Amy’s Second Floor Renovation: Phase One

We’ll follow our Founder, Amy Dutton’s second-floor renovation this spring and summer. First up: an introduction to the project! Read Amy’s narrative below:

As my husband and I are empty nesting—for the fourth time—I am tackling renovating the second floor, which houses three bedrooms, a family room, and a bathroom. I’m trying to get this done relatively quickly and want the project to move smoothly to keep everyone’s time tight and cost-efficient (plus, I don’t want to be under construction all summer). So, I am planning and ordering everything before the contractor shows up.

We live in a small bungalow with three kids’ bedrooms upstairs. In the last few years, I have realized that when the kids come home, they are usually with a significant other. So, it feels important to make the second floor more accommodating for six instead of three (and hopefully more someday with grandchildren). Each of the rooms will have a queen-size bed, storage, and mirrors so that they can get ready in their rooms and feel comfortable. 

Scope of Project:

1. Renovate a really gross bathroom that my three kids used as they were growing up.
2. Remove the existing carpeting (also gross!) and install wood flooring
3. Extend a few walls and add sconces for all the bedrooms to maximize space in the bedrooms. 
4. New furniture and lighting

I started off making a list in my notes app, arrogantly thinking that I could keep things organized, but logistically, that was not possible. There were simply too many decisions that needed to be made and details to keep organized. So, I reverted to our trusty PSL (Project Status Log) to keep everything organized. (see below)

First and foremost, secure your contractor and subs and make sure that everyone is on the same page regarding scope and timeline. No matter how organized you think you are, there will be delays, so remember that patience will serve you well. Do what you can, then let it go!

ORDER PRIORITIES

1. Cabinetry
2. Wood Flooring: I’ve decided on Heart Pine. While this is a soft wood, the second floor shouldn’t be too busy with shoes,, etc., and the price is right. I also love the light color and clean tones of the heart pine. Not only does my flooring guy need to order the wood, but I need to get in his queue. 
3. Plumbing: Place your order early!
4. Tile: talk to your tile installer about details to make sure that your quantities are correct, the installation you envision will work and that you are both on the same page to meet your end goals. Then… and only then, order the tile, not before. 
5. Grout: When specifying grout, decide if you want it lighter or darker than the tile or as close to the color of the tile to make it blend. Grout can be a powerful statement in design, so look at Pinterest and be inspired. 
6. Countertops
7. Bathroom mirrors and sconces: Order at the same time. People think this isn’t important, but… this is math to make sure that everything fits appropriately. 
8. Lighting: Order overhead and bedroom sconces before the project starts so that they are wired correctly and at the right height during rough-in.
9. Paint: Painters can be hard to find, so get your painter over quickly for an estimate and secure your place in their queue. The earlier you are, the more appreciative and flexible they will be with you as the other subcontractors move in and out of the spaces. 

SELECTIONS

The key to selections is to select EVERYTHING before ordering. Sounds easy, right? 😉

1. Ordering from impulse is a quick way to create stress where it doesn’t need to be created and/or create a really funky finished product.
   1. Specifically, with mirrors and sconces, are they going to be on the top or sides? What works best with wallpaper if you are using wallpaper? What’s the vibe—modern, traditional, transitional?
2. Dimensions and finishes are super important! Make sure that you have reviewed these over and over to make sure they work together before ordering. Note: in a bathroom, not all the finishes need to be the same; they just need to work together nicely. 
3. Decide the shape of your mirror and what works best for your wallpaper or paint selections.
4. Lighting – make sure that the overhead lighting works with the sconces. This can be shape, finish, or scale. They don’t have to be the same but just complement each other. 
5. Paint and Wallpaper – order samples so that you can choose the paint that goes with the wallpaper and really understand the scale of the wallpaper. Samplize is a great paint sample resource; almost all wallpaper companies offer samples for sale.