Master Ensuite ADA reno- Project #3

[zannej]

The Bryant sink won't work with existing faucet. The Proflo has too many quality issues. The Modesto went way up in price, so I think I will go with the Toto sink.

Now I need to figure out the colors. If the countertop samples ever arrive I'm betting she'll pick the spectrum blue (if it looks like it does in the images). But, she still doesn't want to do white for cabinets or shelves. That leaves some shade of blue. I need to find the right shades of blue that will complement the countertop and a sky blue wall color. Any ideas?

 

[zannej]

Ordered the Toto from Build .com. Initially ordered the wrong one. Called to cancel. CS agent was very nice. She's in California and has the same problem with the allergies. (I sneezed during the call). She said she'd be sending me contact info if I need to order more things for more projects.

I hope they send me a customer satisfaction survey thing because she was great. Even applied a 5% coupon for me when I ordered the correct lavatory.

Countertop samples came in. Mom said I shouldn't have bothered with the first two (of four). I handed them to her one at a time in order of what I thought she would like least and saved the best for last. I sometimes like to be dramatic like that. LOL.

Formica Blue felt: Meh. Too much green, flecks of black. Hard pass. (looks better in online pics than in person)
Wilsonart Brittany blue. Meh. Too gray. (actually looks more blue in person than online but still kind of dull)
Wilsonart Lapis Blue. "This is the one!"
Formica Spectrum Blue: "Oooh! This one is better!"

So, whenever she decides to adult and go to the store with me, we will look at paint chips to compare with the countertop sample.

No white, no black, no brown, no staining bc the plywood isn't good enough grade for staining. She doesn't want it to be too dark, but I wonder if a slightly darker blue would look better or if we should go with lighter. I think we might be able to use Behr Deep River (what I used on the back door) for the shelves. Some sort of sky blue for the wall should be good.

 

[zannej]

The Toto sink arrived. It looks nice. Have it in a box with padding around it still to keep it safe. Need to order the Formica. Still trying to get Mom to decide on colors.

@Peanut I can't remember if I commented or not, but it looks like your shower (the Sterling Ensemble Curve) is the one we got for this bathroom. The pictures help me to get a better idea of the shelves. I did find that 3dwarehouse had the shower in their Products section but it doesn't come up when searching with those parameters- or even with the product number. It came up when I was doing a different search but I was able to add it to Sketchup.

I had to tweak some measurements based on the smallest dimensions of the shower. I am currently trying to transfer my files over from my desktop so I can get some of the model pieces I made to put in sketchup on this computer. I re-made the whole room (more streamlined this time) figured out how to change the color of the floor texture, Frankensteined a toilet to look right, found the Toto sink for the bathroom, remade the vanity and added a rough sketch of the bathroom cabinet (I was too lazy to do the raised panel details on the doors). I don't feel like finding my paper with notes and trying to make sense of them again to re-draw the side shelves though. I want to import them but my pc says it will take 45min to transfer the files over. I hope my computer will stay on that long before crashing.

Since I also figured out how to put in exact colors with RGB (had to read up on how to do it) I added the colors I'd mentioned before. Wall color and vanity color may need to change. This is what I have thus far:

Towel rack and towel bar are not exact. There were no double curved shower rods so I made do with a single. I made the shower curtain translucent. Added some little curtains. I will get more pictures after I add transfer data from the desktop (as I'm using my mouse for the desktop and I hate the touchpad on my laptop). I didn't feel like resizing the grab bars so I just stuck the default size ones in. Couldn't find the grab bar shelf thingy or the shower trim yet.

 

[zannej]

I got bored and decided to play around in sketchup some more.
This is the current layout (with a lot less clutter, and stuff to substitute what is actually there). I didn't put in the metal rack space saver opposite the wall with the controls. It sits above the surround on the left wall. Just imagine this with a matching green toilet, side shelf over where one of the towel bars are (don't remember where it was originally), and ugly stained beige carpet-- without the birch shelving. It was even uglier when we moved in. LOL.

I did my best to do the upper wall detail. I'm fairly certain the wall panels were not tall enough to reach the ceiling so they got creative and used the same wall panels to extend upward with a sort of fake crown molding type thing. Not sure what this detail is called.

I forgot to add the box of tissues on top of the toilet tank and the table lamp on the side shelf next to the vanity. The table lamp is the only working light in the bathroom.

I just slapped in a slightly similar lamp to what we have in there

I also have some versions with the new shower added but same colors that we currently have in the bathroom.

I ran out of room for pictures. LOL.

 

[zannej]

Since I ran out of room for pictures I wanted to ask opinions on grab bar locations. The vertical grab bar in the sketch above is not the right size-- the actual bar is 48" long. It wouldn't fit on the side wall without butting in too much. I forgot to mention there is no light above the window currently, but we have the light and plan to add it later.

Anyway, which do you think would be better?
Grab bar above or below?

I believe the grab bar on the back wall will only be 24", the one on the wall with the controls will be 16".

 

[havasu]

Z, I would confirm with ADA requirements to confirm whether that back grab bar can be horizontal, or is it required to be at a 45 degree angle?

When I rebuilt my bathroom, I almost installed a horizontal grab bar, just for my future needs, but testing it without the wall tile installed, it was at a perfect angle to hit my elbow every time I dropped my arms, and found to be more of a hindrance than a helper.

 

[zannej]

Z, I would confirm with ADA requirements to confirm whether that back grab bar can be horizontal, or is it required to be at a 45 degree angle?

When I rebuilt my bathroom, I almost installed a horizontal grab bar, just for my future needs, but testing it without the wall tile installed, it was at a perfect angle to hit my elbow every time I dropped my arms, and found to be more of a hindrance than a helper.

Hmm... I've seen it horizontal in the drawings. I never understood why they had them at an angle. I know my mother said she didn't like the angled ones because she feels like she would slide down them while trying to hold on. I will have to mess around with having her sit in the shower chair in the space once it is gutted and make mockups with cardboard and hold the grab bar up to see what is comfortable for her. The fact that she is extra wide doesn't help matters.

 

[havasu]

When my dad got old and frail, I added that stick on sandpaper to the floor and added a shower chair. He said the vertical grab bar outside was his saving grace. Obviously you want it for comfort for your mom, so do what she wants, but just be aware that the inside horizontal grab bar is set in a way where she doesn't hurt herself.

 

[zannej]

When my dad got old and frail, I added that stick on sandpaper to the floor and added a shower chair. He said the vertical grab bar outside was his saving grace. Obviously you want it for comfort for your mom, so do what she wants, but just be aware that the inside horizontal grab bar is set in a way where she doesn't hurt herself.

I'm glad you brought that up because I didn't even think about doing a diagonal bar, but I will have to consider it when planning it out. Right now she thinks she wants a shower seat with a back to offer support so she won't fall backward, but my concern is that it won't be deep enough front to back for her and she won't be able to wash her back.

The shower we got has a textured floor to be nonslip, but I found some mats at walmart that are nonslip and comfortable. I got one for my friend's house and I didn't even need the grab bar because I was no longer slipping every 2 seconds. Before either the mat or the grab bar (suction cup type) were added in there, my brother fell and hurt his shoulder.

I need to make sure to save enough of the cardboard boxes that I can tape them together to make fake walls and set them up so Mom can see how it feels in the space. I might do sort of a dry fit of the shower and add blocking at pretty much ever spot the grab bar might attach just to be on the safe side.

I got a couple more screenshots of my sketchup with some stuff added. The lamp we have there is probably a little smaller and not the same shape, but this was the best I could find. Only working light in the bathroom.

I added the 19" slidebar (but not perfectly) to get an idea of where the handheld would sit). I realized the showerhead has to come down for her to be able to reach it.

I really want her to get a different shower seat than she has bc hers is not adjustable height, is too low, and does not have suction cup feet. So I'm worried it can tip. I want her to get something taller and easier to stand up from since her knees give her trouble.
I still need to figure out how to use fredo's size plugin to make the vertical bar longer as the one we have is 4'.
The shelf grab bar might have to be a little lower so she can reach stuff on it and grab it when standing up, and the side one might be a little higher for her to grab when she's getting in. Her main issue is her balance bc of inner ear damage so it's not like she needs to put full weight on anything or is too weak to get into a sitting position. So long as she has something to grab to steady herself when she wants to stand up, it should be ok. She does better with taller seats. She has much less trouble getting up from the ADA height toilet we put in.

 

[zannej]

Waiting until I finish my bathroom to work on hers. I need to clear up my room-- lots of stuff from the reno got pushed into my room and I need to throw stuff out, organize, etc. But, I decided the fabric I used to make the cushion for her lap desk would make nice curtains and she agreed. I have a bunch left over from the project and I have a whole untouched 3yds of it.

Her current curtains look like this: (she said she wanted a valance too but couldn't find a match.

She liked this style (but with solid blue fabric):

But she wanted a valance like this:

But with a flat header that doesn't stick up. Not sure if she wants it to be free of pleating or not. Will have to clarify that with her. But I think she wants it smooth like this:

I made an approximation like this:

I think I would have to do the header/rod pocket separate. Maybe use some sort of fabric stabilizer inside. Then I'd have to put them right sides together and sew them together. I also want to have the curtain panels attached.
The window is 24"Wx36"H so I need to figure out how much fabric to use. It will not have a liner. I want the two panels to touch each other at the top so that if they are closed there will not be a gap. Then I'm trying to figure tiebacks. Either hooks put on the wall or use the same fabric to make a cloth tie and attach to a small hook on the wall.

I've seen videos on doing those triple pleats on the valance but they are all for tighter ones. I think Mom is more interested in the bell poof at the bottom though. Pleating might have to be done with hand sewing, but I'll see if a friend can help me with the seams and hems since she has a sewing machine and is very good at that stuff. I need to measure the existing curtain rod. There is a spot for it to be put up higher.

Anyone who has done curtains before have suggestions?