Progress

The builders were busy again.  Today, they put up the reinforcements for the garage ceiling slabs, which come Monday!  I am so excited to see what it looks like when our garages have ceilings!  WAHOO!!

Joern's garage

My garage

In other news, Joern went to meet with the plumber today at a bath showroom.  Joern and I had visited the showroom a few weeks ago, but our architect strongly suggested that we work with this company, as both he and the plumber work closely with this showroom.  Sadly, I just wasn't up to going, and in the end, it was probably the best as Joern was there about 3 hours.  But, thanks to Joern, who marched out the door today, with my ever-growing Inspiration Binder in hand.  What a fantastic guy to walk around with a 5 inch thick binder with flowers all over it, to go represent the both of us at the meeting with the plumber and the bathroom designer.

I guess it was easy to give the designer a good idea of my style through my Inspiration Binder.  Plus, I had chosen the fixtures I wanted anyway, so it wasn't too difficult.  I guess it was a little controversial that I wanted two toilets with "gasp" tanks mounted on the back, which almost never exists here anymore.  For me, there is no question in the children's bath that we'll have an exposed tank and floor mounted toilet- it just goes with the cottagey look of  the bathroom, the beadboard is definately the clincher.  Joern came home laughing about this discussion, when the plumber said, "Oh wow, those toilets are like ones from the 1920s."  So there you have it, we are sooooo old fashioned in America :)   But the designer agreed that because we have the large vanity that goes to the ground, he explained that the line of having the toilet go all the way to the ground would be the best look.  Score one for me!

Joern showed them the bathtub that we had picked out together last time we went to this showroom.  It is a corner tub, which I think is the best fit in our bathroom. 



We'll do a wall-hung toilet in the master bath, and a floor mounted one in both the children's bath and powder room.  In the cellar, its whatever is cheap!  Joern showed them the pedestal sink that I would like in the powder room as well.

What turned into a big problem without me were the faucets. The first problem was I wanted Oil Rubbed Bronze (ORB) fixtures in the master bath. I armed Joern with a ton of pictures and a towel ring. Turns out it doesn't exist in Germany. UGH! So, the plumber took the towel ring, and promised Joern he would look for something. Otherwise, our choices are pretty limited in finishes to chrome or satin nickel. Here are a few choices the bathroom designer picked out as possiblities:

Jado: Lighthouse Series

Kludi: Anlon series

Both are interesting, and okay. I am just not sure what on earth we will chose for our finish in the master bath if we don't find an ORB solution.

Joern also decided that he would like a rain shower head for the shower in the master bath, plus we'll have a hand-held shower head.  We'll have a hand-held shower head and faucet mounted on the wall for the bathtub.  In the kids' bath, we'll have a hand-held shower head that is controlled with a thermostat (good because you can set the thermostat.) 

Another piece of on its way to exciting news, Joern and the designer also found a possible kitchen sink candidate:

Dornbracht: Madison Flair

This is the first not totally modern kitchen faucet I've seen with a separate hand-held spray.  The only problem is that the sink probably doesn't have three holes for faucet and controls.  Maybe this is a sign though that there's hope?!