Phase one of the bathroom is nearly complete. This Saturday a friend came over and helped me by drilling holes in the walls for the cabinet and the hooks. There are only a few of details left to fix — painting the ceiling, replacing the toilet seat, and adding a toilet paper roll holder. Phase two will be a complete gut job in ten years or so. There are so many holes in the walls (that I've filled) that the moisture barrier is completely compromised. Barring major accidents, and thanks to marine glue, it'll keep for a while longer.
I had taken down the old cabinet and lamp previously and taken them to the recycling buses. Then life got really hectic for my friends and he couldn't get over here for a while. A few weeks ago I noticed a bathroom renovation happening on my floor and thought that I'd go and ask if they could take a simple job of putting up the new lamp. The contractor came over right away and put up my lamp! I didn't mean to interrupt his work, but hey, if he wanted to do it right then and there, I was happy to oblige.
The lamp is new, but made with the old molds. I had visited some flats for sale in my house to see if any had the old lamp still in the bathrooms. Fortunately there were, so I got the exact same model. The difference being that this model is tilted downward, instead of being straight. I still need to take it apart again and put some silicone in the screw holes, which the contractor missed. I couldn't get a good pic of it lit, so there's one unlit. The hook right next to the sink for a hand towel is also a new manufacture of an old model. It is high enough, so the towel is not hanging into the cat box and is conveniently right next to the sink. There was no hook there previously, one of the many "what were they thinking?" details in this flat.
The bathroom cabinet is a 1950s original, that is the same model as was used in the 1930s, with one exception. It has metal shelves instead of glass ones. I found this one on Blocket for 250 SEK instead of buying a new manufacture for 750 SEK. Total score! A cabinet this size fits so much better above the sink than that blue monstrosity did, and it is big enough to contain all that I need in there. The double hook in the corner is another new manufacture of an old model, and it is high enough for a shower, and low enough to reach from the bath.
I also replaced the hook bar with those double hooks. They look so much better, and have an extra hook that I was missing. Now you can see how light it actually is in the bathroom when the camera is not getting confused by direct light.
I have also added a shower curtain, but it's white with white print on it. The print is the pomegranate and acanthus pattern that was so popular in brocaded velvets during 15th and 16th centuries. The pattern is only visible if light hits is just right and I get a chuckle out of thinking how things get used, re-used, and re-invented. From an unbelievably expensive silk velvet brocaded with gold thread to a polyester tabby with latex print on it. Oh how the mighty have fallen! But it does it's job while looking spiffy, so I'm happy.
And finally a side by side before and after. Gone are the blue details, and the non-functional shower head, there are hooks where needed, new lamp, new cabinet, new cat box (the old one broke in the move), and a lot less cacophony of colours. Lovely.