Today was a very big day in bathroom remodeling land!
Yesterday, Emerald Pearl called to ask if they could deliver
the new carrara marble for the shower wall and my vanity a
day earlier than scheduled... Honestly, it's been so long since
any contractor has been nice to me, I barely knew how to act!
Nevertheless, I agreed to the early delivery immediately!
Despite the short notice, my clean up crew had the bathroom ready!
I didn't think I could love this furniture any more than I do...
But now that the vanity is topped with this gorgeous carrara, I do!
After a quick look to see how much space there was to
work under the vanity for the installation of the faucet, the
guys said my plumber may not be too happy with me since
after the sink was mounted, there wasn't going to be a lot of
room left to work in that space. So, since my plumber just
happened to be home, I called him up into our bedroom to
take a look! Good thing I did because the decision was made to
install the faucet before the sink and before the vanity was set!
Future crisis averted! One aspect of fabrication I hadn't considered was
how I'd like the faucet set. Normally 3-piece faucets are set straight across
the top of rectangular and oval sinks. However, since I wanted a round sink,
it looks better to set the handles a bit forward, to let them follow the arch
of the sink. Fortunately, the guys at Emerald Pearl thought about this
detail and left drilling the holes for the faucet here to allow me the option!
It's all in the details, my friends...
As soon as I posted the first photos of my faucet, friends began
asking for information about it; so I'll tell you it's from Overstock! I
shopped for this faucet style for a long while, initially falling in love
with this one from Pottery Barn. However, I really didn't care for
the straight edges on the cross handles so I kept right on shopping...
Then one day... During a Google search for
Victorian Style Faucet, this one popped up!
I really like the more rounded handle base and the fact that there are so
many different handle options to choose from. Since it's manufactured by
offered by Pottery Barn. However, instead of $600 at Pottery Barn, this
faucet lists for just $154 at Overstock. Using a 15% off coupon they sent
two minutes after I placed the order, (I called to ask that the discount
be applied) I paid just a little over $130.00 and shipping was free too!
I think it's the perfect faucet choice for my new vanity!
After the vanity was set, all attention turned to the shower...
Where pieces of carrara, cut from the same slab as my vanity, were
installed to cap off the top and side of my shower wall and the step!
First the step...
Then the open side of the shower wall...
And, finally... The top of the shower wall!
I know this will sound super-odd... However, while the vanity is gorgeous and I
am in love with my little round sink, it's this piece of carrara on top of the wall
that absolutely takes my breath away! You see, what sets Emerald Pearl apart
from all the other marble and granite fabricators in my area (besides price!)
is their attention to detail. Every edge is hand polished, which is important,
especially when three out of four sides of your marble is exposed like this is!
Not to mention how it will feel in the shower, where I will be touching
these niches and step with my bare feet and hands. Since these shower
pieces and my vanity were all hand polished, there are no visible machine
marks. And, to the hand, this marble feels like silk. Forget the doghouse!
Next time I get in trouble, I'm heading for the bathroom... Because next to
floating around in the pool, this is the most comfortable spot in the house!
As smoothly as this install went, it was not without its challenges...
Remember when I told you how the first contractor admitted that
this wall he built is out of plumb but how he swore he would fix it
when he tiled it? Well, as you already know, he quit; so that wall is
still not square... Which is a major problem when you're working
with contractors that actually know how to cut things straight!
Fortunately, the average tenure for the craftsmen working over
at Emerald Pearl is eight years; and, one of the guys sent to install
my marble has been doing this for nearly twenty... So between their
willingness to make multiple trips up and down the steps carrying
all this heavy marble to make adjustments using the equipment they
brought along and what seemed to be an inherent unwillingness to
give up until the job was perfect, that crappy wall is no longer crappy!
Just as the marble guys were leaving; and as if on queue, the UPS truck
pulled into the driveway with the second light fixture I ordered from
Pottery Barn. Yes, I did already buy a light fixture for over the mirror...
But the more and more I looked at the sconce we just installed, the more
I doubted that light fixture I picked out at Lowe's. Besides, you know how
much I love my Pottery Barn and how much I love things that match!
Besides, the other light fixture I picked out was so common and
boring. Just the same four little bells of light suspended from a rod...
Additionally, when your vanity stands 40 inches tall, it tends to take up
much of the wall space between the bottom of the light fixture and top of
the vanity. I really didn't want the light fixture to overlap the top of the
new mirror. Especially when I finally got the mirror I really wanted!
It was a really good thing I figured this out today because when I
pulled the receipt for the other light fixture, I found that today was
the LAST day to return it for a refund! Of course, after watching my
marble being installed all afternoon, I didn't feel like going out to
return it myself... So I sweet-talked someone else into doing it for
me. He even came back with the correct bulbs for my new fixture!
Although there's still a lot to do before we are
able to call this little adventure done...
The progress made today is very, very much appreciated!
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