No pictures, because my camera hates me. (A new one is coming tomorrow. Phew!) Okay, here’s a picture—it’s of me 30 years ago, but I think the expression on my face is appropriate right now.
The clawfoot tub has been redelivered with six layers of powder coating, and it looks awesome. Yay! I actually climbed into it and lay down. It’s so deep! I haven’t taken a bath since I had a great cast iron apron tub in my old apartment in Yonkers, which I’m pretty sure was in 1995.
I’m just going to pretend that damage was not incurred to (1) a corner of the marble top on the credenza in our front hall, (2) the fully-restored banister and newel post, (3) the stair treads, or (4) the plaster walls in the process of the tub being carried upstairs. Because frankly, I can’t deal with it all anymore.
The new sink faucet (with smaller escutcheons) was also delivered, and it is HIDEOUS. It’s like some weird, faux-Victorian genie bottle monstrosity. It goes against everything I believe in when it comes to design. I hate it, and it’s going back. Fortunately, I found a source for smaller escutcheons that will work with the original faucet (which I love, thank goodness I hadn’t gotten around to sending it back yet), so it’s just going to be an issue of having to switch out the escutcheons ourselves when the replacements arrive. Escutcheons, escutcheons, escutcheons. I never thought I’d be using that word so frequently. Escutcheons!
Wow, I am soooo ready for this bathroom to be done. The plumbers are coming tomorrow and Friday to finish up their parts. Here’s hoping everything goes smoothly!
In other urgent news, Project Runway started back up tonight! We had a friend over to watch the premiere. So exciting! I loved Korto’s yellow dress, so pretty.
14 Comments
How do you even pronounce “escutcheons”? Can’t wait to see the final choices!
Ess-cutch-uns is how I’ve been saying it, but I think I’m going to switch to calling them “crustaceans” instead. It’s more fun!
The plumbers are putting the new faucet on the bathtub RIGHT NOW! So exciting.
I like crustaceans better too! I’m so sorry to hear about the damage incurred Anna, I hope it is not serious (although I know marble damage is serious). I can’t wait to see it how the tub and everything look. I like the original faucet you have much better than the new one, I must admit after I read your description of it when I clicked on the link I actually laughed out loud because you were dead on in your description!
P.S.: The dumpster has arrived!
Adam, that faucet is SO MUCH WORSE in person. It’s HUGE and BULBOUS. It’s like having Jimmy Durante’s nose coated in chrome and attached to your sink.
The damage to the marble is really just a chip, but still. It’s frustrating to have these things happen because of someone else’s carelessness. I’ll get over it when the bathroom is done, I’m just feeling really sick of the constant movement of things/people in and out of the house.
DUMPSTER! Have you stared loading it up? Take pictures! (Did you see that Chez Larsson linked to you today?)
The image of Jimmy Durante’s nose attached to your sink is killing me!!! I can imagine it going “Ahh ch ch ch chaa” every time you walk into your bathroom.
I have not started filling the dumpster yet, I still have to go to the gym. Now that it is here I feel overwhelmed, but I’m sure I will get over it soon.
So excited for you! I can’t wait to see how it works with the room and the red paint you chose. I am living vicariously through you this year because I hate both my bathrooms.
Escutcheons! Crustaceans! Escutcheons! Crustaceans! Ta rah rah BOOM de yea…
How cute are you?!
Sorry to hear about the troubles – just keep thinking, it’s going to be beautiful. 🙂
Movers are never careful with other people’s possessions… no matter what they advertise or how much insurance they claim to have. I can’t believe they managed to damage 4 things with one tub!
Too bad Tim Gunn wasn’t there to tell those bathtub guys a thing or two. I’m pretty sure he would have thought they were a bunch of slackers.
Hope the rest of the bathroom work goes smoothly!
now i am starting to understand what you do with your vacation time from work.
Thank you for posting… I am the only one I know doing renovations and when the plumber screwed up and the foundation guy disappeared, and things I ordered from the renovation center come in ALL WRONG, I feel like I am the idiot… *ugh* It is nice to know that I am not (really) alone in this silly idea that I can fix a house by hiring professionals… (and doing some things)
I think I am in renovation-burn-out… but…. must get back in the ‘pit’ and fight until I have water again, and (hopefully) have a house that won’t fall!
thanks for posting, keep strong, for all our sakes!
Michele
Hi Anna et al. Complement on such a cool blog, it’s been my go-to site even before I bought my home three months ago. I have an old clawfoot tub that needs refinishing on the interior and exterior. Would you recommend your guys (despite the carelessness)? The companies out here that I’ve called don’t keep appointments!
Also, on another related topic, was there a reason why you didn’t install the marble hexagon tiles yourself even though you did such a wonderful job on the black penny rounds? Are there difficulties with the marble that are best left to a professional? I’m considering renovating one of my bathrooms myself and to that end your site has been invaluable!
Best,
Candace
Candace: Yes, I would recommend the powder-coat guys, but not if you’re in NJ (unless you plan to do all of the transporting yourself).
If I could do it all over again, I would do the marble hex tiles myself. The installer did a terrible job. That was the first bathroom we renovated, though (the black pennyrounds came a year later), and not having ANY experience with tiling at that point, I didn’t have the confidence to attempt it.
Oh well!
Thanks for responding so quickly! I see. I got the chronology wrong, but good to know that you got a confidence boost after the second bathroom. I’m excited to try my hand at doing the tiling myself.
I’ll keep looking on my end but please pass on the powder-coat guys contact info just in case I get completely fed up with the ones I find in Bergen County.
I’d also prefer the powder coating be done off-site but most of the companies here do the work in the home.
Regarding the tub, besides painting did you do any other work to the exterior of the tub yourself? Mine is pretty rough and it looks as if it will need more than a paint job.
Best,
Candace