is Jerry Weinman and his son Jarrod.

Jon - installing awning window above shower.

Installing shower doors

Jon asked me if I was going to install the shower plumbing?

I told him I'm not a plumber, I'm a janitor.

Jon re-isntalls the vintage medicine cabinet and light fixture.

I'll be showing you more pictures later--after the painting and storage is done,

BUT--in the meantime, check out my new blackboard

I'm so pleased . . .

I asked Jon to convert old bathroom window frame

 . . . into a great big blackboard.

You Know What I Mean, Butterbean?

I have a couple more coats of chalkboard paint to do.

My first writing on the blackboard will be fun--I'm sure.