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Friday, January 20, 2017

Mountfield renovations

I decided finally to bite the bullet and start the Mountfield bathroom relocation. It has so far been pretty quick and painless, although whatever glue I used to stick the bathroom sink and toilet down with was dynamite to remove. I haven't removed the wallpaper in the new bathroom as most of it will have tile covering it and whatever isn't covered will just be painted or repapered.

I can't decide on layout as it is a large and sort of awkward shape. I want to build the bath into an alcove and have an enclosed shower, like this from a vintage apartment above a shop I visited a few years ago:





 So this layout would work best (shower at front right) but it makes the toilet/sink space a bit squishy:


These ones not so good:




What are your thoughts? Would like some opinions please.

No real progress on the Coxwolds as I am still waiting on an order for architrave and skirting which I placed in November....

I have made a wall cabinet for the shop, but my foamcore wall (wallpapered on the right) has warped, so I need to somehow straighten it. And that is all the wallpaper I have so can't replace the wall.


Enjoy your weekend everyone.

24 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Shannon! I like the second layout better, with the wash sink not close to the door. Everything just looks more equally spaced out, if that make sense ;) Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing your story. I appreciate that! :)

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  2. I like the third layout the best. The fact that the room is big and open makes sense in an older house. A lot of times a smaller bedroom would be turned into a bathroom and because it wasn't planned there was a lot of open space. So you could add a towel rack or a stool or dressing table if you wanted.

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    1. Thanks Sheila! Yes agreed, it could've been a later addition to the house. I have since made a decision. Maybe a hasty one, but will post an update soon!

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  3. This is way too complicated, I know but... Maybe move the door around the corner. The old door to wall area becomes the tub enclosure. The sink stays exactly where you have it in the first picture. The shower stall is built in to the right front area and the toilet goes between the tub enclosure and the shower. See? My two cents aren't worth much more than that. :O)

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    1. Sounds like a good plan Jodi but unfortunately there is nowhere else for the door to go. The back wall, as you look at the bathroom, is the bedroom, and the left side is the stairs and the right wall is the exterior of the house. I might've had a tiny bit more space had I thought about this when I constructed the house.

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  4. Hi Shannon, One should never see the toilet through the doorway - so following that principal the first layout is best. I would drag the bath forward towards the opening and place a large open shelved cupboard along the back wall. Something appropriate on the right of the door. You could fill it with perfume bottles and linens.
    Or .. you could put the bath shown in position three but on the opposite wall .
    Look forward to more photos of your decision making.
    I am still trying to decide what I should undertake for my next project. It is so hard to make the leap.
    Regards Janine

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    1. Hi Janine. Thanks for the ideas. I do like the idea of the cupboard, but have made a decision. I will post photos soon! And as for your next project, just start multiples at once! That's kind of what I do (clearly, as so few of them are actually finished!).

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  5. I like #3 also, but for different reasons. I (my dolly self) would not feel comfortable doing anything in the bathroom that can be seen from the door. Therefore the bath in the nook and the other facilities away from the door works for me. :-)

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    1. Oh I am the same! That's why I didn't want to put the toilet anywhere near the door area. Unless it had a divider.

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  6. A successful room in a dollhouse needs composition just as much as a painting does. What has happened to your room is the compositional balance is too bottom heavy and too scattered visually with all the focus on the very low in the room bright white, 3 low positioned and visually distracting objects that don't give your eye and mind a place to linger and enjoy. I would suggest that you begin by creating a good focal point to work with using the tub and adding some tall element to it such as an interesting overhead shower rack, a shower spout up high make it something a little bit large like a good sized rosette shower fitting and also add shower curtain that has just enough pattern so that that arrangement of bathtub items becomes the focal point of the room. This will give you that tall element that is currently lacking in that room without needing to add a tall cabinet. It will give you the visual weight wanted for a focal point. Then once you have that focal element pulled together you can once again try playing with the positioning of the fixtures to support the focal point with each of the other two fixtures having some added interest to them. The visual balance and the flow of your eyes around the room will continue to improve with a mirror over the sink, some towel racks higher than the toilet, a rug on the floor, etc. Of course you can mock these things up temporarily to check out what you really like with colored paper, facial tissue or paper napkins as a temporary shower curtain, a few findings or cheap earings for shower head, etc. Just play with it for a while and it will all suddenly click into place and look right to you. That "oh that is what was needed" feeling will happen :)

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    1. Hi Karin! Yes you are absolutely right. The fixtures look wrong, and adding some height variation will help. I also think with some tiling and plain wallpaper and accessories, things might look more like they should. You are a wealth of design ideas and inspiration! Thanks for your input yet again. Xx

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  7. A mi también me gusta más la 3ª disposición,aunque leo que ya has pensado como hacerlo y seguro que enseguida nos mostrarás tus decisiones con fotos,las espero!!
    Besos.

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    1. Thanks Pilar! Yes, just updated on the renovations, I hope you like what I have done. Although it is a little hard to see now, as it is so early in the remodel. Take care.

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  8. A mi me ha gustado mucho la primera con los vitrales, diferente y muy original, aunque el resto aparece más diáfano el espacio, pero seguro que tu has valorados todas las posibilidades, Buen fin de semana:-)

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    1. Thanks Rosa! I love it too. So much character. And although it was full of boxes and junk, it was great to see an old bathroom in original condition. Loved it!

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  9. Hi Shannon, Here I go adding my two cents worth of advise:
    I agree with Janie in that the toilet should not be in direct view of the open door, and I agree with Karen's assessment of needing something tall for visual balance. I like the tub against that wall because it fits that space so well, however, what I would suggest is enclosing the tub which gives a vintage look as per the photos of the apartment sink. I would tile the interior and add a light so that the interior space can be visible. You could install a shower head as well as a shower curtain, which will soften the look of the hard surfaces. A corner or "L" shaped linen cupboard opposite the door would give you lots of space to display extra bathroom necessities as well as draw the eye deeper into the room.
    Anyway, I am such a Big Fan of your work and so whatever you do- I KNOW will look Terrific! All one has to do is look at the INCREDIBLE work you have done with your French house and your toy shop to REALIZE that you Really know what you are doing! :D

    elizabeth

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth. I love the idea of a light in the tub enclosure, as the tub can be seen through the open door from the front of the house (I should've photographed it but it probably wouldn't show very well with dull light and no lighting in the bathroom. I think a linen cupboard would be great. In fact I could make my shower enclosure a linen cupboard. I am worried I won't be able to make a convincing metal shower door frame, so we'll see! And thanks also for the compliments on my work in general. I always have so many projects and none of them finished, but I stew on ideas until I am sure I know how I want to do something! Enjoy your weekend! Xx

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  10. Hola, Shannon...A mi me gusta mas la 3, pero creo que es en directo, y moviendo las cosas cómo mejor se aprecia cómo queda todo. Cambia, prueba y el momento en que te guste, será el adecuado. Las casas de muñecas tienen su vida propia, y ellas mismas, "piden" su decoración...Seguro que conseguirás que quede perfecto. Un beso

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  11. Thanks for the encouragement Maria, and yes, dollhouses seem to make up their own minds about these things! Xx

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  12. Wow, Shannon! Lots of work in both worlds!
    How about creating a linen cupboard in the corner opposite the door into the (mini) bathroom? So as you enter you aren't faced directly with the loo, then you could walk through a small arch and into the main part of the bathroom. It might help break up the large space?
    I'm sure you'll figure it all out.
    Hugs
    Si

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    1. Hey Si! Yes, a linen cupboard would've been good and really suited the house. If I'd thought harder, then I might've been able to squeeze one in somewhere but didn't. I was looking at my kitchen/laundry and started pondering extending the kitchen, but no! I won't do that. I am happy with the laundry and reasonably so with the kitchen. Xx

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  13. A bit late, I know but it's picture one for me and I like Simon's idea of a linen cupboard too. Lots of playing with this one, I'm sure. Off now to see your final decision!

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    1. Thanks for your input Irene. I think I'd already decided. I had visited the old apartment in about 2014 I think and it had been in my mind for a project since. It had to be done! Xx

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