my Achilles heel (and the master bath!)

I guess after making a thousand decisions about the house it was bound to happen, I just didn't see it coming. I've had a vision for the house for a long time, basically for the year and a half before we actually bought it and the four months since. Sure some ideas have changed or evolved along the way, but a clear vision nonetheless. Then came the master bath vanity.... a seemingly simple thing, but one that has thrown me for a loop for several months now. I couldn't "see it." I see the completed master bath (and it is lovely!!)- I just couldn't "see" the vanity. For a good month and a half my contractor and the plumbers would remind me daily that they really needed to know what I was using. Finally, even they stopped asking.

We have shopped five states looking for this piece. I even designed a vanity and had two different cabinet makers bid it, but in the end I really did not want a new cabinet piece in the room. For those of you who don't know, I was an antiques dealer in Dallas for ten years, so I find it difficult to buy "new" furniture. I am often "tempted" because of all the great design available now at all price points, but for me an antique, or at least an older, vintage piece that has lived another life is my heart, and wins in the end. But, I am not a purist. I have antiques worth thousands next to pieces I bought for pennies, or even found curb-side for that matter! For me pedigree is not as important as good design.

So, last week we were in a small shop in a village about 40 miles away and I found a piece that would maybe work. We didn't buy it then and there... I had some more towns to shop, and more muck to crawl through... Then yesterday we both woke up with the same decision- that we should go buy it! We called the shop and told the owner to please hold it. When we saw it for the second time we were undoubtedly sure it would be perfect... and after placing it in the master bath, it is. While it is vintage, and not an antique it just "feels" right in the room!

The top will be replaced with honed cararra marble and space permitting it will have a 3- 4" marble back splash. We will add two sinks with Rohl faucets. The drawers will be retrofitted for the new sinks. Chances are it will be painted. In the end, the scale is perfect for the wall, and the room. Finally...

My heel is healed!

The original ceiling in the master bath portion of the ell was only 7 feet 5inches. When the ell was redone the ceiling was raised to 9 feet 5 inches, and my vision to add some beams (which were originally part of the barn) is now a reality! I love, love, love these beams! There are four total; in this photo you see the two in the middle of the room and then one over the door to the closet; the other is over the door to the bedroom.



The shower as seen when walking into the master bath from the master bedroom. The floor tile for the shower will be 2" honed hexagon carrara, the walls will be 3x6" subways and the ceiling will be 4"squares set on the diagonal. There will be a marble bench in one corner and a hand-held sprayer for bathing puppy dogs! (please don't mention this part to Ella!)



The framing on the right of the tub is the linen closet.



The toilet is in it's own enclosed space around the corner, to the left of the window. I love a hidden toilet.


Behind the wall is the WC. The shower is on the left, and the hall leads to the master closet which is in upper level of the barn. Walls will have real beadboard to 53" off the floor which will be trim color, and walls will be painted a French blue- one of those great gray/green/blue colors seen so often in France. Floors will be wide plank Eastern white pine.

Shower is in the left of the photo. This is the closet door. The door was originally the exterior door that opened from the old master to the upstairs porch. I will frost the old glass so you aren't looking directly into the closet. On the right of the photo across from the shower (where you see a bit of blue tape towards the top) is a closet for a stacking LG washer and dryer.

The master closet. Framed doorway leads to the what will be storage space. The closet measures 14' x 17'. While we certainly don't need a closet that large, the space was there and you can never have enough closet space in an old house. Truth be told, Dan has twice the clothes that I do!! To borrow a phrase from Joni at Cote de Texas... I don't do clothes- I do houses!!

The taped off blue square on the left of the boarded off window in the upstairs of the barn shows the placement of the master closet and what will be one of the two closet windows. The other one will be to the right of the old window. They are two-over-two and are "awning" opening windows meaning they open out from the bottom. The old window is closed up in anticipation of the barn fireplace chimney chase. You can also see the framing of one of two sets of french doors with transoms that will be in the Barn room.