Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Perfect Master Bath


I'm addicted to HGTV, and all their home buying/designing television shows. What I like best is House Hunters, where the mostly happy couples go looking for their perfect home. Of utmost importance to many of them is the size of the master bedroom and bath. Without fail, they always get so excited when they see a double sink. "How perfect! Now we don't have to share. We each get our own sink!"

I never had much of a master bedroom at my old home. It was a small room created out of the basement, but we really loved the privacy it provided. We also had a very small bathroom, and we shared a very small vanity and cabinet. The idea of a large vanity with double sinks seemed only for those happy couples on t.v.

Well, alas, my new home has a huge master bedroom, and a huge beautiful bathroom. It has a big sunken tub, a nice sized shower for two, a private room for the toilet, and drum roll please....an extremely long vanity with double sinks.

I have so much space, I don't know what to do. I set up all my things in "my cabinet" and arranged my toiletries nicely on "my side of the vanity." What is painfully clear is that this bathroom was meant for two. Now, between you and me, if you open the unused side of the cabinet you will find a few of Michael's things. I couldn't resist. Outside it though, I tried to not create a 'Michael shrine.' The problem is, what do I do with the unused side of the vanity and sink?

When my parents were visiting, my mother wasted no time arranging all her make up and lady items all around the vacant vanity. It felt nice seeing the east side being used. I didn't feel so alone when using the bathroom. Now that my parents are back home, it is empty once again.

Here's where I need help. What do I do with the vacant side?

Should I rent it out? Maybe one of my neighbors really need the added space when it comes to bathroom time. Maybe one of the neighboring couples are always getting in each other's way and starting out each day in a fight. Renting it out to one of them might be just what they need to maintain a happy home. It would have the benefit of me not feeling so strikingly alone each morning and each night. It might also bring in a little added income.

I suppose I could always find me a rent boy, and he could use that side of the vanity.

What? That would not be very respectable? I might be setting a bad example for my kids? Well, maybe your right.

Okay, if you are going to get so high and mighty about how I make use of this empty space, then perhaps you should give me some good ideas.

Well. I'm waiting....

14 comments:

  1. I would get a nice koi or two and put them in the other sink and maybe fix up the area around it with some tropical plants and, who knows, maybe even a little fountain trickling water down into the koi sink. (o:

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  2. Love Bev's suggestion!

    I would trade with you if I could . . . we have a pedestal sink in our tiny bathroom.

    There is a little cabinet beside it, of course, and Elias still has his shelf. So far I've managed to keep my 'stuff' from taking it over, but a good lot of it is in the main bathroom with the girls' stuff.

    ~C~
    PS Hibernation over already??

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  3. Bev's idea is TOO funny!
    I, too, love House Hunters, especially the International one.
    And .... I, too, have two sinks. But I had the same two sinks "before" .... one was Jim's. It was horrible for me to walk in there and see all of his "stuff". I can't remember how long it took me to clear everything off of the counter, but it wasn't very long. I also hated the barrenness after that, but it was easier to take than looking at his toothbrush every day.
    I slowly started moving some of my stuff over to his side .... things that I don't use every day but still have out. I still rarely use his sink, but it doesn't stand out to me like it once did. I think it helped to make it look more "used". At least it helped me.
    But hey .... I never thought about putting fish in it.
    :)

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  4. My kids are young, so they use my extra sink so I can keep the front bathroom clean for visitors (and keep my side clean in my bathroom).

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  5. Okay, so I love Bev's idea. I'll have to start shopping for bathroom sink friendly Koi. Maybe I should buy a few more and fill my tub with them as well. I don't imagine using the tub, as I'm not one to sit and soak. Also, it would use so much water. Perhaps I could create my own tropical rainforest in there.

    And no Chelsea, I'm not done hibernating, just communicating with my clan of grief cave bears. To the outside world I am still in a deep sleep.

    Janine, I suspect that you might have a few more beauty products to fill your vanity with. I'm kind of a low maintanence kind of guy, so few things to put out. Michael was the one who had way too many bottles of cologne, or special creams. Not me. As long as there is water running in the faucet, I was good to go.

    Jodi, you bring up a good point. My boys have a bath they are supposed to be sharing, but my youngest has somehow taken over the guest bath instead. I am constantly reminding him to keep it clean in case somebody drops by and then needs to use it. I suppose I could redirect him into my bath.

    Okay, folks. More ideas! Come on. I know we can think of so many other uses for this lonely sink!

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  6. Kinda crazy, but I use the small bedroom and small bath, leaving the double stuff for company!!

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  7. Fill it with cold water, ice and beer?
    (A Canadian suggestion)

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  8. Clan of the grief cave bears. Nice.

    Goldfish grow to the size of their containers, so one in the sink - check. For that bathtub, well - some people raise tilapia in bathtubs in their garage. You could start your own sustainable mini tilapia ranch right there in the bathroom. Convert the other cabinet to a mini-fridge, and install a hotplate (you know, a nice one - inset and shiny) on the extra counter space. That way, you never actually have to leave, because you have cooking facilities and a food source right there.

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  9. or... cover the tub with clear plexiglass. Paint regulation red and blue hockey lines on it. Build a tub surround as a to-scale model of the Lake Placid ice arena, get some wee little hockey player figurines, and replay the 1980 US vs soviets olympic hockey game. Miracle on Ice, in the bathroom.

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  10. Arrange your stuff in the middle & use both sinks, have a rotating system. You could flip the coin each morning.

    Do a little renovating. Chop out the whole section & donate it to a couple who is having marital problems because they only have one sink. Take theirs in exchange. They will love you forever & you will have helped in improving the divorce rate.

    I like the fish idea. :-)

    Ask to be featured on HGTV and have them figure it out!

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  11. megan - haha - loved the sustainable tilapia fish farming ranch idea. Also, about doing the cooking in there so that you never have to leave. The miniature ice hockey rink is another winner.

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  12. Ya know, I never got that whole "marital issues" over use of the sink thing. Ditto with the toilet seat. (Although I guess with two guys that's kind of a moot point.) Anyway. Yeah. You just never can tell what is going to make you sad. It is especially difficult when it is something that would make other people happy. The we are even farther away from happiness than everyone else. Urg. It just never ends, does it.
    But koi. Yes. Too cool.

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  13. A lotus flower and floating candles in Michael's sink x

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  14. OK, LOVE widowsquared's Canadian suggestion! Or a place for chips and dip? :)
    You could also get several travel sized toiletry items that could be used for guests. Put them in a couple of baskets.
    What about a planter? Or just fill it with beautiful colored stones, like the ones used in glass flower vases? Or even smooth river rocks.
    Or .... lots of those small, airplane-sized bottles of booze. Lots and lots of booze.
    A Texas suggestion.
    :)

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