Ballad of the One Bathroom: Prologue

The Ear has just one bathroom. This one bathroom is also rather small, a trait that has been emphasized by previous "improvements," such as: large bathtub with faux-marble fiberglass surround that juts out from the wall many inches; glass shower doors that remove any extra elbow room at the entry; greater-that-standard-depth medicine cabinets (great for storage as well as banging your head on); add-on wainscotting eating up precious inches around the room's periphery; and, our favorite, an outsize sink that doesn't allow the door to open fully. And it wiggles when you lean on it. Behold:



Much of this splendor was created by a previous DIY enthusiast who lived here sometime before us. They seem to have shared my goals of making do, making things work, and thriftiness. However, unlike me, this person was so gung-ho that they did not realize when they had exceeded their own abilities (see the uneven tile job on the floor, unsealed P-trap situation under the sink that leaks soap suds, boarded up former medicine cabinet cavity, and sink attached to vanity with strange weather-stripping-like material).

I know that I don't know anything about plumbing. So I've engaged the services of a professional to help me out here. First up: a new sink. Stay tuned.