Whoever thought putting carpet in a bathroom was a good idea, should have their head examined (even if it was my dad!) 🙂 Moisture, lots of moisture and carpet around a toilet just don’t mix. Yuck! Nevertheless, when this old house of ours was built in 1972 or so, carpet was put down in the bathroom and believe it or not at the time, the kitchen too. Did anyone else ever have carpet in the kitchen? That has long since changed in the kitchen (can you imagine the gunk on kitchen carpet?), but the bathroom carpet still remained. A relic that is well past it’s prime.
This carpet has been down since the mid-80’s sometime, as evidenced by the lovely pinky mauveness of it. We all had a complete fascination with this color back then and I’m just not sure I could ever do this one again. I can’t talk much, since I installed mauve carpet in my brand new house back in 1985. I slapped myself several times over that one. 
So back to why it’s not a good idea to put carpet in a bathroom? Umm, yeah, this is why. 
I ripped out that nasty old carpet which was bad enough, but underneath the carpet pad was completely disintegrating, leaving behind a nasty orange powder that was really grody. I said ewwww right out loud to myself a few times during this particular chore.
Now we are down to the plywood subfloor and what do we have here? My dad is known as the shortcut guy (oh boy), so somewhere along the line that plywood must have rotted out next to the tub and this is what he did. At least it is flat and level, so we should still be fine laying down the new vinyl floor planks that I have planned in here. 
After working hard on this floor for about 2 hours, I ripped out all the tack strips, along with the nails and staples from the padding and finally had a somewhat clean surface. Ahhh, now we’re talking. 
I decided that all the trim in here has to be repainted, since it has been so many years since it’s all been touched. I’ll be glad I did in the long run. My dad always painted with oil based paint back in those days, so I had to use an oil based primer over all the trim, to ready it for my new latex creamy white trim paint. I’m well on my way to getting this space finished! Those pulls are getting replaced too. 
We did unload this beautiful vintage 1970’s laundry hamper to the local thriftstore. I couldn’t put it back, it has served its time too. We don’t throw much away around this place. 🙂 In fact, me and mom have to sneak things out of the house or my dad would keep EVERYthing.
Here’s a sneak peek at the new wall color, Sherwin Williams Windsor Greige and the new beadboard wallpaper. I love it! As soon as we finish in here, you will all get to see it too.
I’m excited about reinventing this space, since it was in DIRE need of a makeover into the 21st century! Yeeehawww!
The winners of the Mary Kay Andrews Summer Rental book giveaway are:
#33 Kristy
#58 Kathy (a faithful reader & blog supporter)
Congrats, ladies! I’ve already emailed you for your address, so enjoy the book!
Wow Rhoda! You are awesome girl! ripping up carpet! You go girl!! And sad to say we too have carpet in our Master Bath-it is soooo gross! and honestly Id rather live on the bare cement floor than that stuff!
I love the greige paint with the green tile and aqua cabinet top. I wouldn’t have thought of that color, but it is so sophisticated. I can’t wait to see the end result. I hope your parents let you take on some of their other rooms so we can see more of your magic!
Can’t wait to see the reveal.
Really enjoying today’s post, having flashbacks to the 70’s and 80’s decor. It was very fresh and trendy then, all the newest homes had those colors. We moved often enough to get in on all of them. And carpet was ‘the’ floor covering; the thicker the better. We should think about all we are doing today with colors, patterns, etc will be looked upon as out-dated and someone will be wondering why we did it.
It’s never ending.
No kidding.. I’m with you all the way.
Sometimes you see carpet in the front part of a bath when they’re separated.. you know, the sink in the front with toilet and bath in second part. But even then.. NO! It’s always icky to me
dee
…OMG we had carpeting that came in the bathroom of our last house…the bathroom we potty trained 2 kids in (and I think the previous owner did as well) , and when we ripped it up, we had to throw it out of the window it was so foul and awful. It was like we unleashed the crackin! But the tile we put down made a huge difference and was very easy to clean! daily.
Ha! My mom had to sneak stuff out of the house too, and now I find myself doing the same!
Oh, wow. lol I can’t imagine having carpet in my kitchen or bathroom. I KNOW what I sweep up and it would be scary if it got ground into carpet! 🙂
The first house I bought had carpet in the bathroom and the kitchen! After we married, my husband and I removed both and it was a chore. The bathroom floor had to be replaced because the carpet masked a leak but it sure looked nice when we were finished!
Oh Goody!! Rhoda’s back at it again…tearing stuff out….installing prettier stuff…I’m lovin’ it!!
HAHA that has always totally grossed me out too…it’s going to look amazing though once you’re finished. LOVE the new paint color, thanks for sharing the name of it 🙂
We had carpet in our master bath when we moved in to this house. We have since replaced it with tile – a happy day that was! I asked the tile guy why someone would put carpet in a BR – he said probably because it was cheaper! Can’t wait to see your finished project.
We learned from the mistake of carpet as well. We had it in the childrens bathroom… oh dear, what a mess! We put sown gray slate tile in it’s place which has saved so much heartache!!
I am sure your parents are loving your input and updates! How fun!!
Hope all is well!
Jen
I literally start itching at even SEEING carpet in a bathroom…yuck! It used to be done, so bizarre to me, but it was done whereas you almost never see it, anymore THANK THE LORD!!!!!
Bathrooms need clean sterile tile or stone. Period end of story. Everything has its place. Carpet in a bathroom is not one of them! Good luck, can’t wait to see the new and improved bathroom!
soooooooooooooo funny!!! Our first house that we purchased in 1981 had carpet in the bathroom…. and ummmm… I admit we had carpet in the eat in kitchen…. if I recall correctly… It was a kind of indoor / outdoor flat looking 80’s gold….. and really…. the house was a nice house but that was sooooo in then!!!!!!!! But “Now”…. I could not even imagine having carpet in either of those places… Yucky!!!!!!! I laughed and laughed over this one!!!!!!! But… Rhoda, can not wait to see the finale’ 🙂 Terri
Rhoda,
I couldn’t agree more. I remember my grandparents having carpet in kitchen and bath. My aunt still has carpet in her kitchen. Not a great idea!
Can’t wait to see the bathroom done. I was wondering if you’d be bringing out the beadboard wall paper. It looked terrific the last time you used it!
Carol
Looking good Rhoda! You’ve been working hard. What a difference this will make. 🙂
Erin @ Dwell & Tell
http://www.dwellandtell.com
Birmingham, AL
I cannot stop chuckling! I have way too many memories of way too many homes that had the no-no kitchen carpet and bathroom carpet. When my husband and I married in 1975 our little rental house had red SHAG carpet in the bathroom, and we put it in! We thought we had arrived. On a sad note, my late (sweet) mom-in-law had brown pile carpet in her TINY bath with a bath mat on top..now that was a treacherous combo (and we’re talking this was into the 21st century). Eeek. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Rhoda,
I bet your Mom got the hamper with S&H green stamps. I have a gold one just like it. Mine is hidden in the closet.
Sure will miss running into you at yard sales in B’ham and also Publix.
Oh, and my house was built in the late 70’s and I have the same green tile in one of my bathrooms.
Ahhh, the joys of keeping things WELL past their sell by date right??? my 81 year old father is incredibly resistant to change…and he’s kind of a pack rat, so I told him, Dad, one room at a time – get them cleaned out! He doesn’t have carpet in the upstairs bathroom, but the wallpaper is outdated, peeling and there is an old wicker shelf that HAS GOT TO GO!! I feel your pain but it looks like you’ll have that little place looking like a spa retreat in no time!! Look forward to seeing the finished product! :0