Bathroom - Choices made and more to make

Schedule Delay

Demo was scheduled to start 1/4/2014.  Instead my husband Don and I decided to drive our daughter Harmony from Wisconsin to Ohio to get her back to school on time after her flight back had been cancelled due to winter storm conditions.  We didn't plan that one well and ended up getting stranded in Columbus, Ohio for an extra day, then in Danville, Illinois for a night.  The roads in Indiana were pure ice on the way back and we felt very lucky to make it back home when we did.

                                  

 

Choices Made

So, what's a gal to do in Columbus, Ohio?  I searched the internet for the nearest Habitat Restore, of course!  I found 2 only 15 minutes away from Harmony's apartment.  You know I like to find bargains and I did.  At the first store I found the doors I needed to complete medicine cabinets I plan to build.  The style matches my existing cabinet doors.  This definitely steers me into the direction of keeping the old traditional doors rather than upgrading to something more contemporary.  I'm okay with that.  The cost: $5.50 for each door.

New unfinished medicine cabinet doors

At the second store (Yes, I went to both!), I found a NEW and unused American Standard sink for $29.50 complete with mounting hardware.  It retails at American Standard for $162.00, but I also found it online for 1/2 that price at another online source.  It really does pay to search several sources and often.  Inventory can change daily.  I'm known to spend my lunch hour and weekends visiting my favorite 2nd hand stores.  I hadn't decided on an under mount sink, but this deal made up my mind.

My new 'Tudor' sink

Choices to Make

I've researched counter top materials and I find myself drawn to quartz.  It is the most maintenance free material I know.  Granite will stain if not treated regularly and solid surface material like Corian can scratch.  I don't want concrete.  I thought about tempered glass, but it is a bit modern for the style direction this bathroom is taking.  We have quartz (Silestone) in our kitchen and I love it.  Finding a bargain on the specific colors I like is pretty unlikely.  In addition, it has to be the correct size and have a custom hole cut for my new sink and whatever faucet I find.  I'm willing to pay retail on this if I have to since it will definitely add value to our home.  It would be great if I can save some money installing it myself.  We will see.

                                             


Aside from potential electrician work, another element that can be costly is the faucet choice.  I've been searching for faucets with an oil rubbed bronze finish, but I fell in love with a new finish I hadn't seen before - Champaign Bronze.  It is very elegant, but I fear it might be a finish that may be short lived like brass.  I did mention in a prior post that I wanted to stick with the metal finish started in the Foyer with the lighting.  The counter top and the faucet definitely need to work together.  On top of that, I'm bugged a bit that an oil rubbed bronze finish will mean my drain will be very dark against the white of the sink.  I'm striving for a clean look, yet wanting a traditional style.  That's part of the allure of the Champaign Bronze right now.

Champaign Bronze - left; Oil Rubbed Bronze - right

What do you think?

It's your turn!  Tell me what choices are your favorites for counter top material and color.  What faucet finish would you go with?

Click here for a counter top survey.

Click here for a metal finish survey.