Radiator Handle Swap

I apologize that I've been slacking on my posts lately!  But rest assured, progress is being made :)  I just have to find some time to sit down and get the photos loaded & posts written up!

Today I have a quick addition to the attic radiator post...
I can't believe I forgot the part about the valve/handle not working anymore!  It actually flew off at one point, and there was a little piece missing.

Handle is on top-left side of radiator

Mike tried to find a replacement piece at Lowe's, but ended up having to buy a whole new valve.  I don't love it, but it's not terrible!

In fact, I was actually a little happy about this! The attic radiator is the same as the one in the bathroom (I could tell from the fancy markings on it).

The bathroom radiator handle was pretty beat up & the wood was chipped.  It kept snagging on the towels when we put them on the radiator to warm them.

So, Mike took the attic handle and replaced the beat-up parts on the bathroom radiator handle.  It looks so much better, and no more snags to my towels!

Back to the Attic- radiator re-installed

We've spent the last couple of weekends back in the attic.

First item up was re-installing the radiator... it had been located out way too far from the wall.   In order to move the radiator back closer to the walls we needed to shorten the pipes that ran under the eaves.

Mike had trouble unscrewing the pipes back in the spring when he removed the radiator to install the subflooring, so had cut them. Now that it's getting cold... we needed to be able to put the heat on.  So, this got bumped to the front of the project list!

Working under the eaves, it took a lot of muscle and use of his reciprocating saw, but Mike got the old pipes out and replaced with new.

Then my mom painted the radiator.  We had the silver Rustoleum paint left over from the bathroom radiator.

So, still a long way from finished... but inching forward!

Before- green radiator is
under the light bulb.

After

Some more shots of the room at this stage...

View from the doorway

Reverse view
(from the far left corner of previous photo)

Project #2- A bathroom

Ugh, the bathrooms leave LOTS to be desired!

While this eventually will be just the kids' bathroom, until the extension is built and a first floor half-bath is added, this is also serving as the guest bathroom.  (One reason we haven't had many guests over yet!)

Before

Before

Sometimes you have to play the hand you're dealt...

We were dealt an avocado green tub and sea foam toilet & sink.  I can see why the previous owner chose the ivy wallpaper, since it contained both shades of green- but it was past it's prime.  We had to get it painted as a short-term fix until we can get a plan with the architect & contractor. 

Mom steamed off the two layers of wallpaper, Mike spackled & sanded, and I painted. 

Nice team effort!

The floor will eventually be tiled, but for now we just needed to get it to stop curling up where it meets the tub.  Mike took toe moulding and did a really quick fix!

The light fixture was rusting and falling down.  We put a new one in over the vanity.  And speaking of the vanity... it got a nice coat of sea foam inside to clean it up.  Mike stood firm on not purchasing any new hardware for the cabinetry in either bathroom, since it will be gone in "phase two"!

Before

As mentioned in an earlier post, the radiator is one of my favorite parts of the house.

It was painted cream, but I decided that silver would show the decorative detailing. 

That started the brainstorm- the silver looked nice with the sea foam wall color, which couldn't help but remind me of the beach... hmmm... how about we put up B&W photos of the boys from our last beach trip!  

Interim fix:

(Thank you Bonnie Raley Photography for the beautiful beach photos!)

After

After

I never knew how many shades of green were out there, until I was trying to match towels.  After several attempts, we went with gray to compliment the photography.

A new shower head, bathmat, and a few shells completed the look.

I still need to find a ceiling fixture/fan.  The current one doesn't work.  I just keep forgetting to look for a new one... but we'll be back at Lowe's next weekend, I'm sure!

Things We Love

Just a few of the reasons we fell in love with the house...

The wood banister- which goes all the way to the third floor!

The fireplace- it has a much more rustic feel than our old house's fireplace (hence the tools that don't match at all... we're working on that!)

The built in shelves

The pretty radiators

The original hardware

The front porch

The property- over five acres (That's a lot of mowing- more on that to come!)

Next up... the things we're working on!