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THIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINE
LIKE OLD TIMES (ONLY BETTER)
HOW TO DESIGN A VINTAGE-LOOK BATH, FROM FLOOR PLAN TO FINISHES
By Jill Connors.
July/August 2007
If there is anywhere in an old house where the thought bubble "It has character!" can quickly turn to the thought cloud "It could be condemned," it's the bathroom. Years of use appear in extremely unsavory ways, from grout that never comes clean to cracked and pitted porcelain to running toilets that defy repair. Fortunately, the surge of interest in the bath as a spalike retreat within the home has resulted in a wide array of options for creating a bath with period good looks and contemporary performance. It's the renovation equivalent of a double take: Charming old mosaic floors, pedestal sinks, and tiled walls are gutted and replaced with charming new mosaic floors, pedestal sinks, and tiled walls.
The homeowners of a 1927 red-brick Colonial Revival house in suburban Chicago went through just that process when they renovated the 6-by-8-foot master bath. They liked the charm of the existing space's original elements, namely a black-and-white basketweave tile floor, but the surfaces and fixtures were showing too many signs of age.
Just as important, the room wasn't a true master bath: Not only did it open to the master bedroom, it also opened to the second-floor hallway, where there are three other bedrooms and a second bath used by their three sons, ages 10, 7, and 3. Taking full possession of the master bath, the parents gave themselves a haven that was in keeping with their home's architectural character. "They wanted a vintage look, but also a spa feeling," says designer Steven Jones, who had worked with the owners on a previous kitchen renovation and knew their tastes and sensibility.
The first priority in the renovation was to correct the flawed layout. "Having two doors and one sink was silly", says Jones. The new layout stayed within the original footprint, but on the full wall created by filling in the hall doorway there was now space for two sinks. Builder Greg Rekett took the room down to the studs so that all systems could be thoroughly updated: plumbing, electric, heating, and ventilation. Finding minimal insulation, he addressed soundproofing and energy-efficiency concerns by adding R-15 batt insulation in all four walls, R-30 in the floor, and R-38 in the ceiling. An old cast-iron radiator was replaced with a slim baseboard unit.
The designer collaborated with the homeowners in choosing surface materials, fixtures, and fittings that would produce the desired vintage look. They chose a black-and-white marble mosaic basketweave for the floor, and crackle-finish off-white subway tile for the walls, with accent borders of dark green. They opted for porcelain sinks on chrome washstands, instead of pedestals. "The washstands have a streamlined utilitarian look that is appropriate to the era, and the legs make the room more open visually because you can see through to the tile," says designer Jones. To give the acrylic air-het tub - chosen as a spalike amenity - and old-fashioned appearance, the architect surrounded it with tile panels using rail caps and subway field tile. Chrome fittings for the shower, tub, and sink have cross handles, a retro choice reinforced by the separate sets of hot and cold fittings for the tub/shower and the sink, in lieu of a central mixer or diverter.
The master bath's primarily black-and-white palette reflects its past, while the green accents link it visually to the master bedroom. The homeowner chose the wall paint by going two shades darker than the wall color in the bedroom. Crown molding and wood-frame medicine cabinets with beveled mirrors that are flanked by chrome-and-frosted-glass wall sconces enhance the vintage scheme. The end result is a room with the soothing, relaxing atmosphere the homeowners envisioned. "This room is all about an absence of chaos," says the homeowner. Now that's an idea worth reviving.
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Resources: Architect: Gary Beyerl, AIA, Burns + Beyerl Architects, Chicago, IL; 312.663.0222; bbaworld.com. Builder: Greg Rekett, Sutherland Homes, Northfield, IL; 847.446.6523; sutherlandhomes.com. Ceramic Tile: Tile Gallery, Chicago, IL; 312.467.9590. Sinks and toilet: Memoirs collection by Kohler, Kohler, WI; 800.456.4537; kohler.com. Tub, shower and sink fixtures, light fixtures, glass shelf, tissue holder, and robe hook: Newport Brass, Brasstech Inc., Santa Ana, CA; 949.417.5207; newportbrass.com. Tub: Zuma Airbath System II; 800.453.1463; zumacollection.com Thanks to Don Hooper, Vintage Plumbing Bathroom Antiques, Northridge, CA; 818.772.1721; vintageplumbing.com
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