Master Bathroom Remodel

I can't believe it has been a full year since the remodel began on our master suite.

Here is the inspiration board I put together to show the Interior Designer for the Master Bathroom:

And this is what the bathroom looked like when we started:

Straight from the 90s. White tile, tiny shower that made me feel claustrophobic, seashell patterned tile around the whirlpool tub, honey oak cabinets and trim, one large builder grade mirror. Not my favorite look.

I brought in an Interior Designer to help me with the design plan. This is always the very first step in my remodel projects, find out why in this blog post.

I knew I wanted to rip out the shower and install new tile and open it up more. She helped me pick new tile, a gorgeous marble looking tile that would also flow through to the whirpool tub as well. She helped decide on new flooring and which way it would run in the room, which is something you need to consider with wood planks.

As far as the vanity area, I wanted to paint the cabinets a blue color, and she agreed. We decided on Poolhouse by Sherwin Williams. Then she said that I could pull the shiplap plank look from the bedroom to coordinate in the bathroom by adding it behind the mirrors. I loved that idea! I wasn't sure what to pick for the wall color in the bathroom, and she picked Canvas Tan from Sherwin Williams, which is a nice neutral tan color.

After all the planning and hard work, here is what it looks like now:

I added the shiplap myself and painted it, along with the walls, cabinets, and trim. For the cabinets, I really wanted to change a few things like I swapped out the old hinges for new hidden hinges, which meant drilling new hardware holes. I also wanted to hide my hair tools inside the cabinet, so I had an electrician swap out the electrical box from the outside of the cabinet to the inside.

We hired contractors for the plumbing, electrical work, removing the old shower, installing the new tile and glass shower doors, and installing the flooring.

I also swapped out the light above the tub from a recessed light to a pendant, you can find out more about that in this blog post.

This cute shelf is new and hangs above the toilet for extra storage. The Interior Designer that I hired owns a home decor store as well, and she selected this item for me. It fits perfect and adds some height and storage in the space.

If you want to see more of the Master Suite remodel, you can check out this post which talks about the Master Bedroom makeover.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook, where I also show more sneak peeks and advice.

Lets talk topcoats for furniture

Let's talk about the different types of topcoats to apply for protecting refinished furniture. I can only share my experience with the topcoats that I have previously used in the past.

After painting or staining furniture, it should have a protective topcoat finish applied. There are so many different kinds of topcoats, but I'm going to break them down and share my experience.

Wax - its easy to apply, basically just wipe on and buff away the excessive. It provides a flat finish and is used a lot over chalk paint. The advantage to wax is that it can be applied with a brush or cloth and does not need to be sprayed, meaning anyone can do it. If not applied correctly the finish can look streaky though. The downfall is that wax is not as durable as other topcoats, and needs to be re-applied frequently. This is best applied to very distressed pieces since the furniture is already distressed and adding more wear would not be an issue. It offers a light protection from scratches and water. I do not want my clients to have a lot of upkeep with their furniture, so I do not use wax as a topcoat.

Hemp Oil - also easy to apply with a cloth or brush, can be used over paint or used to revive old wood finishes. This finish is food safe and can be used in the kitchen. This is not maintenance free however, and requires a light coat every other year. I love hemp oil for cutting boards or light use furniture pieces, but I don't want clients to have to do a lot of work after taking home their furniture.

General Finishes High Performance Top Coat - can be brushed or sprayed, very versatile. This product was voted as the hardest, most durable consumer polyurethane topcoat. Its a popular sealer, I like that it is water based but can be applied over water-based or oil-based finishes. High Performance Top Coat comes in a variety of sheens, from flat to gloss. I prefer to use water based products while spraying and love the smooth finish that this provides. This is my default topcoat that I use for furniture refinishing. After 28 days of curing this product dries very hard, and will stand up to a lot of use. While it isn't waterproof, it is water resistant and provides very good protection.

General Finishes Conversion Varnish - this is the top of the line for General Finishes. It's a post catalyzed high solids, two component urethane formatted for professionals who need the highest level of durability and chemical resistance. I have used this when a client requires the most durable product and wants restaurant grade finishing. This is recommended for commercial applications or extremely high-wear surfaces such as countertops and bar tops. I have used this product on my own dining room table and have never had any issue with the finish. Because it requires a catalyst and needs to be used a few hours within mixing, there is an uncharge for the extra protection and because there is usually leftover product that cannot be reused. The conversion varnish is meant for spraying.

As with all furniture, the finishes are meant to withstand some wear and tear. Just like finishes you find in big box furniture stores, if a child drags a metal touch across it, there will be a scratch. Or if you leave a wet glass on the surface for a long period of time, it will leave a ring. At Flipping Unbelievable, we use high quality products to make our furniture as durable as possible, but painted furniture does require some special care. Its not my intent to sell you additional topcoats so that you have to reapply within the next couple of years so I select topcoats that are meant to last.

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