Project Diary #9: Carpeted Stairs

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The #helloredreno series continues! The stairs at the studio needed some attention. We started with carpeted stairs and I knew that I wanted to go in the same direction. Choosing carpeting for the studio space from the entrance of the commercial area to the residual space upstairs makes a lot of sense.

My choice: Shaw Carpet Final Piece Coatbridge 

The before: 

A commercial grade glued down blue with no padding.

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff

At our house, our stairs are noisy and the painted risers show a lot of scuffs so while I don’t anticipate daily use of the stairs at the studio, I wanted to soften the vibe, cut down on the noise, and add warmth to the space. I also wanted something more neutral than the original blue as well as something that contributed to adding a beautiful statement to the area. 

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff

The landing will be the entrance to the future studio apartment. So I want something warm and inviting.

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff

My choice: 

As a member of the Shaw Styleboard, I had the opportunity to choose from their carpet collection. I wanted something neutral but with texture, something durable but pretty. Read the description: Warm up rooms and reduce energy bills with the natural insulation and comfort of carpet. With many styles to choose from and the best stain-fighting technology in the industry, Shaw carpet brings color, texture and value to your floors. Create distinctively stylish looks when you play with texture, loop, pattern and twist options.

Final Piece Coatbridge Shaw Carpet

Shaw Carpet Final Piece Coatbridge 

A perfect fit! I chose the color “coatbridge” from the “Final Piece” collection. It feels timeless and classic. I like to switch things up when it comes to design and decor so this option gives me the freedom to go any direction when it comes to decorating. It’s the perfect base palette and texture for any style. 

Installation: 

The same installer, Mike, who did worked with me on the Floorté vinyl floor planks in our home installed the carpeting. We had removed the former blue carpets to prepare for placing the new carpet.

The stairs before:

staircase before carpeting before and after carpeting stairs

The landing at the top of the stairs before:

stairs before

He set to work with the underlayment and prep work. Who knew that carpet padding is just as important as the carpet itself? I kind of assumed it wasn’t something really necessary but luscious, soft carpet padding minimizes noise, maximizes warmth and extends the life of your floor! I had no idea! 

shaw carpet padding

After: 

You guys! IT IS GORGEOUS! I am in love with my choice! The texture and pattern add interest to the space, without an overpowering or super trendy style. It’s the perfect base for whatever I choose to do with wall paint and decorative accessories. It’ll work when I change my mind and swap out decor. It’ll work with seasonal decorating colors. It’s warm and inviting.

The stairs: 

Shaw Carpets Final Piece Coatbridge Shaw Carpets Final Piece Coatbridge stairs

Shaw Final Piece Coatbridge carpet meets SanFrancisco hexagon tile

carpet tile transitionShaw Final Piece Coatbridge carpet San Francisco

The landing at the top of the stairs: 

stair landing Shaw Carpets Final Piece Coatbridge staircasestair landing Shaw Carpets Final Piece Coatbridge

Shaw Final Piece Coatbridge carpet meets Monterrey Grandview rustic wide plank hardwood floors.

Shaw Final Piece Coatbridge carpet Grandview Monterey hardwood

 

And that padding? Luxurious! Seriously. I don’t think I’d need an air mattress if I decided to camp out in this space! It’s that cushioned! Slumber party, anyone? Oh! And ever accidentally bounce down the stairs on your back side? This makes for a better ride and less painful experience. lol

More decisions: 

I cannot wait to get started with decorating and to call this area complete. I’m still deciding how to finish it. Options:  

  • To make it an entry space for the apartment with a bench, shoe storage, coat hooks, plants and a side table. (The apartment will not have a full time tenant. It’s for overnight/short term guests.)
  • To furnish it with a small writing desk in front of the window, book shelves on either side, plants, a lamp, curtains, a comfy chair, fun wallpaper on the back wall. 
  • To suspend some swinging chairs or a bamboo-type porch swing, fun wallpaper, a coffee table, plants. 
  • A small conversational area with a love seat or two comfy chairs.
  • A window seat and comfy reading nook, plants, diffuser, book cases. 

So many options. I’m all set with a beautiful blank slate, gorgeous cushion-y textured patterned floor that I love! I’m leaning towards the window seat and a hanging chair with a shelf for plants and a small accent table for a cup of tea or a good book…a little escape and restful spot for meditation with the vibe of a private porch area only indoor and then creating a small entry area inside of the apartment right inside the door instead. What do you think? What would feel more welcoming to you as a guest? 

As we keep checking projects off of the ‘to-do’ list, I’m getting so excited for fun parts – decorating and furnishing! I can’t wait!

Next up on the remodel:

Clean up the railing and banister, paint, baseboards, installing doors, light fixtures, fun feature wall, possibly creating a kitchenette then furnishing, decorating and then the reveal! Then moving in! Okay, not that last part but I do plan to extend the invitation and welcome you to visit! 

The building has so much historical charm. It’s about one block from our town’s Main Street. The bus stop is literally steps away. There are breweries, the YMCA, shops, restaurants, salons, florists, candy/coffee shop, holiday parades and festivals within walking distance. So fun! If renovation from blah to ahhhhh is your thing, stay tuned!

So subscribe and be reminded of updates as the renovations progress! I’ll share before and after photos, projects underway and updates, plans and design boards, sources and links as they relate as well as fun events going on in and around the downtown area. I’ll be using a specific hashtag on social media to keep things all neat and tidy and organized.

#helloredreno

I welcome your thoughts and ideas! And as always, thanks for your encouragement and support and for sharing in my joy and vision! Watch for #helloredreno!

Project Diary Entry #7: Sealing Brick

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Project Diary Entry #7: The bathroom makeover continues! We’re sealing an old original ‘decorative’ vintage brick chimney today!

The full bathroom at the studio property I’m working on was completely covered in paneling or what my husband refers to painted cardboard. For real. What is that stuff?! Even the claw foot tub and pedestal sink was boxed in with the same material! Why?! 

Follow the before and after makeover journey —> #helloredreno

RockSolid Concrete Sealer

Before: 

Yikes! (And no worries, we did repair the roof. It was top priority and the very first project.) But seriously. That paneling. What the….?!

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff

Recap: 

We tore it all away! Oh my! You guys…I know it’s dirty but do you see the potential?

rustic bathroom makeover

Included was this bump out beside a built in cabinet (another feature I love!)…

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff

which revealed an original brick chimney…

vintage bathroom charm

Rustic! Texture! A buried treasure! And just like making one of the gorgeous wood plank walls a feature of the bathroom by leaving it exposed…

shiplap wall with hexagon tile floor

I couldn’t bear to cover up all that gorgeous old brick. Know what I mean? It’s completely decorative and not functional but the texture and pretty color variations! Oh man! The old gas register is staying as well.  

decorative brick chimney

But it did have a dirty dull finish. Blah!

brick before

What I did:

  • We gave it a good scrubbing with a wire brush to remove all of the filth and crumbles. 
  • And after talking with the professionals at Rust-Oleum, I used the RockSolid Natural Look Concrete Sealer (low gloss clear).RustOleum Rock Solid Concrete Sealantj
  • I simply applied it with a brush, making sure to get into all of the nooks and crannies. And watching for drips. I gave it one thorough coat and plan to do another. It’ll have dried several days by the time I get around to the second coat. Rust-Oleum Rock Solid Concrete SealerIt goes on white but dries clear.   sealing brick with brush
  • This product sealed it all in and provided a beautiful low gloss finish (nothing TOO shiny, not a high gloss or lacquered finish) that brought out the various vibrant colors and gave it a clean surface. It reminds me of an eggshell or satin finish. 

Conclusion:

So, this 114 square foot bathroom has a lot going on but I am in LOVE with all of the original charm. 

vintage brick

That floor though too! ::drool:: ::heart eyes:: 

exposed brick

More on that here—> Shaw SanFrancisco Hexagon Tile Flooring

What are your thoughts?

Do you embrace and work with the original old character or prefer removing or covering it for a clean slate? 

Next up on the bathroom remodel:

Paint, baseboards, {possible} vintage cast iron tub re-finishing, installing the toilet, vanity, sconce lights and my favorite part…decorating and the reveal! Oh. And probably cutting down 6 doors since re-doing the floors raised them. Not looking forward to that part but things are moving along. Stay tuned!

The building has so much historical charm. It’s about one block from our town’s Main Street. The bus stop is literally steps away. There are breweries, the YMCA, shops, restaurants, salons, florists, candy/coffee shop, holiday parades and festivals within walking distance. So fun! If renovation from blah to ahhhhh is your thing, stay tuned!

So subscribe and be reminded of updates as the renovations progress! I’ll share before and after photos, projects underway and updates, plans and design boards, sources and links as they relate as well as fun events going on in and around the downtown area. I’ll be using a specific hashtag on social media to keep things all neat and tidy and organized.

#helloredreno

I welcome your thoughts and ideas! And as always, thanks for your encouragement and support and for sharing in my joy and vision! Watch for #helloredreno!

Project Diary Entry #6: Bathroom Flooring

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It feels as if it’s been a while since I shared an update on the studio renovation. Most recent progress is the beautiful tile floors have been installed in the upstairs bathroom. As a member of the Shaw StyleBoard, I had the opportunity to choose some flooring for the studio.

My Choice: 

For the upstairs bathroom, I chose Presidio (whites) and Lombard (grays) from the same San Francisco design style. It’s a rustic and beautiful hexagon glazed porcelain tile from Shaw Floors with a reclaimed brick texture. And it’s absolutely gorgeous! My most favorite flooring to date!

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

You guys, it was love at first sight! The kind where you see it then continue to shop but always go back to it. Nothing compares. Nothing else will work. It’s this or nothing. I love when that happens! The alternative is so many choices and a hard time narrowing it down to one but this time around, I knew “THIS IS IT”! And for the record, this tile is versaTILE and can be used on floors, showers, patios, backslashes…just about anywhere. Since this is that the studio, it may show up somewhere in my house as well. 

Let’s revisit the scary “before” picture. It’s a good thing I can see potential past the nasty, right? 

Before:

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff 

The original old hardwood floors had to be removed. 

bathroom makeoverbathroom makeoverBathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

A plywood subfloor was installed and leveled to prepare a base for the cement board which then is the base for the actual mortar and tile. 

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

The seems were taped and sealed.

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Flooring was installed by Rege, Mike and Tyler, subcontractors from A&S Carpet in Allison Park, PA. They did a beautiful job! 

Installation:

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

The white and gray hexagon tiles were placed randomly. I usually do prefer the symmetry of a planned and arranged design – stripes or checkerboard and even considered a flower-type design but this time because of the transition of flowing over into the hardwood, I really liked the random placement. 

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Rather than the traditional ‘hump’ or straight cut line in the threshold where tile meets hardwood, we continued the tile across the threshold and into the next room. It reminds me of a glacier…moving/reaching into the bedroom. It’s SO cool and so different and it’s amazing! You can see the links to inspiration for this idea on my studio Pinterest board

Transition: 

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Just wait until you see the hardwood next to it! You’ll drool! 

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredrenoYou may remember me asking about grout colors. I originally chose “Iron” at the store but after some thought changed my mind to “Charcoal”. Frank at A&S was very accommodating with my request! No problem!

Grout: 

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Perfection!

Reveal:

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

What do you think? Do you prefer the standard transition piece dividing tile and hardwood in the doorway or would you consider a smooth transition and design feature? 

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

A BIG thanks to A&S for the installation. I’m THRILLED with the end result! 

Here’s a sneak peek of the vanity with the floor…I can’t wait for the finishing touches!

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

So pretty! And all three features: that gorgeous floor, the beautiful vanity against that original wood plank wall…

Bathroom Makeover - Shaw Floors hexagon porcelain tile SanFrancisco @diyshowoff #helloredreno

Next up on the bathroom remodel:

Paint, baseboards, {possible} vintage cast iron tub re-finishing, installing the toilet, vanity, sconce lights and my favorite part…decorating and the reveal! Oh. And probably cutting down 6 doors since re-doing the floors raised them. Not looking forward to that part but things are moving along. Stay tuned!

The building has so much historical charm. It’s about one block from our town’s Main Street. The bus stop is literally steps away. There are breweries, the YMCA, shops, restaurants, salons, florists, candy/coffee shop, holiday parades and festivals within walking distance. So fun! If renovation from blah to ahhhhh is your thing, stay tuned!

So subscribe and be reminded of updates as the renovations progress! I’ll share before and after photos, projects underway and updates, plans and design boards, sources and links as they relate as well as fun events going on in and around the downtown area. I’ll be using a specific hashtag on social media to keep things all neat and tidy and organized.

#helloredreno

I welcome your thoughts and ideas! And as always, thanks for your encouragement and support and for sharing in my joy and vision! Watch for #helloredreno!