Here’s the before shot that the realtor took of our little WC back in February of 2011. As you may remember I decided to just do a little mini makeover to freshen it up a little by deep cleaning the floor, re-grouting the tile, add wallpaper and some shelves. That faucet with the hot and cold dark olive knobs really bugged me though and I was really ready to do something about it. I had toyed with the idea to spray paint them silver (there are silver ones available, I know that from switching in our old kitchen, but they’re for a different brand and don’t fit here) but couldn’t even figure out how to remove them to do so.
Funny thing happened though and basically while I was kneeling on the floor under the sink in there trying to figure out where to switch the water off I got an e-mail asking if I would be interested in receiving a new Gustavsberg faucet. Speak of the devil!
They (who obviously hear prayers) offered to send me their Logic faucet designed by Jon Eliason (who I actually met once at a blog meet and who’s a super nice and funny guy). The faucet itself is really nice and kind of unobtrusive but check this out:
There are four color options for the lever! Guess which one I went for after I had my plumber help me install the faucet? Yes, I enlisted a pro for this. Marrying a 1954 sink (also Gustavsberg btw!) to a 2012 faucet was beyond my DIY skills I realized especially after I was warned that the old faucet and sink might have grown too fond of each other during their +50 years together and that the sink might crack trying to separate them. Luckily that wasn’t the case but picture me on the floor in there with half a sink on my lap and water spraying everywhere... Some things are just better left to the professionals.
And, yes, of course I went for white! And it was such an easy switch that I might actually switch to that pumpkin color on Halloween just for the fun of it!
Purty!
HAPPY WEEKEND!
You lucky b... !
Faucet looks really nice with the white lever. Very modern, but it's not too striking.
I notice you also re grouted the tiles near the floor. That was such a good job.
Posted by: Leena | October 19, 2012 at 07:55 AM
love it, it looks great!! have a good weekend
Posted by: machen und tun | October 19, 2012 at 07:55 AM
Free is good.
Posted by: Tess | October 19, 2012 at 08:04 AM
I did, and it was one of those really messy and uncompfortable jobs where I had to basically hug the toilet while hacking away at the grout behind it. It did turn out well when it was done though.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | October 19, 2012 at 08:06 AM
When it's something you really need, it is :).
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | October 19, 2012 at 08:07 AM
Oh, I like that so much! We live in a rental with weird old taps and they drive me nuts. Would love a nice new one like that.
Posted by: Catherine | October 19, 2012 at 08:19 AM
I like!
Happy weekend btw to you, Wille and of course the cats!
Posted by: nicolezh | October 19, 2012 at 08:27 AM
Great job, Benita! and you are also lucky that the old taps only took up 1 hole in the basin. Here, old basin fittings often need 3 holes in the basin, hot, cold, and the spout!
Posted by: Maddy | October 19, 2012 at 08:55 AM
Ah yes, those American faucets. I've encountered them in many an American hotel room and they're so difficult to use especially when you've just put lotion on. As are those round knob door handles while I'm at it. Very pretty but also quite annoying. What's up with that?
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | October 19, 2012 at 09:01 AM
Sooo nice! Love Jon as well as his designs. He's everywhere these days, isn't he?
And I actually miss those round American doorknobs :) - the best, though, are the "crystal" ones. I might try to snag some on our next visit there!
Posted by: Judith | October 19, 2012 at 09:46 AM
I love how such small (physically - not in terms of process!) changes can result in such *BIG* changes to the overall look! Nice job!
Posted by: Vanessa (The VMCA) | October 19, 2012 at 09:53 AM
I love your "savon de Marseille" soap bottle...
Nice job
Greetings from near Marseille
Posted by: Lili (from France) | October 19, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Wow, it is incredible how the switcheroo updates the whole room. Great job! I also changed a faucet in our WC a while back, after everybody said I should change the sink (!), and it looks a thousand times better - and no one wants me to change the sink anymore. This post was right up my alley, today, we are laying tile in that same WC. Can't wait.
Posted by: Cat | October 19, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Speaking of grout – if the very dark grout between the floor tiles bothers you, you could try painting it like these guys: http://www.chrislovesjulia.com/2012/10/taking-grout-from-dark-and-dingy-to.html
Although it might be a really tedious job with the tiles being so small. We sometimes have them in bathrooms here too, and I remember the grout lines being very thin, too. Actually, in your case I'd probably go with a bit of PVC floor in a light colour, or in a nice dark grey. Maybe something that imitates penny tile? It's such a small space that you could go with something you love, even if it is more expensive. But everything you changed already made such a big difference that it might just not be necessary.
Also, that sink is 50 years old?! That's some amazingly nice and not-at-all-oldfashioned design then. It looks like something that was produced recently (apart from the spot for soap maybe, I think they're not doing that so often anymore). And with the new faucet it looks great.
Posted by: Judith | October 19, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Perfect timing, perfect match!
Posted by: Lisa Flaherty | October 19, 2012 at 03:58 PM
Wow-love it! That's Swedish design for you-still looks modern after 50+ years. I drove Volvo 240 wagons for years and wish I still had one. As an American (Southerner no less!) I never thought about round knobs but now.....
Posted by: Laurie | October 19, 2012 at 04:17 PM
I wondered how long that old tap was going to last. Congratulations on a great design win.
Posted by: Susan | October 19, 2012 at 05:07 PM
Such a compatible and attractive marriage!
Posted by: Vicki K | October 19, 2012 at 05:08 PM
I am stunned. It looks absolutely gorgeous!
Luck doesn't just find you; it knows your address!
Posted by: Peggy | October 19, 2012 at 05:25 PM
My yes, I didn't want to say but... that old faucet was so very ugleeee.
Say Miss B, have you shared with us where you are storing towels and linens? Do you just carry your towels to the bath with you? Your old place had bath shelves for towels, but now you don't even have a linen closet, or do you?
Posted by: -Michelle | October 19, 2012 at 06:35 PM
Ugleeee indeeeeed :).
I don't think i have shared that in one post. I don't keep it all in one place which is the reason for that I guess. Because the house has three floors I keep the linens on the floor they're used if that makes sense. I don't love having them all over the place but it makes the most sense to keep them close to where they're used. So I basically have a little pile in a closet or cabinet here, a little pile in a drawer there and so on :).
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | October 19, 2012 at 06:49 PM
Haha
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | October 19, 2012 at 06:50 PM
Bloody perfect x
Posted by: Flying Blind | October 19, 2012 at 07:32 PM
Bloody perfect x
Posted by: Flying Blind | October 19, 2012 at 07:33 PM
Makes such a difference! And very pretty.
Posted by: Messy | October 20, 2012 at 12:42 PM
It is increadible what change it makes just changing the taps! I know you love white but personally I like it in the chrome version because it corresponds with the wallpaper pattern :-) Good job!
Posted by: Liz | October 21, 2012 at 09:01 PM
Nice! Even better woudl it be if the whole faucet would be white...
Posted by: jja | October 21, 2012 at 10:26 PM
Looks great -again!
Posted by: minna | October 24, 2012 at 09:51 AM