Beginning our DIY kitchen remodel— gutting the bathroom… *VIDEO*
The strangest thing about writing a blog on the internet is feeling like you owe strangers an explanation for your life… then, after the explanation, some of these strangers will be aggrieved by your choices.
This is going to be one of those times.
We are taking out the half bath on the first floor; it is not original to the house, and there is NO PLACE else to relocate it that does not duplicate the same awkward design.
To recap the feedback I’ve gotten:
1. That bathroom is hideous. You MUST tear it out.
2. That bathroom is hideous. You MUST keep it; a first-floor bath is invaluable.
3. That bathroom is hideous. You MUST tear it out… and put it somewhere else; because a first-floor bath is invaluable.
Here is the explanation for taking it out… not that it will persuade you. I only offer it because I am legally required, as a blogger, to account for all of our decisions, so that my explanation may be ignored in favor of public derision.
We are removing the bathroom because we feel the poor location and horrible appearance outweighs its value.
Does that mean we do not understand the value of a bath on the first floor? No. Shockingly, we understand. AND YET we are removing it anyway.
Did we think of some workarounds? Yes.
Were they designs that would enhance the space? No.
They were ways of building half walls and pseudo mudrooms and moving the bathroom further into the kitchen… and just generally creating MORE UGLY to hide the EXISTING UGLY.
So we have decided to have NO UGLY.
To us, this entire space— the addition AND the kitchen— are going to look 1,000,000,000% better with windows on that wall, rather than a boxed-in toilet.
To us, one billion percent is a lot and we feel good about our choice.
I’m also compelled to say this:
This is an old house.
Old houses come with the necessity that you sometimes be willing to ACCEPT THE HOUSE… and sometimes that means choosing what is best for the house, rather than what is most convenient.
Okay… Now you may proceed with the cries of VALUE! Resale!
But you’ll have to do it while watching Paul and I take it out.
other videos to help you waste time:
bed to roof/through window,
how to move a grand piano,
building drawers inside the piano
Suzanne
October 6, 2015 @ 1:02 pm
We also bought a very old house (1919) to remodel and make our home, and like you, we have a box in a weird spot for one of the downstairs bathrooms. Ours is hideously ugly and I can’t wait to tear it down…I completely understand your decision to take yours out. Who cares what anyone else thinks!!! Congrats on your loss 🙂
savannah
October 6, 2015 @ 1:02 pm
Y’all are a hoot! You know the old saying, “Your blog, your rules,” same goes for y’alls house! Well done, sweetpeas! xo
Sandy
October 6, 2015 @ 1:28 pm
Victoria, I enjoy coming to see what you and Paul are up to. I leave you till the end of my e-mails
so that I can enjoy myself and get a smile. Love how you took out the drywall in large pieces,
so much less mess. Stay true to your vision and I look forward to the next installment.
Dating myself but it’s like the old-time radio shows and movies hearing about your next adventure. 🙂
Pam M
October 6, 2015 @ 1:29 pm
You know what….this is *your* home and you get to make the decisions. I love your blog; every new post brightens my day. Hugs to you and Elvis…and even Paul.
Lindsay
October 6, 2015 @ 1:39 pm
Ultimately – this is your house and as you’re paying the mortgage, you get to make all the important decisions about it. You have to be able to look around every day and say ‘this is what works for us’.
Toots
October 6, 2015 @ 1:46 pm
I think there’s a song titled “Ain’t nobody’s business if I do !”
I just love it when you get what you want. I’m always cheering for you. Do not minimize the value of what you do for us by sharing your thought process, as well as the projects themselves. Lifts my spirits. Mine needed that today, so I thank you.
becky
October 6, 2015 @ 1:50 pm
I adore your shirt and your dancing and elvis. always elvis.
get down with your bad selves beautifying your space and doing the potty dance a few steps farther.! rock it!
Mia
October 6, 2015 @ 1:58 pm
That has to be, by FAR, the BEST video of a ‘bathroom removal’ I have EVER seen..!! You guys are terrific..!! Are you thinking of taking this job on as ‘full time’ work, one of these days..?? LOL (I especially LOVE the dance routines..!! NEVER, but NEVER, give those up..!!) It so enhances the ‘production’..!! LOL Keep up the good work..! Can’t wait to see more.!! ?????
Flipwiz
October 6, 2015 @ 2:27 pm
Elvis has a little MGM lion thing going on!
Cyn
October 6, 2015 @ 2:46 pm
Bravo to you for choosing to honor the original house! I think that increases the value of the house. Would for me anyway.qx
Will add….. Getting older myself and I sometimes I think the only reason I can still do stairs is because I live in a house that keeps me going up and down them many times each day.
Sharon
October 6, 2015 @ 2:48 pm
Victoria:
Your home, your decision. With all the loveliness about to surround it, that powder room would have been an ugly stepchild.
Seeing you and Paul working together is always so much fun. So glad to see Elvis. Carry on…
judy
October 6, 2015 @ 3:28 pm
I think eliminating the 1/2 bath was not optional -if one is spending and laboring for beauty and efficiency it definitely would not include the strange weirdness of that indoor outhouse?
The dancing was superb and lacked only the elegant bow concluding your Wedding Reception . I didn’t believe, when viewing your reception video that you could top the elegance of the Venue,the wonderful friends and families-(I spotted your brothers….very cute and your Friend Lara ? Laura…) but the Bow was monarchical . If the two of you had departed in the Queens Rolls Royce I would not have been at all surprised… Are you perhaps working on a Video using the rest of your wedding video footage? I will order my copy now. You are the Cecil B. DeMille of home video production. And Elvis looks excellent and very content…You are the best Blogger in all of Blogger Land…Now both of you—– Take a nap—-you’re gonna need it!
Garden, Home and Party
October 6, 2015 @ 3:55 pm
Not that a faithful reader of your blog, even before fame and fortune, matters, but I think you did the wise thing and the better design thing as well! 🙂
When I see these videos of you and Paul working happily together on a DIY project I wish I could do DIY stuff…the mister and I are always at odds and not very skilled in the DIY department.
I can hardly wait to see what you do with the space.
xo,
Karen
Kay
October 6, 2015 @ 4:16 pm
Love the decision! Love the video! Love seeing Elvis!
Sarah
October 6, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
Have you considered the possibility of an outhouse in your backyard? Just a thought.
LibraDesignEye
October 6, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
Sometimes .. . . your reaction to the “right answer” tells you the right answer. For instance, I was engaged once and got cold feet.
It was just like this bathroom – I SHOULD get married. He (the bathroom) was GOOD for me. I SHOULD be able to work around the issues. I SHOULD be able to make it work.
Then I figured out a way to cancel that day and suddenly, I knew that was the right answer for me. I was so relieved and free (except for the explaining yourself part).
Honestly I was so happy because once I stopped trying to justify making the wrong decision and just made the right decision (for me) I was perfectly happy dealing with people who wanted to know why.
Now I know I just missed a divorce and probably ruin my opportunity for true love and happiness (which i did find, actually). You just missed an opportunity to ruin the room you dreamed about.
susano
October 6, 2015 @ 4:58 pm
Wait… where is the video? I don’t see it. Tried clicking on all of the pics but no video.
Yes, bathroom had to go. It was somebody’s afterthought. First floor powder is great but that was no powder room. It was a toilet in the kitchen. Bad.
LORRIE
October 6, 2015 @ 6:03 pm
I love following your blog… it always brings a smile to my face!!
Convenience is not always everything and that space is now looking so much bigger. I look forward to seeing the revamp of this kitchen.
Renov80r
October 6, 2015 @ 6:10 pm
Down with ugly!
100% in your court.
People worry too much about resale.
What sells a home? Beauty. This is going to be beautiful.
Stephanie Hobson
October 6, 2015 @ 6:14 pm
For what it’s worth I agree with you 1,000,000,000%.