No doubt you recall that we redid the tile in our shower last spring. You don’t remember? Refresh your memory here.
That was step 1 in the Bathroom Improvement Project (BIP). Step 2 was to paint over everything. Well, almost everything.
H took the boys to Ennis for the weekend to play with Mogie and Big H. While they rode horses, fished, played and read books, I attacked the bathroom.
This is really one of the ugliest bathrooms in the world. I’ve become numb to its horrors, but I remember when I first looked at this house thinking, “Good God, people! Who would do such a thing?”. Seriously, it’s hideous.
Thanks to hard work, it’s getting better.
After H and the boys left I gave Rigby a quick bath. Things were only going to get worse in there, so why not soak and scrub a 100-pound Malamute. (Rigby is awesome in the bath, actually. He just stands there and looks very sad. He can’t believe such a thing could happen to such a sweet dog. Easy to bathe, though.)

Then I spent the rest of the day in the bathroom. I spackled and sanded. I scrubbed and taped. I removed fixtures and cabinet doors.
Then the priming began. I had to use a stinky, toxic primer to make the paint stick to the plastic tiles. (Yes, those mint green tiles are plastic.)
Since I was doing the ceiling and the walls, it took forever. Finally I got one coat of paint on, took Rigby for a walk and it was dark.
Day 2 was another coat of paint and trip to Bozeman for new fixtures. By the time I got everything done and cleaned up, it was 6pm. Rigby got a quick walk and I made some roasted tomato soup. Then H and the boys came home.






It’s not perfect, but it does look better. Plus, now the sink and tub really pop.
Step 3 is redoing the floor. Unfortunately, the tile I am in love with (it’s real pebbles!) is pricey, so that’s on hold for a bit. I might wait until H is out of town for three weeks in Oct/Nov and use rocks from down by the river. Shhh! don’t tell him!
I’ve also added step 4 to the BIP. Get a new sink. I think I am resigned to the green tub, especially since I can pull the curtain in front of it, but the sink has to go.
*side note (like this whole blog isn’t a side note) I put the old medicine cabinet outside and someone took it within a couple hours, so it is getting reused. I haven’t put anything in front of our house that someone hasn’t taken in less than a day. Stuff you can’t imagine anyone would want, finds a new home; it’s great.
Want to relive those Bathroom Improvement Project memories? Here they are.
{BIP} Step one: shower tile
{BIP} Step two: painting and accoutrements
{BIP} Step three: pebble flooring