collateral damage or, my bathroom update

I used to love reading this book to Alexander.

It's about a mouse who wants a cookie. When he gets the cookie, he needs milk to go with it. When he gets the milk, he then needs a straw, and on and on until he needs another cookie.

A week ago my building management agrees I can get a new bathroom sink. I spend hours online and at Home Depot (twice) researching sinks. My research even includes a few calls to manufacturers and a couple of emails trying to find M's sink, only to discover it is no longer made and that the company (Cesame) is out of business.  I decide on a white Memoirs sink from Kohler; it looks far nicer in person. 

I learn too that faucets are sold separately, and finding the right one becomes another big project.  I enlist the help of two friends (thank G-d I have willing friends) and ultimately decide on these, also from Kohler:

But with a pedestal sink, I’ll have no room for storage. I have to order shelving.  I chose these minimalistic shelves from VIPP.

And now with a nice new sink, the ugly bathtub next to it will be magnified. My building won’t update my tub as this would require renovating the bathroom, something they only when a tenant moves out.  But I ask for a new showerhead and they surprisingly say yes.  So I find the king of showerheads and order this one from Speakman.

If I can't get a new bathtub, can I at least get a new door?  I think my building is sympathetic to the constant banging going on above me, as they say yes to this as well.  After vacillating for at least three days between frosted and clear, and researching the pros and cons of each, I decide on clear and go with this frameless door from Kohler. 

But then I need to get the Cleret Squeegee to keep the glass clean, a tool I had no idea even existed.  But I find the best squeegee maker (of course) and am even impressed with its aesthetics. I find out later it's been selected for inclusion in the Smithsonian's permanent design collection.

And finally I get a new Kohler towel rack to replace the junky one I have.  I have no idea why I didn't do this easy fix years ago.

On Monday, when the banging starts again, I will try to ignore it, and think instead of its collateral damage — the updated bathroom I will soon be getting.