Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Powder Room - Updated!


Judging from the title, you can probably conclude Mr. Red, my fabulous antique cabinet we talked about here, was hung in the powder room just as I planned (and Hubbs doubted).

 
I mentioned how Hubbs agreed we would host Christmas at our house.  Well, I know him very well and I knew that I could use our holiday plans to complete projects around the house.  I made a list of things I wanted to get done and hanging Mr. Red was at the top!
 
I worried the wall didn't have any studs to mount the cabinet so I researched drywall hooks that would fit the design of the cabinet.  There were a few holes from its previous life in an auto garage:
 
 
I planned to re-use those holes to mount the cabinet.  I headed to one of my favorite places that has everything - Walmart.
 
I searched their anchors and hooks section... NOT because I thought they would have the best but I figured I'd find something that would get the job done.
 
WRONG ANSWER!
 
They had hooks for hanging large pictures but nothing I trusted for a cabinet that would hang above my guests' heads in the restroom... I quickly realized I couldn't half-step.  I would have to make the drive to a hardware store.
 
While in Walmart, I turned the corner from the hook aisle and saw the paint section.  O crap! Here I am planning to mount a cabinet and I haven't even considered this major change would make it difficult to PAINT around it.  In a semi-panic, I browsed the paint colors until I found a gray that resembled the color I wanted in the space. 
 
I know. I broke my own rule and decided to purchase 1 gallon of the paint.  There was no time (in my schedule) to DECIDE on the perfect shade.  I had to go with my gut.
 
Luckily, I chose a great shade of gray.  It was light enough to showcase the size of our powder room and complimented  my décor choices (that had been in a small pile for months) very well.  I spent that evening painting!  The time wasn't spent hanging the cabinet but I felt a sense of accomplishment.
 
Did I just add an item to my mile-long list and cross it off before the ink dried?  Yep, I did.
 

I hung shelves, I hung mirrors, I laid my rug down. Then, I looked at Mr. Red who rested UNcomfortably on the floor.  BLAH!
 
He needed to be hung *like* NOW!
 
I yelled down to the basement announced to Hubbs that I needed his help with the cabinet so he needed to tell me when he would be available... We confirmed Saturday.  In preparation, I went to Home Depot and picked up these amazing drywall hooks (amazing... so I thought).
 
 
I had the hooks. I had the man. I was ready to go!
 
The man was focused.  I was focused.  I measured and marked and planned and - ding dong - the doorbell rang?
 
It was Devona surprising us with her homemade cranberry eggnog bread - YUM!

She giggled at the view:

 

No, this dude doesn't have a shirt on YET AGAIN.  Yes, his butt is in my face.  Yes, he's balancing on the toilet BOWL (one wrong step and his foot would've gone in).  No, this isn't a proud moment for either of us but Devona?  She thought us working together was the cutest thing ever, lol.

She watched as we struggled. Hubbs followed the instructions on the package but, for some reason, the WingIts weren't able to get a tight fit in the drywall to support the weight of my beloved cabinet.  We tried 3 hooks and NOTHING.
 
 
  
He got frustrated.  We woke early that morning and spent the day crossing things off the to-do list.  Hubbs helped me hang pictures, clean out our bedroom, load donation items into the car... He helped with (some) Christmas décor, finished 99% of our Christmas shopping and now this? 

Hubbs has the patience of a gnat so I knew he wouldn't last long... Here it was eight o'clock at night and he had enough.  PLUS, he knows Devona has a knack for things like this so his quitting was ok.  He talked trash about the hooks, reminded me how he already TOLD me the cabinet would never hang on the wall and got ready to meet his friend for, as he put it, much-needed drinks.
 
Devona, with her freshly painted nails and festive holiday attire, agreed to help me.  I had random holes in my freshly painted walls, I needed something... Or I might cry.  For real.
 
We headed to Panera then to The Village then to Lowe's in search of the RIGHT anchors.  Devona suggested we look for another mount and pick-up lower brackets to serve as additional support.
 
We found them:
 
 
SnapTogglers!!!
 
They were SO easy to install and made me feel comfortable that they can support the weight of the cabinet. Here's how they work:

 
 It took more time to get me used to the drill than it did to actually HANG the cabinet.  O and to get the screw into the STUD we found, lol.  Only in my life do I plan to mount a cabinet without a stud (which would easily support the weight) only to discover there IS a stud.
 
The SnapToggler is Devona, a for real DIY-er, approved.  Need to mount something and don't want the mess or hassle of the stud, try the SnapToggler. They're, simply put, AMAZING!


We added brackets to the bottom as additional support.  I want to eliminate the chances of this heavy cabinet EVER falling on our guests.

Look at Mr. Red hanging there... in all his glory... looking handsome and junk!

 
Can you see the START of my Valentine's décor? I don't have much but I think that little shelf will hold seasonal décor
 
Cheers to having a vision and finding the means (and the right friend) to make it happen!
 
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