In 2010 I instituted “The Hard Way Award”, honoring one reader each year who chose the path less traveled: Pursuing a Retro Renovation that, on the main, bypasses off-the-shelf big box supplies in favor of a more arduous period-inspired renovation using hard-to-find and/or salvaged material. A renovation that truly shows the passion for… doing things the hard way. This year’s winners: Janice and her husband Greg, who on their own gut-renovated a remuddled bathroom in their 1954 house — and install, in its place, a Mamie pink bathroom trimmed in black and white.
Janice also chronicled the story in blow-by-blow detail — providing other readers valuable resources and insight. Janice explained how it all got started:
My love affair with pink bathrooms is a new one. I never once thought about wanting or needing a pink bathroom when my husband and I first started searching for a mid-century ranch three years ago. Had I known then what I know now, I might have held out until I found the perfect time capsule bathroom. But, I didn’t know better and we bought a house with two bathrooms – neither of which are pink. After reading all about the Save the Pink Bathrooms crusade and drooling over the RR Blog’s readers’ own pink beauties, I decided I might not have inherited a pink bathroom, but by golly, I could build my own.
In reality, this award also recognizes Janice’s renovation of her kitchen in 2010. Janice, you are an inspiration. xoxo. Hey, there is no prize per se for this award — just the accolades and admiration of the entire Retro Renovation Nation. Nation: Hows about let’s send Janice and Greg lotsa Comment applause! 🙂
Runner-up: Carrie and her family for their spirited kitchen renovation. And there were other great stories, too. You all make it so hard to *choose*. Yes: You are all winners!