One room Challenge - week 5

Here again! Hi you all! It has been heart-warming to see more and more visitors and comments week after week! Thank you all for visiting. If you are new hear or want to get to know me better, you can do it here.

Taking part to this wonderful One room Challenge as a linking participant has been great! If you want to read about our progress, you can check all the previous posts. I have found many interesting new blogs to read and week after week I have been impressed by others creativity and ideas! So, remember to check back at Calling it home -blog what other participants have done this week! After all, there is only one week to go before the big reveal!

Actually we don´t have a whole week, because finishing the space, taking photos and writing a post takes time, too! We have still things to do, so hopefully we get it all done!

This week we had two important tasks, installing the floating shelf and adding trims. Well - hmm - we did finish the other one ;). Want to know which one it is?

Yep, the shelf! I love the live edge counter top so much, that I decided to use the same kind of wood plank to make the shelf. Actually this piece was leftover from the other plank. Remember we needed a piece to make the counter top deep enough. This piece is the other side from that plank, we needed the straight side and now we need the live-edge side. We are fortunate to have these planks for free from my husbands father. If we should have bought these, it would have cost way too much for us!

I thought about adding a continuous shelf from the sink wall to the back wall. It´s such a small space, that I thought it´s best to keep it simple. There was actually no use for the shelf above the sink, apart the fact that the first mirror wouldn´t look too small. But having another mirror and loving simple spaces I decided to install only one shelf. I even doubted the need for that. I like to change the art on the walls and with a shelf it´s easier, because you don´t leave any marks on the wall.

See that empty wall! I started with cutting in size and sanding the plank. I used the same clear finish, what I used for the counter top, to give it a few protective coats. The essential part is wiping it with a damp cloth first, then sanding it. Between coats it´s also important to sand it with 180-200 grid paper. It guarantees a nice and smooth surface at the end. After some drying time, we were ready for installing the shelf!

I knew from day one, that we need/want some kind of shelf, but that was it. I wanted it to look as simple as possible, no visible brackets. I search for examples. There where loads of instructions how to built a floating shelf, but it was hard to find an instruction where they would use a real plank. There was one in Jenna Sue´s blog, but they made their own brackets. After some more searching I found those brackets, I showed you last time. I found them on Amazon. There can be found also another type of brackets used in floating shelves. Anyway, they didn´t ship those to Finland! After searching some more (again), I found an UK company called Tuxford Furniture Hardware Ltd and they shipped to Finland! I was happy dancing at that moment!

Well back to the installation itself! We decided to use two brackets for this small shelf. It depends on the shelf and it´s weight, how many you should use.First of all I decided where I wanted the shelf to be. Using our level I draw small marks across the width the shelf would go. Horizontally I wanted the shelf to be in the middle of the wall, so I started by measuring the wall and the shelf and their middle points. On the leveled line I draw small mark to show the center of the wall.  Then I took the plank and measured the distance from the center to the point I wanted the bracket to be. Then I measured that same distance from the wall´s center point outwards, on both sides. That way I was left two more marks on the plank and the wall.

To get the brackets to the wall, we had to drill holes for them. We used just a little smaller drill bit than the brackets screw part. Using our adjustable spanner I turned the brackets in place.

Note: Check what material your walls are before drilling! Our walls are made from logs and others have paneling. On this wall we had paneling and the stud run in the middle of the wall, so we had just the paneling to attach the brackets to. Luckily the paneling is very durable and thick so it hold on the weight of the shelf and those light frames we are going to put on it.

Here they are both in place. At this point it´s best to use liner to make sure the brackets are in line. If not, no need to panic. It´s possible to drill the needed holes to the plank so that the shelf is balanced.

You need to check are your marks on the plank in right places. At this point you can measure and double check the situation. Our brackets were just slightly imbalance, so we decided to drill the other hole slightly lower that the shelf would be in line once in place. The thicker the plank the more you can adjust the place for the hole.

Next game the actual drilling. You need the same size drill as the brackets other end is. We had 12mm. We had a just the right wood drill bit in hand. After drilling we tried an extra bracket to the hole. The hole wasn´t deep enough! I should have considered that! So what to do?

It was pure luck that I happened to found an old drill bit exact the same size, but longer! In no time we had the holes. Problem solved :)

Then came the most exiting phase, putting the shelf in place! The question: "Will it fit, or do we have to start again?", run in my mind! I was so glad that it actually fit just right, it was even lined up perfectly! But, (you probably already waited something to happen, don´t you? ), the other end of the shelf didn´t go in it´s place, it slide out of place. So some problem solving was needed again! It was my husband, who suggested that I should wrap some painter´s tape to the bracket, to make the connection tighter.

It helped! Can you believe it? What some tape cannot fix! Basically the shelf should go in tightly to hold it in place. That usually happens all by itself, because it´s hard to get the brackets and holes to meet exactly.

I liked using these brackets and luckily ordered some more for future projects! The shelf itself is so beautiful! I love the live edge and I´m happy I ended up installing just this one shelf. It´s just the right spot to introduce some art to the space. Speaking of art, I´ve painted some and plan on trying to DIY some. Let´s just see how they turn out and what I end up using for the final reveal!

What comes to the trim work, I have started prepping for it. We bought the trims and I have even painted them. I wanted them to match the walls and the ceiling. I had to buy a paint which is durable enough for trims and doors etc. and eggshell finish wasn´t an option in that paint. I chose the nearest possible, so satin it was. Here in Finland we have a paint company called Tikkurila, which makes all kinds of paints and has it´s own paint chart. I have been using their cart to select all the paints I have used. Their products are really high-quality.

After painting the trims, we were ready to install them the next day. Unfortunately it has been raining since then. That´s a problem, because we need our jig saw near by, but not indoors, so the only option is to put it in our front yard. Much easier to clean the outdoors than inside! The weather should get better tomorrow, but for the next couple days we are celebrating Vappu (Labor day). We may end up installing trims on the 1st of May ;). Well, maybe not! I´m happy if we get them done by the Sunday evening!

We´ll meet soon again! Now of to go to LInda´s blog to check out the other posts!

One room Challenge - week 4

Welcome back! I can´t believe it already week 4 and we still have a lot to do. At least it´s lot for us. This week we didn´t get as much done as I hoped for, so next week we have to get things done. This week we have enjoyed a lovely spring weather, so we haven´t done much in our powder room. Also my back pains have set limitations to me.

This weeks to do list was this: finish the table top and install in place, look for a new mirror, buy new trims and paint them before installation, design the floating shelf and make it (installation when the brackets arrive)

Well, I must admit that we don´t have our trims bought yet, no floating shelf which to install and the brackets arrived today. So nothing much has been going on here, except we have been enjoying our new space! Every time I walk in there I feel satisfied and excited. This is finally the space I´ve been dreaming to achieve, Even with all the setbacks we have finished something off of the list!

I decided to use a clear finish for our live-edge table top. If I ever change my mind, it´s easy to add color. For now I´m pretty pleased how it turned out, or what do you think?

To install it in place we used a piece of the same wood, which we drilled to the wall. The table top rest on it. It was a little tricky job, because we both had to be in that tiny space, me under the table top ready to drill, while my husband (not a small man, I should say ;)) hold the piece in place and leveled it. I decided to paint the wood white to match the walls, so it kind of blends in.The other end rest on the vanity a fact we had to consider when installing the vanity itself, because we had to use longer screws to hold all the weight. We did not attach the table top yet, as we may have to take it out temporarily when installing the wall shelf! It is heavy enough to stay in place and such a great fit it won´t move out of place.

I loved the mirror I had for the space and I felt sad and disappointed when I found out it´s just too small for the space.  It could work if I had a shelf underneath it to balance things out a bit. I´m a member of a School of Decorating, a online school founded by Jackie Hernandez. There are video classes, forum for the members and expert interviews. The community is very active and I have  had so many good advice from there! Someone suggested adding a shelf underneath and there I was able to share my thoughts about a new mirror and ask for advice. There is also a Facebook group you can join by signing up. I shared there a few photos to get opinions about the possible new mirror.

I decided I needed something to better visualize the space and different mirror options. So after narrowing my search on a few mirrors I made templates out of paper to get a better idea, what they would look like. I had a small round one (bigger that the Lovely mirror I have), a big round one and a rectangular one. I really liked the big round one, Ikea Stockholm mirror to be precise, but I felt the style just was not right for this space. I also loved the rectangular one, also from Ikea, the Skogsvåg, I love the simple shape and the small wooden frame it has. I´m planning to paint it black when I finally get it in my hands! As those long shopping trips to Ikea wear me out every time (because of my back pains) I decided to use their online shopping and post delivery! At the end of next week I should have the mirror!

The idea of a shelf under the mirror and over the sink really stick in my mind though. Remember one of my inspiration pictures?

When I saw the photo, I really loved the look. Unfortunately I had already ordered brackets for the back wall floating shelf. I ordered some extra, but they are longer than I´d like the shelf to be, so still wondering what to do. We really don´t have time to order new and smaller ones. So I may have to forget that idea all together and concentrate adding the floating shelf to the back wall.

During this whole four weeks time I have searched for concrete wall hooks. I did find some, which could be delivered to Finland, but the costs are not so wallet-friendly ;). I found lovely hooks from an Etsy shop, and the owner even agreed to ship them to me, but it would take at least three weeks to get the hooks due to he´s holiday. Bummer! I also found these from the Etsy and love the shape of them. There are also many great wooden ones so I just have to sit down and decide what direction to go! We do have the holes in the wall already waiting for the hooks. I had to add one temporary hook to hold our towel ;) I don´t want to end up using it with two more holes in the wall ;)

Although our progress last week was good, this week really put us back. Next week is going to be a busy week. We need to buy the trim, install it and make the floating shelf. Finish all the big things, so I have time to add those little things in the last week. 

Make sure to check how all the other are doing this week back at Calling it home!

See you again soon!

One room Challenge - week 3

It´s been a week already since last update! This week we have been busy :). I know this is not a big renovation and there are others with much bigger challenges! For us this is big though. For those of you who are new to my blog, I want to tell a little bit about myself. I have had back issues a long time and gone through many surgeries. Pain is a part of my life and I must take breaks every now and then. So projects take a little longer to get ready. Our son also has some special needs so my time devoted to this project is limited. Well, I know we all have our lives happening behind the scenes ;).

Back to the project itself. In the first week I shared our plan to remodel our tiny powder room. Last week we were left with many decisions to make. After many hours of internet searching and thinking we actually had a plan which I shared you with. You must be eager to know what we have been up to this week and how things have gone!

The plan was to order and buy rest of the things we need. I visited Ikea last Friday planning to buy a mirror. I did like their round Skogsvåg- mirror, which I had in the inspiration picture also. I just wanted to look for another option with something "more". It´s hard to describe what I was after ;). After searching I found a lovely Nautica- mirror from Pentik. I have a similar, but smaller in our walk-in closet (see it here). I was little worried how it would look like with our lights though!

Nautica mirror

Speaking of lights, we decided to buy to of these lovely Sessak Lou- pendants. I love how they look in our powder room! They have concrete, which I love, but the glass shade brings some elegance and softer feeling to them as well. I could use them all around our house :).

Sessak Lou pendant

We need also some hooks for the towels. As I can´t run from shop to shop searching (would require a visit to Helsinki) I do a lot of internet shopping! There are many options, which I`m thinking would work, but I still have to make the final decision. Oh how I hate making these decisions - yet still Love it!

The best part perhaps in this week was taking the old sink, faucet and light out! Hurray! They are gone! It made the space look much bigger and minimalist ;) We had to live without light and running water in the powder room a few days as I painted them.. That really made to work harder ;)

This week we also planned to make our table top. I wanted a long live-edge wooden top. We even had a few very beautiful pieces in our garage waiting for the right project! My husband`s father has a small forest, where he had some trees cut and sawed a few years ago and my husband was helping there so he could pick some planks. The only problem was that they were not deep enough for the table top. Luckily we had two of them, so we were able to saw a extension piece for the other one and drilled it in place. There was a seam visible there and to prevent water getting there I used a wood filler to fill the gap. Now I need to sand it and then...well I`m still debating over whether to just use clear finish or stain it with the dark Mustamarja-stain I bought! I love the natural look in the birch and I´m afraid it might loos some of it´s "identity" if I stain it dark. I thought dark at the very beginning because we have dark wood else where in the house, so it would tie spaces together.

Painting was the most time consuming part. Luckily the paint dried fast. It only took 1-2 hours to cure and was ready for second coat. I painted the mirror wall with the Harmony H441 paint. I was a little worried it would be too light color, but decided to go with it and now I LOVE, really just love it! The other walls I painted with Tikkurila paint called Lumi. They both have an eggshell sheen, which I love! The durability is still great as it should be in a powder room. The main reason to choose a eggshell finish was that I wanted the paint to look a bit like a chalk paint. It also covers the imperfections well. Harmony paint is water based and breaths enough to be used on our log walls.

I had some small areas, where it was very difficult to paint, so next morning I really felt I had painted ;)I also painted the roof to match the white walls. We had to paint before installing the vanity of course, and as I had the painting done and our vanity with the sink and the faucet had arrived we were ready for the next step - installing! We put the vanity in place and had a plummer to do his job and we had a functioning sink and faucet! The new vanity really made the space look bigger and more modern, which I obviously love!

This new faucet is such a nice add to our powder room, something little different, fresh and modern.

Because we did not have the table top ready we used a small parts cut from the plank to get the height right. After sanding the table top, I wanted to see how it looked like in place, so we did a test run! At the same time we attached the support piece, on which the table top rests, to the back wall. I wanted even to accessories it a little bit to see if I like the table top in light color and can I bring in enough contrast with black accessories.

Looks good to me! I just made up my mind about the table top color! Do you guess, which one it´s going to be?

The only concern right now is the mirror! There is something off with it. Maybe it is that hanging rope with the light or maybe it is the scale of the mirror, but I have to search for other mirror options! I do love the mirror though and I am sure it finds a home in our house! In fact I already have a place in mind ;). I like the round shape, but it´s hard to find affordable round mirrors. I may have to visit Ikea once again. I had another mirror in mind for this space, so I have to think about that too. I´ll back to this mirror thing next week! Mean while you can always follow me on Instagram. You may found out, what I decide with the mirrors!

So next week I´m going to finish the table top and install it in place. We have to go and buy new trim for the space, paint and install them. I have also thought about adding a floating shelf above the toilet seat. So we will be working with it, if our brackets arrive in time.

Now remember to check what other linking participants have achieved this week in Calling it home -blog. You have perhaps already checked out your favorite bloggers week 3 posts, but if you missed one be sure to visit their blog!

See you next week!

One Room Challenge - week two

Wow, a week goes by so fast! Easter really affected our schedule with this project. This week we have been planning and planning. I made a week by week schedule how to proceed and what to tackle next. I think it really helps to have a plan. This is such a short time that anything can go wrong!

Here is a rough sketch of our week to week schedule. Technically we have only five weeks to transform our spaces. Best is to think that we have six posts to transform our space. This plan is actually a post to post schedule!


Thursdays, April 2nd (week 1) - Introducing our space

• Before next weeks post we have to make the final plans about paint colors, lighting and other things we need and buy/order them to have them ready. 

Thursday, April 9th (week 2) - Showing what we have accomplished.

• I have to visit Ikea and other shops. The live edge planks should also be sanded down and be finished for the installation. We also have to make preparations for painting the walls and check everything we have ordered has arrived or is being delivered,

Thursday, April 16th (week 3) - Has there been any setbacks or happy accidents?

• Painting can start! After I have finished painting the walls we can install the vanity and the table top, IF the vanity has been delivered! After painting the walls and the ceiling we need to have an electrician to come and do some wiring. Depending on the lights we choose he either installs them or we do it ourselves.

Thursday, April 23rd (week 4) - Is everything going as planned? What we need to finish as soon as possible?

• Probably we haven´t finished some of the last weeks jobs ;). We have to finish those and make the final little jobs like adding trim work and adding shelves to the back wall Then I get to do the thing I like the most, styling/decorating! 

Thursday, April 30th (week 5) - Are we on time?

• We have to clean up and make the finishing touches and finally have a photo shoot take the photos.

Thursday, May 7th (week 6) - The Finale 

• Did we make it?

What do you think about the schedule? Too tight? I hope we get things we ordered as soon as possible so our works won´t get delayed because of that.
Well, back to this week. This week we had to make many decisions. It is sometimes hard to envision a space with new furniture and paint colors, so I searched help from- you guessed -Pinterest! Here are some inspiration photos I liked.

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Wonderful, light filled and cozy spaces. None of which our powder room looks like now. As we don´t have a window in there we won´t be getting any sun light. That is why we need to make the space to look sunny. To do that we need some paint and lighting, both of which I´m having hard time choosing!

First of all, the paint! Is there anything harder than deciding the paint color? First we decided to use a chalk paint. I even found an online shop, which sold Annie Sloan chalk paints. We chose the best colors for us only to find out they were out of stock, two weeks before we could get them. So we had to change our plans. So we will use regular water based paint called Tikkurila Harmony.

As our powder room is so tiny, a light color is a must. Notice, that in all of the inspiration photos, the walls all white! For the mirror wall I wanted something different, even though I know I should paint the back wall not to make the room feel even narrower. But I hope as there are so many things covering the wall, it won´t be an issue. First I thought a soft grey, but after really thinking about the feelings I want to create and our overall color scheme I knew I needed some more color. After many samples I finally chose a very light green/blue hue number H441. For the rest of the walls I wanted a warm white called Lumi (snow)At the same time I bought a stain+sealer for the counter top called Mustamarja (black berry). More of that later! The colorful paint looks so light in the can, that I am afraid I have to go and buy the darker version of that blue/green paint, which is called Aalto (wave). I was going to add the paint sample photos here, but after trying it, they looked so off, that I thought you get the better idea from the real photos hopefully next week!

Then the lights, I don´t know why I find it so hard to decide which are the best! I love the look of these two first wall lights! The first one would give a nice retro barn fell, but it might be too massive to our needs! The second one is a more modern one and smaller one. These would work great with a round mirror like I envisioned! 

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This third one is one of my favorites! We have a couple of swing arm wall lights in our home, and I LOVE them. I like that you can move and adjust it, but it seems like you can´t turn it to the side at all. Would work with a small or round mirror!

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The rest of the lights are all ceiling lights/window lights. There is almost in all of my inspiration pictures a light like these, so I clearly like them. They are airy, produce a nice light and are easy to hang with a hook anywhere you want no matter where the ceiling plate is. The first one has a nice glass shade with a concrete bulb holder and black and white wire. This is actually the only light I have seen in person. The second one has also a concrete bulb holder and looks fantastic with a large bulb. The third one is similar to the second one, but is made of wood. There are a few wire color options for them. These would look good with a small as well as a large mirror, like in the last two inspiration pictures.

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This is not anymore a question about the lights alone but mirrors too. I´m drawn to the idea of a bigger mirror, but round ones look so good! The bigger mirror would add an airy feel and reflect the light better. I could use two lights to add light even more. But, the question is would it look of with a small sink? There is going to be a table top on the other side though! 

This brings us to the table top issue! I really LOVE these two birch planks we have. They are long enough, but not deep enough. I envisioned that the plank would go between the sink and the vanity and from wall to wall. Sadly these planks are not deep enough for that! We could add a table top from the vanity to the wall though! And make even a shelf little lower as we have two planks! I have to watch and see if it`s going to work like that! At the same time I try to convince my husband to work with me and try to attach a piece from the other plank to the other, so we would get a deep enough plank! ;)

So here you have it! Though decisions are to be made, and I hope we have a lot to show you next week! See you then! And remember to check what those 20 invited participants have been doing to their spaces so far! And don´t forget all the other linking participants! Their progress you can see back in Calling it home blog.