Yesterday's Look in Today's Bathroom

Our house, built in 1888, has a kitchen and bathrooms that were last updated in 1974. With our Formica counters, sheet vinyl floors, and florescent lights, you’d never guess that I am a part-time student pursuing a degree in Interior Design. At school, I am constantly exposed to the latest and greatest in current day design trends. At home, you could probably film an episode of “That 70’s Show” right in my kitchen.

The reality is that although we have no regrets, living in a historic home is expensive. Something as simple as updating a wall sconce becomes a major project when unsafe wiring from 1934 is exposed - brittle, mouse gnawed, and improperly grounded. And so, it is with great care and forethought that we undertake renovations. Up to now, our money has gone to “infrastructure” items – replacing the well pump, electric panel, hot water heater, gutters, etc. We even had to divert the outflow pipe for our washing machine which was previously emptying into the yard! Now, after seven years in our house, we are finally updating our master bathroom and also adding an entirely new half bath on the main floor. (The kitchen will just have to wait!)

Coming up with a design for the new bathrooms has been both challenging and fun. There are so many little decisions that you don’t think about: the color of the tile grout, the finish on the door hinges, and whether the electrical outlets should be white or ivory. Meanwhile, the big decisions are almost daunting. There are so many wonderful new innovations in bathroom design! You can’t help but be hypnotized by art-glass vessel sinks, iridescent glass tile, and showers with multiple body sprays. The first time my husband and I walked into a tile shop, we utterly dazzled by all the choices. We went in looking for vintage inspired tile, but were so dazzled by the exquisite tiles available, that we came away with a spec sheet for travertine tile, accented by sea glass mosaics. The combination was stunning! However, as we moved forward, choosing sinks, faucets, cabinetry and light fixtures, I began to feel more and more unsettled about the tile.

When you live in a historic house, I believe you have a responsibility to honor the house and its roots. In fact, my husband and I feel almost more like stewards of our home than its ‘owners’. The style of the house is what is technically called a “vernacular farmhouse”, which the Old House Web (www.oldhouseweb.com) defines as being characterized by “severe simplicity, functionality, and a straightforward appearance, typically with the structure being an "L" or "T" in plan.” This description fits our house perfectly and with that in mind, I wanted to make sure that our new bathrooms were period appropriate and suited to the rest of the house. I wanted a vintage look that mimicked the look of a bathroom installed in the 1920’s, combined with modern conveniences like a soaking tub and dimmable recessed lights. Lots of my Fabulous Finds customers have purchased vintage dressers from me and had them converted to bathroom vanities; I considered this option too. In the end, we chose simple white ceramic tiles for the shower, 1” black and white mosaic tiles in for the floors, and simple white bead board on the walls. Our “splurges” have come in the form of such things as white carrara marble for the vanity top, marble mosaics on the floor, and top-of-the-line fixtures. My goal for both bathrooms is an elegant simplicity that is nothing short of timeless. I'll be sure to post 'before' and 'after' photos when its finished.