It's Back to the Drawing Board with the Beach Cottage WC

G'day blogging friends.  Guess what, today is 20 degrees cooler than yesterday.  Weird.  

And yes, it seems I bring you yet another post on the infamous WC makeover (there was a sneak peek here) without showing you the piece de resistance. This, people, is not an accident.  As today I decided in the midst of bathroom cleaning duties, to finally stop procrastinating and get another skirt made for the less-than-nice-it's-positively-vile sink that has it's innards exposed for all the world to see and didn't like that one either...

I attempted an inverted pleat, as I didn't want a gather or a ruffle, the inverted pleat actually turned out pretty well for a first-timer. 

However, the whole thing though looked positively amateur.  And I don't like that.  Just too I've-tried-to-cover-up-an-ugly-old thing.  You know? 

I'm thinking there may well not be a third attempt on this whole sink drama, I might just paint the plumber's supplies on display under there and be done with it.

I stood there for a while looking at the room, rather fed up about the skirt issue and then decided that errm, (having to reign myself in from whining - girls, you know this was tough!) this was just quite what it looked like before and it looks a darn sight better than it did then...though to be truthful that is not hard...

You can see here that the problem I am having is that there is an almost cambered curve to the sink (& no I don't even know if it's legal to write cambered) and the edge of it makes it hard to attach the fabric.

Maybe I am just being too fussy as when Mr Teenage BC came in from school he asked if I'd been shopping today as it looked good in there...(I'd put a few nice things around to make it look nice). 

So signing off here Down Under, feeling just a little despondent I have to say and wondering, actually, quite why, I am showing the world the grossness of my plumbing problems. 

Whaddya think? 

p.s. feel free to tell me how much worse your bathroom grossness is...

Comments

[Ruby]

the skirt looks fantastic! love the texture! i would share my less than perfect bathroom stories with you but that would take days & possibly therapy. ruby

[Suzann from The Olive Cottage]

My bathroom is horrid beyond words. There are days when I think the only way to solve the problem is to blow it up.
I realize that it must be gutted, it cannot be rescued in even the slightest way. So be glad that you did not have to rip down everything from the ceiling to the floor. And it's difficult to ever clean a room that cannot even look clean due to ugliness. LOL. Yours sweetheart, looks like a model home. : )

[donna]

O Sarah kudos to you for trying so hard I'm not sure I wouldn't have thrown in the towel by now.I really don't think seeing the plumbing ( painted white ) would bother me. The thought of having to keep that skirt clean would! O.K here's a thought..... How about getting more ( or using the ones you already have ) of those fruit cartons , cutting out the backs and stacking them up. Would it jut out to far? Probably. I think it looks wonderful and you've done a great job. Atleast your son noticed. I found the perfect ladder this summer and just the other day it made its debut in my bathroom. As I lovingly arranged all the towels stood back and silently squealed, my son came in and asked ''What goes through your mind ma?' turned and walked away haha. O if he only knew!

[Gina @ The Shabby Chic Cottage]

Awww, honey, it'll be ok. It could be worse, ya know. Both our bathrooms need ripping out something terrible, so I just did little cosmetic makeovers to them this year so that we could live with them a little longer. I'm actually looking for a pedestal sink, to make more room in a way too tiny bathroom. I prefer the clean lines of the pedestal to a clunky cabinet any day.

[Erin]

I feel your pain. Bathrooms are very challenging to spruce up on any kind of budget. It seems like the only way to really fix them properly is to gut them and start over. And I will say, your sink innards are particularly unpleasant (please don't take that the wrong way). I think your inverted pleat skirt is nice and certainly an improvment. I bet if you live with it for a little bit it will grow on you!

[Sue]

Instead of a fabric skirt, what about some old wooden shutters. Two sections with a hinge between and just tall enough to cover the pipes but not reaching the bowl. The hinge would allow you to move it aside when needed.

Love the blog.

[Robin at Getting Grounded]

I feel your pain. Perhaps it's time to accept that a new sink is in order. A pedestal with something covering the ugly pipes. Our local Habitat for Humanity Restore often has them pretty cheaply; don't know if you have something like that or not. Good luck!

[Brenda Kula]

I can't recall what you attached it to the sink with. But there's always velcro. You could attach that to the sink. Then attach velcro to the material and it stays together I imagine. Also, Have you considered a three piece folding wooden shutter? If you could find them near the height of the sink itself, you could angle it around and that might look cute. Would just be stand alone.
Brenda

[Vicki K]

Love the waffle weave fabric and I think it looks great on the sink. But I've had complete frustration trying to get velcro to stick for more than 2 weeks. I even got the "Industrial Strength" variety. Do you not like the shutter idea?

[Lyndsey]

Have you thought about getting one of those wicker type semi circular linen/dirty washing baskets and cutting a section out at the back for the pipes? What about one of the many old cupboards that you have worked on - could you not tamper withone to cut top for basin and rear for pipes? Otherwise I actually think what you have shown us is lovely enough.

Deal, Kent, UK

[Paula Jean]

This is going to be quick, as I have to run, but definitely try Velcro. There is a double sided foam tape you can use to affix it to your sink that should be strong enough to hold the fabric in place.

Warnings:

You'll have to fiddle a bit with the Velcro to have it lay right, as it appears you've got a nasty slant on the basin where you'd put the hook side of the Velcro on the tape. You might need a 1/2" narrow tape (or cut a wider Velcro tape in half lengthwise)

Also - warning 2 - the tape can be a bear to remove when the time comes. Not impossible, just aggrevating.

I love the skirt! I think you could rig something up with Velcro... or maybe something else.. wheels turning here... I may be back. You are very close to the solution here, I think.

[Tricia Rose]

I love the idea of stacked fruit boxes, that would work, though things get kicked under a sink.

If you mounted two brackets, one on either side just above the drain, and cut a U out of a shelf, you would then have a base for velcro. Would probably have to build the wood up closer to the underside of the sink so your beautiful inverted pleat wouldn't sag. That drain looks like intestines.

[Heidi]

Hi Sarah,
I've been off line for a week now, no service, thought I'd take a look around blog land with a borrowed lap top...Your's was the first place I stopped.
The sink is not that bad with the skirt. You can staple gun the right side of it to the wall there, then maybe it will hang straighter and you would be more pleased. I think you like everything neat and tidy, straight lines and all that, and the fullness of the skirt might be what is bothering you. But really, it doesn't look bad at all.
You should see what we had to work with when I moved in here!

Anyway, I know you'll figure it out! Good luck with that.
Xo
Heidi - Heart and Home, (in blogging limbo until service comes back....!!)

[Shellagh Selee]

Hi Sarah,

Well thank you for showing your grossness :-}

we all have it....maybe not martha, but the rest of us. ;-)

This will make you feel better in 2 words..."pink laminate" yep, in our master bath. ugly nastiness w/ nasty orangey oakish cabinets to match. (I posted a pic on my "it's just a box" post)

I'm w/ Brenda. I would use velcro. Find some indusrial type glue that will attach to porcelain & glue on the velcro strips. Then you can just pull it off to wash.

still love your blog! grossness & all!

Shellagh

[Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality]

I think it looks pretty, although I know how it is when we're not happy with something. I was gonna suggest velcro too, but see that's already been covered. Maybe give it a try!

[Rachel]

Hey Sarah...don't be so hard on yourself. :) I think the skirt looks lovely...really and truly. I know how it is though when something doesn't come out just as you envision it. I have the same issue. :) I suppose that you could call me somewhat of a perfectionist.

Smiles,
Rachel

[Ilona]

I think it's a great solution for the sink! Had the same idea of trying Velcro, maybe it solves the problem en then you're done! Good luck!

[Melanie @ The Old White Cottage]

I don't think its bad at all! My bathrooms were all far worse than yours when we started with them. I understand how you feel about the wall mounted sink though. We had 2 of those before replacing them with pedestals that hid more of the plumbing.

Have you seen this?

[Melanie @ The Old White Cottage]

Oops, forgot the link.

http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2009/04/before-and-after-dollar-store-skirted-sink.html

[fairmaiden]

I think you should try painting the plumbing underneath the sink white. You do so well with white paint!!! I think the sink curtain thingy bopper is maybe too long and straight. Maybe something with a ruffle or more shabby chic, white still, of course.

My bathroom is sweet, but it's new, on the other hand the guest bath is shared by 4 teenagers and it is terribly difficult to keep that baby clean. They are complete messes! Teenagers, argh! Gotta love em while they're still here:O)

[Carla]

Hi Sarah,

hmmmm its nice, and its certainly better, but I like the idea that a previous blogger made about taking an old cabinet and cutting it to fit. The sink is attatched at the wall so you could just cut the shape of the sink at the back of the top of a slim cabinet, take the backing board off and slide it on over the sink.

Or maybe clad the sink in with tongue and groove panels (painted white of course ;0) ), that would fit in with your lovely beach cottage style I think, and it wouldnt jut out very far either.

just a thought :0)

carla xx

[Sarah Ann]

We rent and our bathroom has horrible shinny flowered wallpaper, some sort of green flower decal on the mirror above the sink and a cracked toilet. Feeling better?

[Diann]

Looks good....but how finishing the top edge with grosgrain ribbon, maybe 1 1/2' wide. Would give it that "done" look.

[Teresa Rector]

Hi Sarah!
I think the skirt looks lovely!
Sometimes when we've been fooling with something for so long and becoming a bit fussy with the whole ordeal...we loose sight of how cute it really is. Noone would ever see it the way you do right now...they would bo oooohing over it. Relax with it a few days. Let the fabric relax with some real life bathroom living...and I bet you'll learn to see the love & perfection in it after awhile! XXOOXX!

[Chrissy]

I like the skirt!! Until 5 days ago I had the worst b.room in the world,now I love it!!!Never thought I would have a nice bathroom,its still tiny but now its pretty too!! Hope you are well,Chrissy

[prettythings]

Sarah, my main bath is a disaster... the tile is in dire need of replacement, the ceiling needs to be redone and we are outfitted in Kermit-the-Frog green accent tiles against glossy black ones (so very 60's!). BUT - we do have a Renovation Hardware medicine cabinet and under the sink I can almost manaage to fit my entire cosmetic collection (an addiction). I tolerate it by using tealights in the bath and a stiff drink. :)

Cheers!

[carold]

Well, how about this? Rachael Ashwell likes the pipes exposed in her bathrooms, so take a cue from the maven of all things Shabby Chic and go with it!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawm9KPJvrIC2w2o-7vKlLcJ92Wgy_caP7UI]

I've followed your blog for some time now and had an ah-ha moment. What would it be like to cover the pipes with a (wide)fabric cord cover? Do you know the kind I mean? Just a looooong length of fabric, velcro (I think they make a soft kind now)on both long edges and wrap it around the pipes sort of scrunched up. Not the easiest task but hey, I'm not having to do it!!!

Really enjoy your blog!

[Alison Gibbs]

The skirt looks fabulous as is.
Alison

[Roberta]

Sarah, How about a drapier fabric that will have a softer feel? Yes, velcro is the answer and perhaps a finished ribbon edge.
xo Roberta

[bj]

I am thinking the plumbing things would be great painted white to blend in with the walls. Much cleaner look, to, I'd think. And no hassels at all.
If you'd rather have the skirt, tho, velcro is good. Anything is going to be hard since the curve of the sink....oh, wait a minute. Can Mr. BC build a wooden frame around the sink someway..then adding a skirt would be awesome...If the sink isn't right up to the wall on one side, seems it could be enclosed someway. Shoot, I don't know, sweet Sarah...you are much better at figuring out things like this!!
Good luck..
xo bj

[Gretchen Gerg]

I think your skirt looks great. I may have missed it, but did you use Velcro or hook & loop to attach it? I also love the pleated look.

Gretchen

[Isee]

paint the plumbing white, it will look like a sculpture (or not)

[sush]

if it makes you feel better, i am actually reno-ing an unfinished bathroom reno...
yep. Designed & built a bathroom/mudroom addition on our place - i'm talking poured a concrete slab, rough plumbed, framed , sheathed and roofed it,then ran out of cash, so it has sat for 3 years frozen in time, half used-( think wearing your parka and carrying a highbeam flashlight & a stepstool when you want to do laundry, then think crawling 50 ft under the house when you have to clean out the dryer lint trap... but i digress from the true lunacy...
which is that all this time the bathroom has been sitting unfinished, uninsulated, semi o.k. in summers, appalling in winters, i have had way too much time to brood on the errors of my original design... god help me, and in a spot of deluded optimism? we have begun tearing out and changing things a wee bit (picture happy hubby with a jackhammer rented for the afternoon) ...
& while it is a tad further along there is a big family reunion bash looming at the end of november at our place... will it be ready in time?

[ramonasradiantlife.blogspot.com]

Sarah, I adore your little sink. If it were mine, I'd just switch the plumbing to chrome or copper and let it show. Of course, that may be on the pricey side; I've never actually done anything like that, so I've no idea.

Your blog is so beautiful, thank you for sharing your wonderful home.

[sunny]

You might try having the cover you made come up and from below and attach BEHIND the lip of the sink. It will hang much straighter from there although I don't think it looks all that bad. I can tell from how you wrote, though, that you will never be happy with it...

[dkzody]

I love the fabric. I have a great couch cover in a beige version. It's wearing out and I would love find a new one, but it seems if I like something, they quit making it.