tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78236804410481161052024-03-15T18:09:40.531-07:00SwingNCocoaStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-22982620991671446382014-12-20T10:57:00.000-08:002015-01-02T20:44:11.231-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 10: THE REVEAL<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html">Part 4: Shower Tile Prep</a><br />
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/09/bathroom-remodel-part-5-shower-tile.html">Part 5: Shower Tile</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-6-walls-and-caulk.html">Part 6: Walls and Caulk</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-7-bathtub-siding.html">Part 7: Bathtub Siding</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-8-mirror.html">Part 8: The Mirror</a><br />
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-9-concrete-vanity.html">Part 9: Concrete Vanity</a><br />
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Here we are. It was October of 2013 when we started this bathroom remodel, and over a year later I am relieved to say it is now complete as of December, 2014. During this time Boyfiancé and I have both changed jobs, had new adventures, made new friends, acquired lots of new tools, and learned an INCREDIBLE amount of home improvement skills. Most importantly though, we've learned that the limited free time we have is FAR more valuable to us than trying to save a little money doing it all ourselves.<br />
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I'm not proud of how long it took us to complete this project, but I'll be damned if I'm not swelling with pride for both the results and our hard work.<br />
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So without further ado, I present to you our hallway bathroom.<br />
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I'm still amazed at how far we've come.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ORIGINAL DESIGN</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEFORE</td></tr>
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Some detail shots:<br />
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And of course the ever-present reminder to myself to be patient, not act rashly, and bring in the Boyfiancé for backup. </div>
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Usually I do a budget breakdown for my projects, and I even had budgeted it all out at the very beginning, but because of the long timeline and my lack of diligence in updating and tracking new purchases, I'm going to have to give this my best estimate.<br />
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My budget sheet says we spent about $5500 on materials and labor (labor being the electrical work at $1100). I probably left quite a few things out including minor purchases like gloves, lint free cloths, painters tape, etc etc, so I'm going to add +10% to that number. This brings us to $6050.<br />
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Now, this doesn't include all the new tools we bought for the project, some of which were pretty big ticket items (table saw and wet saw to start). I would estimate we spent about $1500 on tools, which we can continue to use for future projects.<br />
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A lot of bloggers have written about the subject of hiring vs DIYing, and after this project, I feel compelled to throw my two cents in as well. While the cost of a full-gut bathroom remodel was relatively low for us, we paid for it in other ways: loss of free time on evenings and weekends, having to decline friends' invitations for get-togethers, shame at not being able to offer our guests their own fully-functional bathroom, not being able to host events as often as we usually do, and not allowing ourselves to tackle any other house projects until this one was finished. I think the biggest eye-opener was when we hired out the electrical work, which took our electrician four hours to complete (it probably would've taken us two or three weekends in addition to having to learn how to do it in the first place). We realized that not only does a professional get the job done faster, but they also keep things moving along. When it was just the two of us, it was easy for Boyfiancé and I to say, "We're tired, no bathroom work this weekend", which caused things to drag on for so long. If we had hired out more of the work, especially the unpleasant tasks that we procrastinated on (hanging cement board anyone?), and reserved the more enjoyable tasks for ourselves, we wouldn't be finishing this thing on the doorstep of 2015.<br />
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Basically next time we take on a renovation project and ask ourselves "What will it cost?", the term "cost" will encompass not only money, but time, energy and impact on our relationships with each other and friends.<br />
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Thank you to everyone who followed along with us on this journey. And thank you especially to our friends and family who, at times, put up with no toilet, no sink, washing hands in the kitchen, using our ghetto master bath, and for being super understanding while we stumbled around figuring this all out. We promise to have a party for you where you can use the toilet and wash your hands all in the same room :)<br />
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Cheers! </div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-28198632831792947932014-12-19T17:26:00.003-08:002014-12-29T22:52:31.034-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 9: Concrete Vanity<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html">Part 4: Shower Tile Prep</a><br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/09/bathroom-remodel-part-5-shower-tile.html">Part 5: Shower Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-6-walls-and-caulk.html">Part 6: Walls and Caulk</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-7-bathtub-siding.html">Part 7: Bathtub Siding</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-8-mirror.html">Part 8: The Mirror</a></div>
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The vanity. Ohhhhh the vanity. This thing has been in the making for over a year, though if I'm being honest, most of that time it was sitting out on our deck during the summer while we tried to ignore the feelings of shame it conjured up. I'll explain in a bit.<br>
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At this point, I'll refer you back to the original design.<br>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-Bi5fSNNec/UowcTzyqZAI/AAAAAAAARqw/1gLA-xjwJrM/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2013-11-19%2Bat%2B6.16.31%2BPM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-Bi5fSNNec/UowcTzyqZAI/AAAAAAAARqw/1gLA-xjwJrM/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2013-11-19%2Bat%2B6.16.31%2BPM.jpg" height="640" width="448"></a></div>
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As you can see, between the shelf, the towel bar, the sink/faucet inserts, and the continuous three sides, this was not going to be the most simplistic thing to create. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kiMwGnqMr1U/VI_Y5UowPgI/AAAAAAAATCo/ueX8edELDms/s1600/IMG_7712-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kiMwGnqMr1U/VI_Y5UowPgI/AAAAAAAATCo/ueX8edELDms/s1600/IMG_7712-1.jpg" height="462" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-9-concrete-vanity.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-72861660850605494552014-12-17T09:55:00.000-08:002014-12-29T22:52:31.050-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 8: The Mirror<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html">Part 4: Shower Tile Prep</a><br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/09/bathroom-remodel-part-5-shower-tile.html">Part 5: Shower Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-6-walls-and-caulk.html">Part 6: Walls and Caulk</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-7-bathtub-siding.html">Part 7: Bathtub Siding</a><br>
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Of course because this project was not already super difficult and involved, we designed and fabricated a custom mirror frame complete with overhead lighting as well. Because I guess we hate life and having a life.<br>
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The mirror glass itself I got from a coworker who was doing a bathroom remodel of his own and was giving it away for free! They were almost the perfect size for our project, but unfortunately not for my car. He was kind enough to drive 50 minutes round-trip to drop them off just to get them out of his garage though, and in return I gave him a bottle of wine. Fair trade, right?<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4NLJcdCbzTyo1Ov7-aXZbRVfXo5u-03Kx349tHpAX41SV7t5hgZvYBEK4rx9KV_godVL-d7ce1E4NACfKXg7dnGn3x3KDTLlUJycVUPE4Ngr2xtiNLRC0ZrCjvogUMPSSChDtMZgJk4/s1600/IMG_1254-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4NLJcdCbzTyo1Ov7-aXZbRVfXo5u-03Kx349tHpAX41SV7t5hgZvYBEK4rx9KV_godVL-d7ce1E4NACfKXg7dnGn3x3KDTLlUJycVUPE4Ngr2xtiNLRC0ZrCjvogUMPSSChDtMZgJk4/s320/IMG_1254-1.jpg" width="640"></a></div>
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</div><a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-8-mirror.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-27424594925074662402014-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:002014-12-29T22:52:31.030-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 7: Bathtub Siding<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html">Part 4: Shower Tile Prep</a><br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/09/bathroom-remodel-part-5-shower-tile.html">Part 5: Shower Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-6-walls-and-caulk.html">Part 6: Walls and Caulk</a><br>
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One of the major design elements of this bathroom is the Teak wood, or in our case, Afrormosia "the poor man's Teak" wood. This stuff is seriously beautiful, just wait.<br>
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Since my favorite hardwood store (Macbeath's in SF or Berkeley, if you're interested) only sells these boards at 12" widths, We decided to join two skinnier 8" pieces together to give us the required width for the side of the tub.<br>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dREbTtgW78I/VGRaRTEICoI/AAAAAAAAS_w/7Uz_5u0j9CA/s1600/IMG_1242-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dREbTtgW78I/VGRaRTEICoI/AAAAAAAAS_w/7Uz_5u0j9CA/s1600/IMG_1242-1.jpg" height="392" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-7-bathtub-siding.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-18787698872290505552014-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:002014-12-29T22:52:31.017-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 6: Walls and Caulk<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html">Part 4: Shower Tile Prep</a><br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/09/bathroom-remodel-part-5-shower-tile.html">Part 5: Shower Tile</a><br>
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We had a lot of polish work to do before the shower looked complete. One thing that we had been dreading was fixing the large gap on the left side of the room. Since the niche side of the shower wall had to be shimmed out by about 5/8", it was now sticking out a lot farther than the opposite side. We thought about just finishing it with a bit of painted wood trim, but we thought it might accentuate the fact that the tile edges didn't match. Instead, we decided to add a 2nd layer of 5/8" drywall to the left side to bring the wall out to meet the tile edge the same way the opposite side did. This probably makes zero sense to you, so I'll just show the pictures now. </div>
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This is what it looked like right after grouting (and pre-haze removal). We cut away a little too much drywall during demolition thinking we were going to extend the tile out beyond the tub edge. Plans changed. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--_DO0QbLnAM/VBPYDTaHccI/AAAAAAAAS4M/H5F3JoHWfQg/s1600/IMG_0650-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--_DO0QbLnAM/VBPYDTaHccI/AAAAAAAAS4M/H5F3JoHWfQg/s1600/IMG_0650-1.jpg" height="640" width="450"></a></div>
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</div><a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/12/bathroom-remodel-part-6-walls-and-caulk.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-35824887708456485102014-09-13T09:59:00.001-07:002014-12-29T22:52:31.038-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 5: Shower Tile<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html">Part 4: Shower Tile Prep</a><br>
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I've never actually looked forward to tiling (because, for the most part, it sucks), but this shower was an exception. Once we finished this tiling job, the world would be our oyster.<br>
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I did the tile layout in Sketchup and then transferred it to paper, where my OCD took over and I proceeded to plan out the cut list for every tile. Turns out it really paid off because even though I had ordered about 10% extra tile, it ended up not being enough with that many cuts! Luckily the store I got it from still had some extras, so we were covered.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">TIP: Always buy at least 20% overage for any materials, and if your tile has a lot of cuts, make it 25%-30% to account for cuts-gone-wrong (chips, breaks). It may seem like a waste of money, but trust me when I say it is worth the peace of mind. </span><br>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RtGJAyA0y6w/U2mwecIfcMI/AAAAAAAASYQ/xakj_5HqK9E/s1600/IMG_9707-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RtGJAyA0y6w/U2mwecIfcMI/AAAAAAAASYQ/xakj_5HqK9E/s1600/IMG_9707-1.jpg" height="640" width="402"></a></div>
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Figuring out how to cut this tile was tricky. It came in 60x60cm (approximately 24" x 24") squares, so each square could be cut into four 15x60cm tiles. Initially we didn't want to risk our limited number of tiles on the score-and-snap cutter because of how poorly it cut the floor tiles. Unfortunately when we turned to our wet saw to make the cuts, it caused an unacceptable amount of chipping on the finish.<br>
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We tried everything to reduce the chipping, including turning the tile upside down, taping the cut line, and replacing the blade. None of it worked and we were pretty discouraged for a few hours while we tried to decide if we could live with that many chippy edges in the shower or if we should just buy new tile.<br>
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Eventually I decided to give the ol' score-n-snap cutter a try. What did we have to lose right? Well, it turns out that for this particular tile, the score-n-snap was an almost perfect match. It gave us clean cuts 80% of the time with no chipping of the finish! It did occasionally take off a corner, but we saved those pieces for the shorter cuts. The cut edges were a bit sharp, so we used a stone block to smooth it out. It worked amazingly well compared to the wet saw.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">TIP: When using a score-and-snap cutter, be sure to score ONCE, firmly and cleanly and from edge to edge. When pressing the tile to break it, set the press at the top of the tile and apply firm pressure. </span><br>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCeSg36l8q4/VBPX3aK5YZI/AAAAAAAAS2E/Abn3r__D_Y0/s1600/IMG_9698-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCeSg36l8q4/VBPX3aK5YZI/AAAAAAAAS2E/Abn3r__D_Y0/s1600/IMG_9698-2.jpg" height="490" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/09/bathroom-remodel-part-5-shower-tile.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-55355241364960579332014-05-07T19:39:00.001-07:002014-12-29T22:52:31.045-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 4: Shower Tile Prep<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html">Part 3: Material selection and Floor Tile</a><br>
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With our floor tile in, it was time to focus on the daunting task of doing up the shower walls. Let me just preface this post by saying that if there was ever a time to hire out a job, this would be it. There is just SO MUCH engineering that goes into this tiny little corner of the room that it's impossible to learn every detail as a first-time-bathroom-remodeler. And it's not just that the details are numerous; it's that they're all <i>important </i>too! Omitting any of them could result in disaster (in the form of leakage, rot and mold). For this reason, I'm going to try to include as many <span style="color: blue;">tips (in blue)</span> and nuggets of information in this post for any of you out there trying to find advice. <i>Disclaimer: I am NOT a professional, so if you want a professional's expert advice, consult a professional. I repeat, I am not a professional.</i><br>
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The first thing we had to do was build out the underlying structure to give the cement board a solid and immovable foundation. We added 2x4s in between the existing studs (and probably went overboard) for the Hardibacker to attach to. Here you can see my niche structure with a few of the added 2x4s. You'll also notice the Hardibacker attached to the right. That was a mistake. I'll explain later.<br>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-16iHyzmMAOQ/UwEowR2xr1I/AAAAAAAASNs/ESob0azZQlM/s1600/IMG_9087-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-16iHyzmMAOQ/UwEowR2xr1I/AAAAAAAASNs/ESob0azZQlM/s1600/IMG_9087-1.jpg" height="640" width="426"></a></div>
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I rerouted the wiring for a guest-bedroom outlet to go around the new niche. Back in the day, electricians liked to wire things pretty tight, which meant I had no extra slack to work with. I had to feed new wire in, which required me to explore our attic for the first time! It was kind of exciting, but mostly hot, cramped, dark and scary. Also, I think I left some needle-nose pliers up there on accident.<br>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gFrwbaORrak/UwEoxzcyAwI/AAAAAAAASN8/n8ceS5ASlJY/s1600/IMG_9050-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gFrwbaORrak/UwEoxzcyAwI/AAAAAAAASN8/n8ceS5ASlJY/s1600/IMG_9050-1.jpg" height="426" width="640"></a></div>
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So back to the Hardibacker cement board. Hanging this stuff was quite the ordeal for several reasons. The first was that the material is a <i>bitch</i> to cut; no matter what we did score-and-snap would not work, we couldn't use high-speed power tools because it kicked up ridiculous amounts of cancer-dust (and dulled the blades), and it melted most of our jigsaw blades.<br>
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After destroying many tools to cut up the biggest boards on the back wall, I thought, "there has GOT to be a better way". I don't know why we didn't look sooner, but I found this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvVLd6oi2yI">video that changed our lives. </a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-remodel-part-4-shower-tile-prep.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-83795918675905591842014-04-15T10:30:00.000-07:002014-12-29T22:52:31.054-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 3: Material Selection and Tiling<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Part 1: Demolition</a><br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">Part 2: Plumbing</a><br>
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We're still putzing along with our little bathroom renovation, moving at the speed of almost-frozen molasses. For this post, I'm going to take you back in time (November) to where we installed the tile flooring, which has surprisingly been the easiest part of this whole adventure thus far (but certainly not without it's own set of issues).<br>
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At this point I had been in the interior design field long enough to know that I should have ALL my finishes and paint colors selected before starting on anything. I went to a local tile showroom and grabbed way too many samples (tile samples are heavy, ya'll!).<br>
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I had also designed a cast concrete vanity and shower niche, so I made some concrete samples with increasing amounts of white portland cement to figure out the color we wanted.<br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBisEf06c1A/U0YvlUtEOGI/AAAAAAAASUI/QUCEeD4-uUc/s1600/IMG_8017-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBisEf06c1A/U0YvlUtEOGI/AAAAAAAASUI/QUCEeD4-uUc/s1600/IMG_8017-1.jpg" height="448" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ratios of concrete to portland cement from left to right: 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3</td></tr>
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Basically what you want to do when you've got all these samples is lay them all out along with your other bathroom elements. You can see we've got a sink, a brushed nickel pipe, concrete, and a brown wood tile as our teak-wood stand-in. It may be overwhelming to see it all at once, but here's the trick: rather than trying to decide what you like best, start by eliminating the things that aren't working for you. Hopefully this gets you to a manageable place where you can start making decisions. Of course even with this method, we still debated the choices off-and-on for an hour or more. </div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/bathroom-remodel-part-3-finish.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-23531727744076540012014-03-10T23:34:00.001-07:002014-04-15T17:19:48.937-07:00I'm Going For It! *Creating With the Stars 2014*You may or may not have heard of this little reality series that exists in our blogland called "Creating With the Stars". It's a fun and quirky competition not unlike Dancing With the Stars, except with less dancing in sparkly costumes and more spray paint and power tools.<br>
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The 12 contestants are initially chosen based on a single project entry from their 2013 or 2014 repertoire. From there, they are paired off with 12 "celebrity" bloggers who will coach them through four weeks and four rounds of eliminations.<br>
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I normally pass on this sort of thing just because I'm not sure I even have enough energy to make it through one week/project (and uhhh, our bathroom is still "<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html">undergoing construction</a>"). But one thing got my heart pounding about it this year, and that is the CELEBRITY judge....<br>
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MARTHA. My idol.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/03/im-going-for-it-creating-with-stars-2014.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-45132178050599693482014-02-16T14:38:00.005-08:002014-12-16T00:37:46.079-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 2: Plumbing AdventuresPreviously on the <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html">Bathroom Remodel</a>:<br>
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Before we could put any new walls up, we had a few plumbing adjustments to take care of. Nothing too major, which is why when we got some quotes from local plumbers (coming in between $500 to $1000), Boyfiancé decided this would be a good time for him to pick up a new skill.<br>
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The new tub is wider than the old one, so everything needed to be moved over a couple of inches. We also wanted to move that shower head up because apparently everyone in the 60's was either really short, or really enjoyed squatting to rinse their hair.<br>
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Then there was the issue of the new tub plumbing, but let's put off that very painful memory until later.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/02/bathroom-remodel-part-2-plumbing.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-25935226278918302732014-01-09T23:14:00.000-08:002014-02-07T16:16:46.377-08:00One Year Housiversary!First order of business: Cheers! Happy New Year! Gong hay fat choy!<br>
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2013 was a big year for us! We came barreling into it already under contract to buy our very first house, which we totally managed to do! It's kinda weird to think back on this night a year ago, where we sat on the floor of our new house eating burritos by the light of a couple lamps and surrounded by ant bait poison. Ah, memories.<br>
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We haven't done a whole lot in the way of renovations, but we have managed to do a few of the important ones (and yes, the ants are gone now).</div>
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</div><a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2014/01/one-year-housiversary.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-90273884946714483582013-12-29T23:19:00.002-08:002014-02-07T15:56:46.797-08:00DIY Holiday StockingsThis post is late. Mostly because I made these stockings mere days before going out of town for the holidays having only realized a week earlier that OMG I actually have a <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/07/fireplace-makeover-part-3-deliciously.html">beautiful fireplace</a> upon which to hang them!<br>
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Before you get too impressed with me, no, I did not actually knit the stockings. I'm really into the whole monochromatic Christmas decor, so it actually took trips to SIX different Target stores from Emeryville to San Francisco to San Jose to find matching <i>white</i> cable knit stockings, which is kind of ridiculous (and OCD). Each store had either the wrong color, the wrong size, or just one in stock, or none at all.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/12/diy-holiday-stocking.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-77139738512056078092013-12-26T15:49:00.000-08:002013-12-29T23:20:17.949-08:00Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays, Feliz Navidad, all that jazz.<br />
Hope your holidays were wonderful and that your pets were treated with more dignity than ours :)<br />
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<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-76322224185187855262013-12-15T11:21:00.000-08:002013-12-15T12:02:03.201-08:00DIY White & Gold Holiday Wreath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Somehow this season got away from me a little bit and I'm just now crafting my Christmas decorations. At least the tree went up the day before Thanksgiving though!<br>
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Last year we started with the holiday decor basics and got our first Christmas tree together.<br>
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This year I'm adding a wreath and some stockings to the collection.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/12/diy-white-gold-holiday-wreath.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-44431747861944305772013-11-20T08:46:00.000-08:002014-12-29T22:52:31.042-08:00Bathroom Remodel Part 1: Smash It With a Hammer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We finally moved into a place with two bathrooms, which meant no more holding it while someone is showering, holding it while someone is getting rid of it, or holding it while a BATHROOM REMODEL is going on! </div>
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I'm talking about you, hallway bathroom. Your days were numbered the moment we first laid eyes on you.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/11/bathroom-remodel-part-1-smash-it-with.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-74307244053224874162013-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:002014-02-26T18:20:15.283-08:00Covered Greenhouse Update: End of SummerEarlier this season I <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/04/covered-green-house.html">designed and built</a> this covered greenhouse to help my plants out during the foggy summer. Some of you have been asking how my garden has fared. See for yourself!<br>
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Not too shabby, especially because summer in our area is apparently all fog all the time (booooo). If you'll recall, here's what I planted:<br>
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And what it looked like mid-August.</div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/10/greenhouse-update-end-of-summer.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-52924109954402279232013-10-05T11:20:00.003-07:002013-10-05T23:10:52.038-07:00Aloha! I've been suffering from lack-of-blog-post guilt (I have made zero progress on the home office makeover). Things have been crazy busy lately, both at work and at home. I've been taking on a lot more projects at work which includes getting my first real estate staging gig! Exciting!<br>
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Boyfriend and I had also planned to go to San Diego for our annual vacation, but then he switched it up on me the morning of our departure and put me on a plane to Hawaii instead. WHAT??<br>
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This was the view from our hotel room:<br>
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I KNOW, RIGHT?? Well done, Boyfriend.<br>
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Thinking he had used all of his planning mojo on coordinating a secret trip to Hawaii and keeping it from me for a month (not an easy task...I'm obnoxiously nosy), I did not think he could pull off the next part.<br>
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SHABAM!<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/10/aloha.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-86705439787285532312013-08-12T10:00:00.000-07:002014-02-07T15:56:46.794-08:00Home Office Part 2: Bye Bye Beige<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is what the office looked like as of last week. Adios, soul-sucking beige!</div>
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This weekend was supposed to be a deep-clean-and-collect-paint-chips weekend in <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/apartment-therapys-style-cure-192429">Apartment Therapy's Style Cure</a> schedule, but Sherwin Williams had a 30% off sale last week and what's a girl gonna do, right?<br>
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I knew I wanted to do a medium-tone gray so I gave the two I already had a try. The first color we used in the living room/hallway (I think it's called "Simply Greige" from SW) and the other was "Pavestone" from SW. One was too light, the other was too dark, and both were too warm. I was actually really bummed out about this because it was the last day of the Sherwin Williams sale and I had come down with a cold, which left me greasy-haired, mucus-filled and in no mood to go running errands. You're welcome for that mental image.<br>
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Long story short, my deal-loving Asian side won out against my weak and sickly Caucasian side, and I returned from the store with two gallons of "Requisite Gray".<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/08/home-office-part-2-bye-bye-beige.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-44999741473782761402013-08-05T12:56:00.000-07:002014-02-07T15:56:46.787-08:00Home Office Part 1: The Before<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Say HELLO to the most neglected room in the house (aside from every room in the basement...shhh).<br>
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We call this the home office, but it's more like my makeup room/occasional guest overflow room. It still suffers from the original paint color, which is a green-toned beige (vom), and a half-hearted attempt at decorating (yours truly).<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/08/home-office-part-1-before.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-74542182251560721052013-08-02T14:47:00.000-07:002013-08-02T14:48:34.287-07:00Megha's Planter Bench<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of my very good friends came to visit the Bay Area a few weeks ago. I probably owe a large portion of my blog's popularity to her, because she forwards my posts to just about everyone she knows (and she's a very well-connected lady). </div>
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Megha had talked about wanting to learn to use power tools, and I mentioned a while ago that during her next visit she should stay over at our house and let me help her build something. We had talked about building something small like a simple box planter, but when she ended up driving her own car up to visit, we got a little more ambitious. </div>
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Like myself, Megha has been getting into gardening (as much as she can on her LA balcony). Unfortunately she doesn't have a lot of areas that take advantage of the sun due to the shade of her solid balcony wall. She had been talking about building a raised planter bench to put her vegetables on, and finally she did!</div>
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We only had an evening and a bit of morning to complete this project, so I kept the design pretty simple. The frame was to be constructed of redwood 2x4s and the shelves out of 1x3s and 1x4s.</div>
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We came back from a shopping trip at Lowe's around 8:30pm, so I tasked Boyfriend with making us some dinner while we retreated to my garage workshop. Role reversal, I love it. </div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/08/meghas-planter-bench.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-52202020353418795612013-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:002013-08-02T14:49:23.039-07:00Monsters University: DIY Succulent Boutonnière We recently celebrated the completion of Monsters University, which was the last film I worked on at Pixar and my first film credit as a shading artist! The event is called a "Wrap Party" and it's basically Pixar's prom. We get all cleaned up and fancy and go watch the film (many of us for the first time), eat, drink and dance. It's a pretty good time :)<br>
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This year I decided to make a boutonnière for Boyfriend and a matching hair flower for me. Instead of flowers though, I used succulents! Succulents really are the perfect plant; they're beautiful, hardy, don't wilt, and you just stick them back in the ground when you're done with them.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/07/monsters-university-diy-succulent.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-14872394431726350072013-07-02T19:58:00.000-07:002014-02-07T15:56:46.770-08:00Fireplace Makeover Part 3: DELICIOUSLY DONE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Uh yeah, I'm just going to kick things off with the reveal. TA DA!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hxyLJjs0lJU/UdL-YviZqHI/AAAAAAAAPHs/WvTKTs52_Zg/s1600/IMG_5878-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hxyLJjs0lJU/UdL-YviZqHI/AAAAAAAAPHs/WvTKTs52_Zg/s1600/IMG_5878-2.jpg" width="600"></a></div>
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In case you missed it: <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/05/fireplace-makeover-part-1-crispy-facade.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/06/fireplace-makeover-part-2-yummy-mantel.html">Part 2</a>. </div>
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There were just a few more details to square away before I could wipe my hands of this project.</div>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/07/fireplace-makeover-part-3-deliciously.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-41088437714845446542013-06-15T16:57:00.000-07:002014-02-07T15:56:46.780-08:00Fireplace Makeover Part 2: Yummy MantelCatch up on <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/05/fireplace-makeover-part-1-crispy-facade.html">Part 1</a>!<br>
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Here's where I left off last time. I had just finished the tile and was ready for the FUN PART (I like woodworking, can you tell?)! This post is long, so buckle up.<br>
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For the materials, we decided to go with a combination of MDF for the face and poplar wood for the trim. Both materials are paint-grade, which will give us a super smooth surface once we paint everything.<br>
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We just <i>barely</i> got away with using one 4'x8' sheet of MDF, which we had ripped into long boards at the hardware store, then when we got home we ripped them up even more. For this, I got to use my new toy, the <a href="http://www.kregtool.com/RipCut-Prodview.html">Kreg Rip Cut</a>!<br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Board has already been ripped. I'm just showing you how it works.</td></tr>
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This thing is seriously fantastic. I've always run into problems with ripping large boards on my own, and table saws scare me (um, hello unprotected blade sticking up in the air that I'm supposed to slide my fingers near, no thank you). This Rip Cut guide attaches to most circular saws and has a built-in ruler, so no measuring is required EVAR! It took some calibrating, which the instructions are very clear about, but once we got it set up, it worked like a dream. Basically there is a right angle guide (you can see it on the right-hand side below) that slides along the edge of the board, while the blade cuts at the specified width. Awesome straight cuts most of the time (obviously if your guiding edge is not straight, you'll have issues) and added confidence when using your circular saw!<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/06/fireplace-makeover-part-2-yummy-mantel.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-32265667506318440042013-05-15T10:00:00.000-07:002015-11-24T10:02:49.949-08:00Fireplace Makeover Part 1: A Crispy FacadeIn my most <a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/04/3-month-move-in-iversary.html">recent house tour post</a>, you may have noticed something a little crispy in the corner:<br>
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Did someone order a brick facade, well-done, topped with a wavy bacon strip mantel? No? Let's just cover it with a plant and hopefully no one will notice?<br>
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Since this eyesore was fairly focal in our living room, it was already pretty high on the project priority list. Not to mention my mom, who is into the whole Feng Shui thing, kept commenting on how this was my career area of the room and how it needed to look nice (hence the plant). And then something unfortunate happened which we did not see coming....I lost my job. Yep, Dreamworks had a bad quarter and laid off a <i>huge</i> portion of their employees. I don't want to dwell on it, but let's just say my "career" area was now squarely centered in my renovation crosshairs.<br>
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I'm not a huge fan of painted brick (too non-dimensional), so I went a-hunting for some inspiration.<br>
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<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/05/fireplace-makeover-part-1-crispy-facade.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823680441048116105.post-73942028379539143672013-05-02T14:21:00.000-07:002013-06-14T00:08:27.663-07:00How to Win at CraiglistAs Damian and I struggled to fit a white leather Barcelona chair knockoff through the door of my Mazda 3, maneuvering it around the Bertoia Diamond chair knockoff already occupying the backseat, I couldn't help but think back on all the other Craigslist finds I had miraculously fit into that little car. The stories typically follow a formula, beginning with me arriving to meet my Craigslist seller, inspecting the furniture, then pointing at my parked car while they laugh in disbelief. But my car has never stopped me from Craigslisting because, true to my asian heritage, I love a good bargain.<br>
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The most common complaint I hear from people my age when it comes to their living situation is that it still feels "college-y". To them I always offer the same advice: ditch the IKEA crap and find furniture you really LOVE. "But I'm poor!" is the 2nd most common complaint, and while I understand the desire to be frugal, you truly get what you pay for. I've slowly been replacing all of my IKEA furniture because of sagging, chipping, swelling, and mostly because it makes me yawn. I've had incredible success at finding great deals on Craigslist (or the thrift store or garage sales) with far more personality, and I've been slowly developing a space that feels like home.<br>
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Let me demonstrate:<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvJixll28nURBAmz_7B6LqUaEeQiMQQLWpmfkYatTEPLEqrKEk6ZPi0gkvDGSUEMD7LVVVMYV_hZ4AP4u80DZgCfdH0rxOPMMoynK0lDev721cFfPgyepaK8UPDJDW4_wiT9I4Y17I78/s1600/Craigslist_ex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvJixll28nURBAmz_7B6LqUaEeQiMQQLWpmfkYatTEPLEqrKEk6ZPi0gkvDGSUEMD7LVVVMYV_hZ4AP4u80DZgCfdH0rxOPMMoynK0lDev721cFfPgyepaK8UPDJDW4_wiT9I4Y17I78/s640/Craigslist_ex.jpg" width="542"></a></div>
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Now don't get me wrong, IKEA definitely has its place in this world. They have awesome kitchen options, organizational stuff, and it's hard to find a better bargain on 8-foot curtains anywhere else. Heck knows too that carrying a flat box home in your car is much easier than trying to wrangle a fully assembled coffee table (<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2011/04/coffee-table-gets-facelift.html">I should know</a>). I guess what I'm trying to say is that for those pieces in your home...the pieces you stare at every day...those should be special. So now I'm going to tell you how to find that something special. How to win at Craigslist.<br>
<a href="http://swingncocoa.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-win-at-craiglist.html#more">Read more after the jump >></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13291724723482489365noreply@blogger.com4