American Standard Tropic Faucet Review

I’m at the point in my bathroom renovation that the spare guest room is looking more like storage than anything else. I have a vanity, top, faucet, shower-controls, spare tiles and lots of tools all piled up. I decided to eliminate a few boxes and started by installing my new faucet. American Standard sent me the Tropic bathroom faucet, model #7038.801. Read on to learn more about this faucet... 

Is it OK to Put Hardwood Floors in a Kitchen or Bathroom?

Reader Question: I am considering putting hardwood floors in my living room and dining room. The kitchen sits next to both rooms and I’m wondering if I should lay hardwoods in the kitchen as well? I’ve seen hardwoods in some high kitchens, but at least two of my friends have warned about water in the kitchen ruining the wood. Should I be worried? Is there a better type of hardwoods for kitchens?... 

Bathroom Electric Radiant Heat Mats Kit by SunTouch

Electric radiant heated floors have become tremendously popular in the last few years, especially for bathroom installations.  Unlike conventional heating methods that use forced air to circulate heat around the room, electric radiant systems warm the floor beneath your feet first.  The heat then rises into the room to warm the entire space.  In fact, radiant heat can actually warm you directly,... 

Install a Bathroom Faucet

Last Saturday, I finally installed the vanity in our half bathroom. And, I gotta say, I’m pretty pleased with how it all turned out. The toughest part was assembling the faucet. Here’s what I did. Peerless Bath Faucet I picked up a brushed nickel, Peerless brand faucet from Lowes. It’s nothing flashy but definitely does the job. This faucet fits a three-hole sink with 4″ centers. Tools... 

Before & After: Kim’s Powder Room Renovation

This weeks Before and After is brought to you by Kim (Fred’s better half). She took on the challenge of updating their first floor powder room. I think you’ll agree that it is an amazing transformation. As with every week, OPC will make a $25.00 donation to Habitat for Humanity. The Powder Room Makeover Buying a fixer-upper has left us with years’ and years’ worth of renovation... 

Bathroom Vanity and Sink Ideas and Options

I didn’t realize how many different bathroom vanity and sink options existed untill I took a trip to the local Big Blue. I was blown away with all the choices and styles. You can find anything from simple pedestals to modern glass sink bowls. Now I just need to decide. Types of Bathroom Vanities For me, all the possible vanity options fell into three categories: Pedestal. A pedestal is basically... 

Before and After: Bathroom (& Towel Rail!) Remodel By Jane @ Beach House

This week’s Before and After is brought to you by Jane (aka ModerneMama) over at Beach House.  Jane and Hubby just remodeled their bathroom in a fresh modern style…  It’s quite the improvement.  Jane’s also the first blogger to submit an article with its own name, and a good one at that. As a result of Jane’s submission, OPC will make a $25.00 donation to Habitat for... 

Installing a Toilet on a Hardwood Floor

I’m slowly but surely making progress on the new floor. It’s looking really good and I’m excited to see it come together. Soon I’ll be starting the baseboard and quarter-round. I took a slight detour from the floor to get our half bathroom back in “usable” condition. Not having it available was becoming a real problem. After installing the new floor, the drainpipe flange was about a ¼”... 

Before and After: Rancher Bathroom Remodel by Jon @ Tales from the Eye

This week’s Before and After is a fantastic bathroom transformation sent in by Jon at Tales from the Eye.  Jon, wife, family friends, and a few contractors worked together to transform their 1964 Ranch-style home’s bathroom to a more modern look.  Renovating a bathroom is a great way to add value to your house, particularly if you DIY or serve as your own general contractor.  Jon’s... 

Before and After: Bathroom Ceramic Tile Floor

This week’s Before and After is brought to you from a coworker and friend, Miesha. Miesha recently asked Kim and I for some help installing a new ceramic tile floor in her bathroom (the subject of several later posts). Unfortunately, in prepping the subfloor for tile, she made some beginner mistakes requiring her to rip up some concrete board.  The before picture here shows the bathroom...