Mastering the Art of Renovating the Master Bedroom

It's been almost nine months since we started the renovation on the master bedroom.  We've learned that things take a lot longer to get done when you do all of the work by yourself and when you only have the weekends to do it on.  But, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and soon we will be able to enjoy all of the hard work....the proverbial fruits of our labor

AND NOW FOR SOME BEFORE AND AFTERS

This is what the master bed and bath area looked like in September of 2012 when we purchased it

In late May we installed the seamless shower

On Saturday June22, 2013 we were ready to drop the jacuzzi tub into it's frame and all of the plumbing was ready for us to install the vanity and the sink

 So Saturday we installed the Jacuzzi tub....Joey took the first bubble bath....he deserved it!

Sunday before we left we tested the copper pipes that Joey sweated and we were able to install the vanity and the sink.  Joey has now officially added pipe sweating to his repertoire.

He even found a spot for the piece of wood I found while out hiking one day

And thanks to Luna and Mykl and this awesome squeegee our glass will remain forever unstreaked

Oh...and did I mention the amazing shower head?

I even let him sit for a very brief rest.

Ice Votives

I made these for New Years Eve and they looked so pretty outside in the snow.

They were super simple to make.  All you do if fill water balloons with, well water.

Place them outside or in the freezer until they are almost frozen all the way through.

Once they feel hard on the outside, cut the balloons and remove them.

Use a screwdriver to crack a hole in them that is large enough to put a votive candle in.

Empty any water that hasn't frozen.

There you have it.  They actually lasted longer than I expected even though they had a candle burning inside.

During the Renovation

Let the party begin.  This is Joey and his younger brother at the beginning of their venture.  The multiple levels have been brought down to a single plain.  The shower removed and plumbing exposed.

This used to be the shower and that was the original placement of the toilet.

The drywall is attached to the walls with a few more pieces to go.

Somehow he managed to make a perfect cut with every single piece of drywall.  I got to help on these high pieces.  Phew, I'm exhausted.

He started the tiling at this point and you can see the framing for the water closet and the jacuzzi tub.

It's hard to see what the tile looks like, but let me tell you....It's amazingly gorgeous.  The floor tile is a slate colored matte tile and the walls of the shower and bath are the same tile in a high gloss.

I think the tile has been the most difficult part of the process so far.

He installed hardy backer behind the show pan to water proof it.

The he applied the tile using spacers to keep them even.

Using the same technique he put the tile up on the wall next to the bathtub.

Still a lot of work to do and then we take a break before we start the next major renovation....the kitchen!

The Mother of All Projects....The Master Bedroom

The Before, During and Hopefully Soon After Photos

Where to even begin?  The Master Bedroom used to be an enclosed patio that was even further enclosed and turned into a master bedroom.  There were a series of strange steps and platforms throughout the room with an outdoor jacuzzi resting in the far corner.

The jacuzzi was on a high pedestal that looked like a karaoke stage.

The toilet was open to the rest of the room and tucked into the back corner.

The shower was a cheap, free standing plexiglass box with a curtain on the front.

The bed is actually pretty neat and very intricate but since the walls are all filled with windows the large bed was actually covering one of the windows

The vanity was circa 1977 with dark ugly wood and a plastic countertop

As is often the case with cabins all of the previous owners unwanted furniture ended up filling the rooms

A very cool aspect of the room is the wood burning fireplace in the corner that lets off a ton of heat. One of the fun parts of cabin owning is that I am able to relax and tend to silly crafts and creations.  My husband was having a hard time lighting the fire to burn the excess would from construction so I created custom fire starters for him.

This is another shot of the old shower and the jacuzzi that no longer exists

The Plan of Attack

The plan is to remove pretty much everything from the room.  It turns out you cannot get a permit to have an outdoor jacuzzi inside of a house, so the previous owners removed it and left us with a lovely karaoke stage in the corner.  That had to go and you'll never believe what we found underneath....

There was an in ground but non working jacuzzi that can only be described as "Hot Tub Time Machine"

Joseph and his brother had to use a saw to cut it out and remove it.  I felt obligated to save the tiles for something crafty down the line

So here's where we go from here...

1. Bring floor to same level (remove all pedestals and stages)
2. cover all overly textured walls with fresh, smooth drywall and paint
3. remove old vanity and shower (many trips to Heap's dump)
4. Remove old jacuzzi and cover hole left in the ground
5. build water closet for the toilet and move it to opposite side of room
6. build frame for new permitted jacuzzi tub and glass neo-angle shower
7. Tile walls of tub and shower and sides of bathtub frame
8. order naughty pine wood door for bathroom
9. order new vanity and mirrors
10. close in one window on backside of room
11. Lift plywood covering floors and refinish wood

The Fun Part Next.....Shopping

Exterior Shots From September 2012

These are photos that were taken of the exterior of the cabin the first month that we owned it.  The average temperature at Lake Arrowhead in the month of September is 75 degrees which made it a great place to work and escape the 100 degree temperatures that Glendale was seeing

View from front balcony

View from the driveway

Front of the cabin looking up from the road

View of the upper deck from behind the cabin

View of upper and lower deck in front of cabin

Upper deck with patio furniture

Chateau Mooseknuckle

Pinehaus

We purchased our cabin in September of 2012 what started out as an financial investment has turned into so much more.  Telling ourselves that the place was a "turn key" property was quickly revised as we started redecorating and renovating.  Six months later we are still working on the master bedroom which has gone from a chaotic series of nonsensical steps and stages to what will soon be a gorgeous suite.  Can't wait.

For Today we endure the dust and debris and absorb the beauty inside and outside of our home away from home.

Before the snow began

A view of Lake Arrowhead  above the village

Next to what used to be my driveway

Pre snow

Early morning on the lake is so peaceful and serene

Beautiful sunset on the road home