Located just steps from the bed, my bathroom was functional; it was adequate. But after living in this house for a dozen years or so, I decided it was time to satisfy my long held desire to install a new jetted bathtub. I agonized over this decision. I knew it would be expensive. And I had no idea if or how it could be done. I pondered this, literally for years.
The main bathroom in the house has a bathtub, but it is far from the luxurious soaking tub of my dreams. Instead, it is a standard metal tub, probably installed when the house was built, somewhere in the mid 80’s. I tried to enjoy a leisurely soak in it, but this tub wasn’t comfortable; there was no place to put a candle or a calming glass of wine. It just wasn’t what I wanted. I was destined to merely take a quick shower.
Hours went into thinking about this, as I tried to look at all the possibilities. I’m sure I annoyed all my friends and family members as I solicited opinions and enlisted their aid as I brainstormed. They were kind though, and let me talk through all my thoughts.
I wondered about the possibility of rearranging the floor plan in the tiny master bathroom. I considered upgrading the tub in the main bathroom. Finally, I decided the best plan was to upgrade the master. It would require removing a portion if not all of a second closet in the bedroom. Between taking out the shower and knocking out the wall of the closet, there should be enough room for a new tub.
That was about a year ago. The project is now completed, but it ended up being a three-stage process. The first phase included just the bathtub and acrylic walls surrounding it. This left a real mess in the rest of the room. Thus, the second phase. I hired someone to handle that portion, which included replacing the sink and fixtures, and new plumbing. I kept the vanity, because it was roomy. I did installed new drawer pulls to make it look like new. The third phase was recently completed—to turn what is left of the bedroom closet into built in shelves.
I love the ability to either start the day with a quick shower or end the day with a comforting soak. There is something pretty special about a nice, hot bath in the middle of the day too. I love the choice of either a hot bubble bath or a massage of aching muscles. Soaking in Epsom salts is therapeutic. And who doesn’t enjoy the decadence of aromatherapy? I consider the bathtub to be a quiet respite that ranks right up there with a walk in the woods or working on a quilt. At this phase in my existence, life is all about enjoying the simple pleasures.
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