The Shower

At this point in the bathroom remodeling project, we are forced, financially, to focus on one element at a time. So, logically, the shower had to come first. We had already completed the concrete board and joints, so it was a natural step to continue with the tiling job. We had picked out and ordered the tile for the shower and, having tiled the upstairs bathroom already, which was our first project, we were confident in our abilities to cut and lay tile.

Operative word being lay. Turns out, vertical tile is a much different endeavor. We discovered this when the first tile that we "laid" in the middle of the wall, per our tradition of laying the middle first and working out to the sides, began to slide down the wall, mortar and all. So, in a mad panic, I held the tile in place while SPF brought me the second tile and then a tile cut to the appropriate dimensions so that the other tiles would have something to slide into. It is not a great amount of slide, mind you, and the mortar does hold the tile in place on the wall, but it was enough movement to cause trauma and to teach us the ever valuable lesson of stacking vertical tiles where you would lay a horizontal tile.

Needless to say, all hands were occupied in this endeavor and no pictures were taking during the process, but here are some images of the finished product.

This is the accent tile that we chose. Three on the back wall and one each on the side walls. Subtle, yet inviting and interesting. I like them very much.


The shelf that we created with the framing now completed with cut tiles and a specialty tile called sink rail. It actually adds a nice touch to make the edge look finished as well as providing a tiny bit more space on the shelf and slip protection for shelf items.


The tub. Need I say more? Also, this image is the closest to the actual color of the tile. Sorry, I didn't have time to color correct everything and white balance in post. Should have done it in prod, I know, I know.


Accents, shelf, and tub.


Cat on the shelf. For perspective, not just for the entertainment value of seeing the cat try to balance on the shelf while trying to figure out how and where to jump. HA! Uhem.


After the tile was complete it was a matter of installing the Hansgrohe fixtures. Yes, you guessed it, I like saying "Hansgrohe." Our favorite thing about this set of fixtures is that there is no shower switch. You know, that thin in the back of your faucet that tells your bath when to pretend it is a shower? This one is sleek and unobtrusive. If you turn the handle one way, bath. If you turn it the other, shower. Plus, there is a built in temperature manager that lets you set the temperature to whatever you want and it automatically keeps it there, so you don't have to fuss with finding the right proportion of cold and hot water every morning. It is a done deal. So convenient and fancy.


All the Hansgrohe. Shower head included.


A better view of the sink rail topper to the shelf unit. This puppy was a lot of work, but certainly paid off. You can fit X-large bottles of shampoo on there, any kind of body washes, soaps, shaving creams, or razors that you want. And, if you feel the need, a cat.


At this point, we purchased a shower curtain.