This Victorian home in Saint Paul suffered from a common condition for houses built at the time. All four second floor bedrooms were serviced by a single bathroom. Sometime during the life of the house, this one bathroom had been remodeled in a fashion that was not in keeping with the overall aesthetic of the building. Millwork profiles did not match, and materials were in discord. The clients wanted a steam shower added to the program, and a stacked washer and dryer were to be worked into an adjacent closet.

Although no exterior changes were made to the house, interior window casings were replaced to match original windows. A silver plated console lavatory with a carrera marble top stands next to a beautiful new porcelain pedestal bathtub. The custom-built linen cabinet serves as storage for bathroom necessities and does double duty as a vanity. Mirrors placed inside the cabinet doors provide easy access and use of hair dryers and curling irons. The tile wainscot, with its marble cap and base, gives the impression of something that might always have been present. Marble also cases the shower enclosure, into which a steam unit has been discreetly incorporated. In-floor heat keeps the black granite and carrera marble flooring at a comfortable temperature. Although this bathroom is still the only one on the second floor, the lavish materials and careful detailing make it not only up to the task, but wholly appropriate to the style and vintage of this beautiful residence.