Small on space, big on style

Expect surprises on do-it-yourself remodeling jobs

STORY SUMMARY »

Small spaces can have big style. Allison Beale's mission was to incorporate a sense of style from a previous time in her Alewa Heights bathroom, a space that measures only 6 by 7 feet.

Beale wanted a centuries-old look for the small space, and in the span of 10 days last fall -- with the help of willing friend Ivan Arakaki -- Beale turned the room into an earth-toned, marblelike oasis, a reflection of her preference for the ornate, and leaning toward the Victorian period in particular.

"It's not exactly midcentury modern," said Beale, "but it is my little jewel box."

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FULL STORY »

Allison Beale's standard two-bedroom home has the unique charm of two full bathrooms and two half-baths.

But the main bathroom had damaged redwood walls and stubborn low-voltage switches that didn't always catch.

The house has changed hands several times since the single-wall structure first went up in the 1960s. Beale took possession five years ago, and renovating the bathroom was on her to-do list from the beginning.

She took on smaller projects first, though, most notably in the kitchen, where she turned a single-basin sink into a double and added a coastal-themed glass backsplash.

But last year it was time for the bathroom.

One set of owners had covered the bathroom's walls in faux wood paneling, likely in a quick-patch attempt to cover water damage and resulting stains on the redwood underneath. The paneling made Beale shudder more than the underlying problem.

"It was fake wood paneling -- the kind everyone had in the '70s!" said Beale.

She accomplished her makeover using a variety of large-patterned, faux marble materials that mimic limestone on the walls and pebble-specked sheets of vinyl on the floor. Accessories include a silver-painted frame around the medicine cabinet and matching circular towel hooks.

Beale, a semiretired toxicologist, had a original deadline of seven days to complete the work, an ongoing deal she has with husband Thierry Work, a wildlife disease specialist, regarding her home-improvement projects. While Work is away on business, Beale works on the house, surprising her husband upon his return. "And it puts me in a good mood," said Beale.

Despite extensive planning, the time line for the bathroom proved problematic. "Things always come up in remodeling," she said.

In re-tiling the combination shower and bathtub, Beale chose a too-thick tile that edged past the shower valve. Not knowing to replace the older valve style when installing a new faucet is a common mistake of first-time bathroom remodelers, said plumber Rick Cardoza, of Drainology. The issue set Beale back not only in time, but in cost, adding $600 to her budget of $1,500.

Other, less costly issues included a defective new toilet, which spouted water from uncovered ports when flushed, as well as a basin that did not fit over the too-small, pre-drilled hole in the furniture-style sink cabinet that came from a mass retailer.

Beale and her remodeling partner, friend Ivan Arakaki, spent day seven replacing the toilet twice. Replacing flooring, which they had expected would be the hardest step, went smoothly. Beale and Arakaki took turns in the small space, patching the subflooring and affixing tiling.

In all they spent about 100 hours over 10 days in the demolition and remodeling.

"I kind of wanted to learn about (the process)," said Arakaki, who tiled for the first time. "It's a great improvement over the old bathroom, that's for sure."

Many of the materials Beale used were remnants from previous projects, such as the pebble flooring left over from revamping dresser drawers in the master bedroom. In all she spent $2,500.

"People can do a lot of home projects -- nice projects that don't necessarily cost a lot," said Beale. "You don't have to waste a lot of stuff or use extravagant things -- and it doesn't have to be big."