Project Update: The Ravine House Reno

I’ll let you in on a little secret…renos very rarely run smoothly. Even for a designer and a contractor, there are still bumps and bruises along the way. We started off the upper floor section of the ravine house reno in March and it got off to a really great start. I thought for sure we would be moving upstairs in no time. But a few major snags put us behind schedule. Such is the nature of a major renovation amiright?!

First snag: We found a perfect shower door at Rona for a great price. It said both on the box and online that the measurement was 36 by 48. So we built the bottom of our shower to fit those dimensions perfectly. After getting some help lugging a 400 pound glass shower surround out of the truck and up the stairs, Ryan started to install it, only to find that the dimensions were completely wrong. The glass panels fit INSIDE an acrylic basin (sold separately) that is 36 by 48 but as for the glass itself? Yeah not even close. It was heartbreaking. We had already drilled into the tiles, had to not only return the improperly labelled doors but then find new ones that fit our measurements, causing major delays. Huge snag that was honestly no one’s fault…except maybe Rona’s lol!! Lesson learned: Don’t trust labels on shower doors people!!! This is a mistake we will only have to learn once!

Second snag: I desperately wanted a nice organized closet system and Ikea was having a sale. I reluctantly dragged Ryan (he hates Ikea trips) to buy two sets of closet organizers, which is a huge undertaking (who knew!). After getting home and starting the install, Ryan quickly noticed I failed to measure the closets correctly…and being in an old house, there are some warped walls, misaligned trim, etc. Long story short, these closets were not going to be an easy job to make fit. Ryan spent a whole day trimming down and reimagining these panels so I could still have my dream closet though…so the snag was avoided but at a cost of a whole day and a lot of swearing. Lessons learned: Measure twice and be really sure before buying. My measuring skills have drastically improved doing my own project.

Third snag: Our plumber came the other week to help us install the wall mounted taps (and so worth it!! They are beautiful!!) but after looking at the sinks again, we quickly realized they were too high. By the time we pour the concrete counter and install the sinks, the height of the fixtures would be completely off – almost hitting the top of the sink basin. Luckily I can still return the sinks and we found another set that will work, but again, this is adding more time to the renovation because we have to wait to have them ordered. Lesson learned: Don’t wait to the last minute before checking on whether or not something fits…our sinks had been sitting in boxes for weeks and I could have easily been grabbing new ones in that time period had I known they were too high.

Fourth snag: Damn backorders!! I have this amazing light fixture picked out for the bedroom to compliment our gorgeous ceiling. I ordered it at the beginning of April and just now found out it will be backordered again…August being only an estimate to its arrival. I am devastated, to say the least, because I’ve had my heart set on this fixture for a long time! But a quick visit to my girl Danielle at Robinson Lighting and Bath made me feel much better. We decided to find something else in the meantime and my preferred chandelier could always go in the dining room (another future Ravine House project!!). Lesson learned: Backorders will always create an issue but I gotta love my talented friends. More on this lighting switch in a future post.

So there you have it…a huge progress update on the Ravine House reno. For now, here is a behind the scenes look at all the fun upstairs. You’ll have to keep waiting for the full reveal though…the snags listed above have put us another few weeks away from being completely done. But that’s ok! I’m happy that I am learning so much by making mistakes on my own home and not someone else’s and, honestly, I only have to make a mistake once for it to stick. In the end, all the tiny bumps will be worth it because I think the choices we have made will amount to a pretty incredible space!

The gorgeous, finished ceiling complete with beams and wood slats. My new light fixture will look pretty incredible next to all this white detail.Shya trying to find a cozy spot to settle in while we work away…but then she gets interrupted by the small one… Always wrestling!The new hardwood is my favourite we have ever chosen. Just wait until you see it all! If it wasn’t so dusty and grimy still, I would currently be in this tub. How beautiful is this standing fixture?!The accessory game is strong in this bathroom, let me tell ya!Reality.