We start our Frederick bathroom remodel next week- yes! We have 5 Frederick bathrooms to remodel- looking to add two more for a total of 7 when we are done- As a result, we’re tackling a small project this November. The powder bath remodel.

Why We Purchased a Project

If you’re newer around here, let me tell you a little about our Fixer Upper-style farmhouse we are slowly remodeling. A few years ago, I pulled off Route 15 just north of Leesburg and waited for a call back from my husband. I had a few minutes, so I pulled up Zillow.com to see what type of homes were for sale in the area.

My husband and I were not looking for a new house. We owned a waterfront townhome in Reston with a few projects left to finish. We chatted, however, about what the next house would look like. He wanted something with a lot of land, a circular driveway, and pillars. I wanted tall ceilings and something unique. “Communities” are not really my thing– I grew up in a geodesic dome.

So when a SEVEN bedroom house, originally constructed in 1732, with tall ceilings, 7 acres, a circular driveway, and pillars popped up in my search, I was interested… and it was listed for less than we would sell our Reston townhouse for.

And the price kept dropping. And dropping.

I toured the house a zillion times. It was a LOT of work. The numbers on the doors and board of antique room keys got me searching. It was a Civil War hospital, then a pre-OSHA nursing home. Obituaries and all.

But the price kept dropping, and I was pregnant again. The extra space would be nice!

We jumped and purchased the house. We have a long way to go, but this house is an absolute gem.

Powder Bath Remodel

Our next Frederic bathroom remodel project is the powder bath. It had a bathtub in it at one time for the patients on the first floor. Now, it is a cramped space hidden under the stairs.

As a result of our space constraints, we have to be creative with this Frederick bathroom remodel, and I needed shallow bathroom vanity. The depth of a vanity is measured from the front to the back, as you look at it. I needed it to be less than 20″, which is very shallow.

Wayfair is my go-to site for remodeling projects. The price is great, and they offer gold fixures. Home Depot and Lowes are lacking in gold/ polished brass.

Wayfair has a search feature allowing you to search by maximum dimensions. They also allow you to create project “boards.” Kind of your own personal Pinterest page by room.

I found this vanity, and love it. A little rustic. A little modern. The only downside is that it is only large enough for a single hole faucet- called a mono deck. As a result, I picked this one. I loved this one because it incorporated the “x” style knobs existing in the bathroom.

Next is the flooring. I set the whole bathroom design around this floor. It is sooo pretty!

I’m looking for a gold-framed mirror. Maybe an arched or “tombstone” mirror. Key will be the simplicity of design and a thin border. I’m looking for a small version of this World Market full body-version. Any leads?

The push bottom lights are modern versions of light switches I’ve found in the house.

The toilet is a killer deal! I spent $350 on a similar Kolher toilet when adding another bathroom. When I saw this one at Costco, however, it stopped me in my tracks. It’s $199! It’s over $300 online, so head on into your local Costco before I buy them all.

Additional Studs and Blocking

The last bit of information I’ll leave you with is what I learned from remodeling with my parents and incorporating in our Frederick bathroom remodel. When gutting a space, add studs to areas where there will be greater use. For example, are you going to hang a mirror? Then add a stud in the center of where your vanity will be so that hanging will be a breeze. This is often called “blocking,” and we add it where the toilet paper holder, towel rack, and ADA grab bar will be.

Someday, our home will be a bed and breakfast or wedding venue. Have you ever gone to a bathroom at a restaurant and there are a ton of holes in the wall because “stuff” has fallen out over time? The toilet paper anchor slowly wore down, and they tried to pop it in a new place?

I don’t want that with our home. So, screw that baby into a stud or add additional blocking so that your new bathroom will look new longer.

For more posts about updating the estate, see here.