Old Boards

When we decided to take the middle bedroom upstairs and make it a master bath, it sounded easy enough. It was anything but easy. It was the hardest, yet most rewarding, part of this farmhouse renovation.

Once again, it was the old boards that stole my heart.

When we started to renovate the bedroom and turn it into the master bath, one of the first things to go was the wallpaper and sheetrock. Underneath it we found the most beautiful wood planks. Do you see those on the wall? And on the ceiling? Pure awesomeness.

Here you can see them on the other wall. This is the wall that was to become our sink vanity wall.

There was NO WAY I was covering those up gorgeous, historic wood planks with new sheetrock. Instead, we simply painted them.

I love the way this looks now. However. However. However. It is mighty cold in the toilet room. The wind blows right in between those boards. Clear Caulk is our best friend.

We also found this. An old can lid patching a hole. How cool is that? This is one of the reasons I’ve always liked old houses; the corncobs stuffed in the dining room ceiling and a tin can lid nailed to the floor upstairs.

We also needed a bit more ceiling height, these upstairs bedrooms ceilings were a bit low. So, we added a trey ceiling in the bath. That extra room allowed me to pick out a larger light fixture. Yayness.

There was one thing I knew. I wanted a white pedastal tub. Everything else was negotiable, but not the white pedastal tub. This bedroom is in the upstairs level of the old farmhouse, above the dining room. That meant that a cast iron tub wouldn’t work. There was no way a huge, heavy tub could go in the room above the dining room table. Luckily, I found one that was made of a special, heavier-than-normal acrylic.

For quite sometime, I wanted to put the tub in front of the fireplace. I’m glad we put it in front of the window. I love it there.

Ah, but I definitely need some window coverings. Out of this window, we can see the local Baptist Church.

You can see to the left of the tub where we cut the back of a closet to open it up to the room behind the closet.

A fireplace, straight-on view while the project was “in process.” The entrance to the bathroom is now to the right of the fireplace; that’s where we cut the closet open to the adjoining bedroom.

And, no. I still haven’t gotten up the courage to white-wash that brick chimney.

Here’s the way you enter the room, through what was the closet. The buffet is one my husband and I picked up at a flea market when we first married. It was stored away in the garage when Scooter, one of the marvelous carpenters on the job, helped us figure out a way to turn it into our sink cabinet. Divine, isn’t it? He cut off the legs and popped it right in there. I’m looking for the right mirror now.

To the left of the sink cabinet is the toilet room, to the right is the walk-in shower.

We covered the doorway into the new master bath with a large armoire we’ve had forever. We didn’t want a door into the master bathroom from the hallway.

See that brick? That was behind the sheetrock, inside the closet that we made a walkway to the master bathroom.

Here’s the entrance into the master bath now.

One of the adjoining bedrooms became our master sitting room and closet room. We built the wall to the left and created two closets.

The light fixture is original to the house. And I kept the wallpaper in this area.

We ripped up the carpet in this room and the master bathroom and put down engineered wood floors. I think they look fabulous.

That opening at the end of the room was a window. We cut the house there as well and made it the opening into the addition, the new master bedroom.

Looking into the new master from the old blue bedroom that became the sitting room.

And it’s done! The master bedroom addition, which sits above the Keeping Room.

Until next time, Friends, savor the flavor of life!

Lots of love, The City Farmgirl, Rebekah

ps in other news, I’ve renamed my horse yet again. From Snow Flake to Blizzard (when we went wild) to Snow Dancer…kisses to this sweet fuzzy nose….do you see that fur on his head, between his eyes? where there is a little swirl? my daughter says that is where his unicorn horn comes out when we’re not looking….

  1. Rebecca says:

    Rebekah,

    This is just beautiful!! I just love the size of the bathroom. Fascinating the things you find behind walls! I live in an old house as well, 1875. I have a clawfoot bathtub and I call the bathroom, "my office" when I take a book and unwind in the tub. There is such a peaceful feeling about having a bathroom as a bit of a sanctuary so to speak. Yours looks wonderful, inviting and warm. Love reading your posts! Snow dancer looks happy!!

    Rebecca

  2. Joan says:

    What a wonderful beginning to a day -getting to read your posting – thanks for sharing. It ALL is so -so -so – well homey!!! and nostalgic. Just a thought about a mirror/mirrors for the wash area – first of all LOVE the side table use – if you can find JUST the right one will be great but if not one over each sink looks super too – oh I bet you already thought of that – it’s just the remodeler/decorator in me that says things like that. What a lucky old house to have someone love it so much. You know I can almost see where the unicorn horn can come out – what a lovely picture – looks great in purple. Will be waiting for your next posting. God Bless.

  3. Debbie says:

    OMG!!!! It is all looking so beautiful and farm housey!!! I love everything you’ve done… A+++++++++!!!!
    Keep up the good work… and give Snow Dancer the Unicorn a pat for me!
    love Deb

  4. JoEllen says:

    Oh Rebekah, you and your hubby have created such beautiful rooms and I love how you desire to hold on to some of the original wood and other nostalgia. Such a work of love in progress. In our 1920’s small home, we have an old farmhouse double porcelain sink with metal cabinets and there is no way I would replace that pitted sink with a new one. I can just imagine all the women that stood where I stand dreaming while washing dishes. Thank you for sharing your dreams come true with us!!!

  5. Adrienne says:

    Fabulous! What a wonderful retreat from the world! It’s too bad you have to cover the window by the tub. I was hoping you could convince the church that you’re re-enacting John the Baptist’s activities each day with an immersion baptism–uh, bathing.

  6. Sukochi Lee says:

    Oh, my! Would I love to live in your house. You have done a beautiful. Or, your "people" have. I can’t imagine waking up in that bedroom suite! You are truely blessed.

  7. Rene Foust says:

    How awesomely beautiful!!!!! What a great job I love it

  8. bonnie ellis says:

    What foresight you two have. Your additions and remodeling are fantastic. Not only a real farm, but a sophisticated new modern "new" farmhouse. Well done.

  9. Nan Roberts says:

    I love it. Thanks for the tours you give us of the house. I LOVE those old boards. And you find brick behind the wallboard, so maybe you shouldn’t whitewash the fireplace brick. Brick could be a random repeating element in the house, like the other old bits you find behind the sheetrock.
    I discovered that if I close the bedroom doors in the hallway that the living room keeps warmer. Also with a curtain to the front door hallway. I think I"m getting used to colder temps, tho, because I don’t notice it as much. Well, it’s back in the 40s now. It’s a different story when it’s down in the 30s. I hate to think if it drops to the 20s, which it does now and then.
    Oops, TMI. Your house story gets me thinking about my house story.

  10. WOW…absolutely stunning and inspiring…thanks for sharing!! I’m in love with that tub!!

  11. KimberlyD says:

    I have the perfect mirror for your bathroom. Its in Michigan. It is an old mirror with a picture frame of flowers carved into it. I don’t have room for it in my apartment but I just couldn’t get rid of it. Boy it sure is heavy too.

    When you paint your bricks, take sand paper to each brick, it gives it a old look. I saw this done on Restaurant Impossible, it looked good.

  12. Cindy says:

    Absolutely BEAUTIFUL! All of it, everything, everywhere, I just love your taste in color and design. And I love your daughter’s sense of magic! She sounds like a delight. Like her mama!

  13. Barb Delaney says:

    Rebekah-you are living my dream. thank you for sharing. You can come decorate for me anytime. lol

  14. Otto says:

    If you are looking for some small tables you should consider some nest of tables,
    I purchased a nice set from ikea and thought they were
    really useful

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