Renovating Aunt Stefy's Bathroom and The Plan

I do not want to have any regrets about documenting this incredible journey and sharing it here in my own space. So, are you all ready to follow along with Aunt Stefy's bathroom renovation in written format as well as video? I know that I am excited! Let's get it rolling. It’s time to work on this bathroom. And today, I will begin to share the design ideas, costs, material sourcing, challenges, and decorating.

Let's go back down memory lane, when I first inherited the condo. The bathroom was like a time machine-a living archive- from the 1980s. It was like walking into the scene of a movie. The decor exuded the life of a Black woman who loved beautiful things, prioritized beauty, self care, and luxury.

Holding onto every detail in the bathroom, small or large, was therapeutic while grieving. I counted my blessings so many days that while being consumed with grief, I also had the opportunity to celebrate a well lived life of my dear Aunt. How many. of the things I discovered also revealed so much about her, my grandmother, and the ways of the women in my family. Finding boxes of Chanel soap that I'm sure Aunt Stefy cleansed herself with was also my grandmother's signature scent.

The memories remain but the bathroom just couldn't stay the same. I had to move on and give this bathroom a new look that I am so sure Aunt Stefy would appreciate and love.

My Initial Decisions

There was never a question of DIYing this project or hiring a contractor. I do not have a single skillset to renovate a bathroom. Therefore, I knew I had to hire a contractor. in all honesty, this was a very intimidating and part of the process. Being able to trust that the job would get done efficiently, without losing tons of money, and getting the run around like many of the horror stories i've heard worried me. Full transparency in skillset from the contractor was something I had to consider. Additionally, researching my responsibilities versus the HOA was also a concern. Would I have to pull permits? Did the contractor have to be licensed and insured? All of those things I had to ponder upon on my very first renovation project that happened to be my Aunt's condo. This was precious. I couldn't afford to loose money.

It was also important to be open and transparent with whoever I decided to work that I need flexibility in time and payment schedules. I knew that I hadn't completely made my mind up on design details. Functional elements like the flooring was easy for me to make a decision on but the vanity or other details, I wasn't there yet and I need someone who would give me grace in timing to work in phases. My son's dad decided to take on the project and work with me. He offered a great discount on his labor but I still had to pay so that is where budgeting came in.

I had many things to consider when it came to budgeting for the bathroom. Cost was a factor as I used my savings. i didn't want to get in over my head with a loan. However, going the cheap route wasn't an option that I could take. The condo was originally built in 1982. Everything in the condo was original to it. And, with all things considered, they were still in decent condition. I want to be able to say the same 30 years from now.

Therefore, I wanted to hold on to the things that were still in good shape like the bathtub tile but totally replace everything else that either wasn't in good condition or didn't fit the modern look.

Where I was- I need to replace the flooring, vanity, remove the wallpaper, add sheetrock, replace the toilet, repair the air conditioning leak, remove the medicine cabinet, install new pipes, repair the bathtub leak.

What's Next...

Sourcing materials and demo is next. I’ll be sharing that process next week. I’m excited to learn all about bathroom renovations as this is my first, get my hands dirty, and get this project moving and grooving...