New Shower Heads

I mentioned in my last post there were a couple things I would change to our house. Changes I wish were done during the construction phase. Some of those things I do not plan to tackle, but some I would or have changed.

On that short list, I mentioned the addition of showerheads in our large master shower. Mr. JCrew wanted it from the beginning and I turned it down. It became a joke every time the shower was used and then we finally looked into what it would take.

We’d make minimal damage to our walls as possible and add a second showerhead on the opposite wall of the current one and add a rainshower to the ceiling. Sounds pretty fancy!!!

I called our plumber to tell him he was right and we wanted to add the extra showerheads. He laughed. He mentioned it would be an easy update by adding a diverter. I then did my usual thing and researched. A diverter is a control for the multiple output in the shower. Our solution was a 3/6 diverter. This Youtube video was a great resource.

Basically, you can turn each showerhead on separately, or turn on a combination of the showerheads, all by the turn of the diverter. I couldn't buy just a diverter to add to my handle because it would not allow me to turn on all three showerheads at once. So the existing handle turns on the middle showerhead only. The new handle with diverter, turns on the two showerheads on the side. 

I went to our local plumbing supply place and picked out the finishes. Our plumber came and worked his magic to connect the fixtures. I ended up doing the demo to save money.

Originally, I thought the tile would need to be torn out and reinstalled, but we went through the back side of the wall, so I only had to replace drywall instead of tile (cheaper). But while the idea was on tearing out tile, I thought about changing some more things while I had the tile guy out here. I liked the trim border I have, but am not in love with it. And if you remember, he was suppose to install the tile in the 1/3 staggered pattern and he messed up and did it in the ½ staggered pattern. I could have him rip it all out and do the 1/3 pattern, too.I found a pebble tile square that I could cut into strips. I really liked it. But since we didn't touch the tile, I didn't get to change my border.

This was a project we thought about doing later down the road, but we wanted to take advantage of the time while our boys are still using our shower. They may get so spoiled they never use their own showers! Ha. Until they are teens.

One of those things we should have done from day one. If I wasn’t so stubborn!

Things I Would Do Differently

Now that we’ve been in the house for almost 4 years, I’ve had time to think of things I would do differently. I would build the exact same layout I designed because it has really been perfect! I find other things I like, but I just still really like our layout. It suites our needs. 

1. The bathroom window
   I picked tombstone-shaped mirrors for the master bathroom and LOVE them! They are such a sophisticated shape and dress up the bathroom vanity area. What I would change is matching the shape of the mirrors on the window to the shower. The shower window has always looked plain to me, but I didn’t know how to dress it up. An arch top would be perfect. And actually, an arch top to the door, too! Once I saw this picture of Holly’s shower, I knew I should have added more arches. I didn’t think arches were my thing, but I like them in certain places.
   
   

   

   Current

   
   

   

   Current

   
   

   

   inspiration - OurFauxFarmhouse

2. Sealed Brick
   I bought unsealed brick pavers for my flooring and I regret it. I love the flooring, but it is not at its full potential. Our installers quit on us while laying the brick floor. It was frustrating to them. If I had bought sealed brick, the grout process would have been easier. The grout would have cleanly wiped off the brick instead of having to avoid getting it on the brick. Had our installers read the box, they would have seen it said to seal the brick before you grout it, and then seal it again after your grout it. But if I had bought pre-sealed brick, it would have been one less step. Instead, I have dull brick that I have been sealing the heck out of. It is so pourous, that it took so many coats to seal it. That still didn’t make it shiny. To make the floor shiny, you have to wax it. I learned all this as I read the box THREE years later. I was going through the attic and read all the instructions. I have since waxed them and they look beautiful. I will now have to wax them once a year. You live and learn!
   
   

   


3. Not Dig Holes
   We learned a lot with landscaping our own yard. I would have had a more elaborate sprinkler system and French drain system installed from Day 1, but we have added to it, so it’s not bad, but recovering from the mess of an add on is temporarily unsightly. But the biggest thing we learned was to not dig holes for the plants. We dug them and then within six months, we dug every single plant back up and raised it above ground, then piled dirt around it and topped with mulch. Below is a diagram of what we did. If we would have done that, it would have saved us so much time not digging holes. It was a great workout, though. Oh, and I’d add good dirt on top of the clay before adding sod. And not trample on my newly laid sod until it was established.



4. Better placement of outside faucets
   What should have been the backyard faucet ended up being in the front yard because of where we put the fence. We ran the hose underneath the fence, but had to run to the front to turn it on and off. We later added faucets in the flowerbeds in the backyard.
   

   

    
5. More Showerheads in Master Shower
   Mr. JCrew requested two showerheads in the master shower and our plumber plumbed for two and I said, “No.” I thought it was excessive and didn’t need it. Now we are tearing down tile and adding shower heads! I realized how we use our shower, we need more showerheads. Mr. JCrew was right! And it would have cost less to do it then than it is costing to do it now.





6. Insulate Interior Walls
   With an open floorplan, things get loud. We insulated the walls of the laundry room and that was very helpful, but I wish I would have done all the walls and the space in between the first and second floor.

Hot Water Heater Timer & Circulating Pump

When we built our house, we met our contractors by word of mouth. We went to one supply store, and then they’d ask if we had a tile guy. Then they’d recommend someone. It was a great way to meet dependable contractors that other contractors liked to work with. Because we had different framing(ICF), we let our framer recommend an electrician that was familiar with our framing type. When we went to a local plumbing shop to shop fixtures, he recommended some contractors and they were all great! He wasn’t the one that recommended our plumber, but we LOVED our plumber. He was honest and knew his stuff. We even used him at my mom’s townhouse when I broke her outdoor hose bibb after trying to use it in cold weather. 

One feature that our plumber and the fixture salesman recommended was how to heat our hot water for the entire house with one heater! Our house is rather large and we heat the water with one tankless hot water heater! We keep our tankless Rinai water heater in Mr. JCrew’s closet. We built the alcove on purpose in the design. We didn’t want it exposed to the outdoor elements and didn’t want it so far away in the garage either.

We’ve never had a tankless water heater, and I was unfamiliar with how one works. You don’t have a tank of hot water waiting on you when you want it, so when you turn on a fixture, it sends a signal to the tankless hot water heater to send hot water… but it’s not instant! You have to waste water leaving the fixture on to keep the signal going so that it knows to heat the hot water. Once it’s on, and you’re filling your bath tub and taking your shower, the hot water keeps coming. 

The recommendation that we went with was an add on to the hot water heater. There were actually two add-ons. First was a circulating pump.

This was what allowed us to use one tankless hotwater heater for a large house. It pumps hot water to each fixture in the house at a 30 minute intervals. This allows you to have instant hot water on demand.

The second add-on was a timer for the circulating pump and tankless heater. This prevents the heater to be on constantly. 

We set the timer to circulate hot water to all features at peak times when we would want it. (Morning showers, noon dish washing, evening baths, etc) During that time that the timer is on, the heater is circulating hot water to each fixture in the house.

During the off times, you can still get hot water. If you know you're going to need hot water not at a designated time, you can hit "override" on the timer and get hot water. If you don't hit the button, you can still get hot water, but you have to let that fixture run for a few minutes to send the signal to the heater (water waster). 

This add-on is so nice! When we first moved in, we didn’t have it set up properly and I got so frustrated waiting for hot water to fill up a cup so that we could grow our capsules!

I wasted so much water trying to get water hot enough, that I might as well have put the cup in the microwave to get the hot water. 

But this timer means we can turn on the shower and jump in immediately! Mr. JCrew is still in the habit of turning the shower on and brushing his teeth while he waits for the water to heat up, but he doesn’t have to! Less water wasted!

I’ve now become very spoiled with this timer. Never knew it existed and now can’t live without it!

Master Suite

The Master Bedroom is slowly evolving into a comfortable space. The room dimensions are the same from the old house. The room size felt comfortable and I wanted to stick with it.

The only change I wanted to make at the last house I made for this one. I always wanted two more windows on the wall to the left of the bed, so this new room has those missing two windows.

I love the view out those windows. The landscape is not mature yet, but once it is, we will have all kinds of privacy. And don't get me started on the sunset view from those windows. It's gorgeous!

I'm still not satisfied with the space over the bed. Mr. JCrew picked out the painting, and I added some pictures on either side, but it feels weird. I am not too worried about it. One day, I will come up with something I really like.

On the opposite wall, the dresser is centered with the bed, but off-center to the wall. For a long while we left the space open, and the TV on the dresser.

I didn't want to hang the TV on the wall, because I don't permanently see it staying there, so this past year I bought a bookcase to put the TV on, but to also house Baby F's necessities. His diapers, pajamas, shoes and socks are put in baskets.

Now, there is no door leading into the master bathroom. I knew the space was going to be pretty and I wanted to see it all the time. I haven't yet wished there was a door to the bathroom.

The shower is awesome, but Mr. JCrew likes to joke that we should have installed two showerheads. That was the plan, and the plumber did plumb for two, but I only wanted one. Kinda wish I would have done two. :/

We moved in before the shower door was installed, and boy would it get cold. With such a large shower, it was hard to keep the heat in. Once the door was installed, that problem went away. But no shower door and no door to the bathroom = cold!

I love the arched mirrors over the vanity.

And if there is one thing I would change would be to make the window to the shower be arched to match the mirrors. When I saw a picture of another bathroom that had an arched window, I realized how good it would have looked. Too late for me, but if someone is looking into arched (Tombstone) mirrors, consider other things in the room that could benefit from an arch!

There is so much storage space in the bathroom, it makes things nice. I have a drawer for just my hairdryer!

And a drawer for just my curling iron.

My hair-cutting tools also have their own drawer. I am in OCD heaven!

Now, the toilet closet had a little nook built into it. I designed this nook so that I could store things in the toilet room (like extra rolls of toilet paper!) But I knew I could add shelves myself, so I didn't pay to have it done. However, finding the time to do it was the problem. Well, a year and a half after moving in, the shelves went up!

I was tired of seeing the wipes and air freshener on the tank. It took away from the pictures on the wall. And sure enough as soon as the shelves went up, Mr. Brigglesworth noticed! He saw the pictures and thought I had taken the pictures from the opposite wall and put them there. Then he turned around and saw the other pictures still up.

Side Note: I have an unwritten rule that pictures of myself and Mr. JCrew are not on display in the house, except for our bathroom. The boys have their newborn pictures in the living room and we have family pictures in our bedroom. 

I am so happy with the cabinet space. It looks like a piece of furniture and houses all my towels. I have lots of towels!

Mr. JCrew and I have separate closets. I love it! There are windows in each of our closets and I wanted the light from them to come into the bathroom for as much natural light as possible. So I found doors with glass in them. I originally wanted seeded glass and after many attempts of wrong orders, the mission was impossible and I went with clear glass. I then had a film put on the glass. It is called, "Linen."

I didn't want to see a messy closet, but wanted the light. This answered the request.

Plantation shutters are in the bathroom and closets for window dressing (4.5" louver). This was mainly because all the downstairs windows on the front side of the house had them, so it looks cohesive from the outside, but the divided panels allow us to keep the bottom half closed for privacy while the top portion is open to let light in.

The layout of our bathroom is pretty cool. I had seen a tub in front of a shower and thought it was cool, so that is where I started in designing the bathroom. It was much less wasted space of having a tub and shower side-by-side.

We use our tub A LOT, so I couldn't eliminate it, but also needed a large tub to satisfy Mr. JCrew's request. He didn't have many requests for the new house, but a large tub was one! The tub is still huge and a favorite of ours. We use it just as much as the shower.

The tub is our favorite spot! So easy to get warmed up on a cold day!

The window above the shower is awesome at letting the light in. You can just look up at the blue sky and see clouds. Most of the time, there is no need to turn the light on in the shower. It is lovely.

We were so used to living in a small space, that when we moved into this house, I noticed us all hanging out in the master suite area. It continues to be our morning hub of getting ready for everyone. The boys are spoiled with their swimming pool size tub, that when they move upstairs to their own shower, they will be in for a shock.
 
I thank Mr. JCrew nearly every day for letting me build this dream house of mine.

Sources:
- Paint colors: Wall: Benjamin Moore "Revere Pewter". Trim: Benjamin Moore "Simply White"
- Furniture: Broyhill Amhurst Collection
- Bedding: A mix! Shams: Pottery Barn; Duvet: JCPenney; Pillowcases: Target; Sheets: Costco
- Tub: MAAX Optik
- Cabinet Pulls: Rusticware 5" in Weathered Pewter
- Tile flooring: Costco 12"x24"
- Shower Wall Tile: Daltile ceramic that looks like marble.