As I start to get a handle on the costs of this project (I’m renovating an investment condo), I’m having to make some tweaks. For example, I’d spent around $ 750 for bathroom tiles in a hexagonal marble that I really loved. I’d decided I’d splurge on the flooring and the slightly green/cream/grey colour in the tiles had set my entire colour scheme.
But our revised kitchen design (see last post) added some upper cabinets and widened the counter top. I may cut back on the countertop extensions we added– I think they will intrude too far into the living room– and that will knock off a few square feet off that cost. However, even with that reduction, I’m $ 900 over what I’d budgeted for cabinets and about $ 350 over on the counter, which means the expensive flooring had to go. I returned the tiles to Home Depot this afternoon.
I can find tiles at around $ 1/sq ft so paying roughly 16 times as much didn’t make sense. (Hmmm… let’s see: $ 750? or $ 45 for floor tiles? It was kind of a no-brainer.) I decided to make a splash in the bathroom with a great mirror over the vanity instead. I found this one at HomeSense for $100, right on budget. (It’s pierced metal and really lovely, and as you can see, it will work very well with the new floor tile as well).
However, I’m still $ 550 over budget overall because of those darn cabinets, and to make up for it, I’m thinking I may forego a back splash in the kitchen. This kitchen, which I adore (it’s so lovely and fresh), has back splash tiles that precisely match the walls, but paint alone will have the same effect.
And since the floori
ng in my investment condo is almost the same colour as the hardwood in the picture, I’m thinking I may go with black granite, now that I’ve taken back the marble tiles that were behind my original colour palate.
Not having a back splash knocks off around $1000-1500, between the tiles and the installation cost. Which actually puts me ahead.
So I splurged on a dining room light fixture.
This is my new light: it’s a twelve arm, sort of Sputnik, sort of Spider, and I love it. Talk about a statement!
I nabbed this one just as couple at Living Lighting were eyeing it. (Ian, the store owner, thought we might end up in a bidding war.)
It looks black but it’s actually chrome (although there is a black one in the store currently at the same price).
It was on sale, regular $ 479, and with the extra discount I get because I do so much business with them, I paid $ 399. plus the cost of 12 light bulbs. Well worth it, I think! I was chatting about my investment condo with the husband of the couple that didn’t snag this one in time and his exact words were, “Reno? With this light, who needs one?”
I agree! Can’t wait to see this in the dining room!
Kiss and Sell 