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13. Medicine cabinets. Jks417 wrote, “I’d add medicine cabinets to the list. There are many stylish options these days, and having all those personal items hidden away and still easily accessible makes for clutter-free countertops and neater drawers.”
Tub Area / Windows 3. Jetted tub. Lyfrjasp wants to upgrade her tub with jets, saying that “a whirlpool tub would be so nice for arthritic joints.” I have to say, a tub like this, with a view like that, would definitely turn me into a tub bather. Tip: If you are planning to add a jetted tub to your bathroom, think about installing one that is self-cleaning. A common complaint with jetted tubs is the extra maintenance required to keep moldy gunk from forming on the jets and spraying into the tub during each bath.
White tub, silver feet, bright color on walls
Sources for Tub Parts and Accessories Houzz has supply lines, feet, drains, faucets, shower enclosure kits and more. Historic Houseparts and Strom Plumbing by Sign of the Crab are also good resources. And Creative Casting in Tacoma, Washington, will make new cast copies of existing tub feet out of silicone bronze for about $45 per foot. The company also has compiled a list of tub refinishers they’ve worked with.
Where to Buy an Antique Claw-Foot Tub Architectural salvage stores. Most cities, small and large, have stores that specialize in architectural salvage. Because claw-foot tubs are heavy, you don’t want to be driving leaps and bounds for a tub. Try to find one as close to home as possible. Many architectural salvage companies will take pictures of items and email them to you for consideration before you make a trip; it doesn’t hurt to ask. Online. Jeanne Kinsella of J.W. York Homes says their client found the tub shown here on Craigslist. Luckily for them it was already refurbished. Tub refinishers. Some smaller tub refinishing companies also sell antique tubs.
Exterior priming and painting. After the old paint has been removed, prime the entire exterior surface and legs, if they are to be painted, with a rust-bonding primer. The paint should be a high-quality latex, because it’s more flexible and has “give” — important because the tub will expand and contract marginally as it heat up and cools down. Most tubs are painted in a semigloss or high-gloss finish, because it’s easy to clean. Paint can be applied by roller, brush or spray, depending on where it’s being applied and your level of skill with the various means. Some folks have opted to have their tub professionally sprayed with epoxy paint, auto paint or a powder coating. Both new and old tubs can be painted. Designer Kelly Scanlon says the new tub shown here is painted in a custom half tone of Tranquility by Benjamin Moore.
3. Finish the tub exterior. This is the fun part. Adding color or not is your choice, but I like a hue on a claw-foot tub’s exterior. Otherwise, it’s a lost opportunity, like having a convertible but never putting the top down. See more on painted bathtubs Before painting can begin, the surface needs to be prepped. 2 Surface-Prep Methods Sandblasting option: If your tub’s exterior is in bad shape, meaning the existing paint is peeling or even rusty, have the exterior sandblasted. Sandblasting will take everything off the exterior (the interior will need to be masked off). Have the legs sandblasted as well if they’ve been painted. Sandblasting will leave a bare surface. It will have to be primed immediately; otherwise it will begin to oxidize. Sandblasting costs around $125 to $250 and needs to be done offsite in a specialized workshop. Hauling the tub to and from the sandblasting location is another consideration. Scraping and sanding option: If your tub exterior just needs a facelift, this is something you can easily do on your own, especially if you know that the paint on the tub isn’t lead based. (An antique tub may have lead-based paint on the older layers. In this case...
Refurbishing a Claw Foot Tub 2. Reglaze the interior surface. If the interior surface has seen better days and a good cleaning isn’t enough, you’ll want to go the reglazing route. It’s becoming popular and has saved many claw-foot tubs from being discarded in the first place. This method goes by many names, like “reglazing” “refinishing” and “acrylic coating,” but it’s basically the process of applying paint on top of the porcelain surface on the interior of the tub. Reglazing entails masking off the area, roughing up the porcelain surface, filling nicks and holes, and applying a bonding agent, several layers of primer and then paint as finish coats. The tub here has been reglazed. Miracle Method, the company that refinished the example here, and Perma-Glaze are two commercial giants in the tub refinishing industry.The process takes only one day and runs about $400 to $800. While it is possible to refinish a tub yourself, don’t. It’s akin to painting your own car. The surface won’t be as smooth and won’t last as long as one done professionally. Some reglazing companies also use an acid etcher, which can be noxious.
Get a Claw-Foot Tub Apart from the sumptuous look of a vintage tub, using one is recycling at its best, and getting one may not be as challenging as you think. Cost: Acrylic claw-foot tubs generally range from $1,200 to $2,000. New cast iron claw-foot tubs can cost $1,200 to $5,000, though the average runs about $2,200. New vs. Old With sinuous curves and sculptural feet, both new and vintage claw-foot tubs look very similar. You may wonder: Besides their age, what’s the difference? Vintage Claw-Foot Tubs Vintage tubs are made of cast iron and lined with an interior layer of baked-on porcelain. Cast iron retains heat very well, making these tubs perfect for a long soak. The problem that is many of them are nearly a hundred years old and look it. The weight of cast iron — typically 200 to 400 pounds — is another downside. But the price of a vintage tub is usually easier on the wallet: about a few hundred dollars, depending on the size, style and condition. New Claw-Foot Tubs New claw-foot tubs have the same shape as their predecessors. New tubs are often made of acrylic or fiberglass. The benefit is that these materials are not as heavy as cast iron. However, these materials...
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Ceiling color! 14. Grout as a design feature. The grout between this bathroom wall’s subway tiles ties it to the gray and white palette of the marble floor.
7. Custom vanities. A long custom vanity spans the wall of this bathroom, making the space feel much bigger than it is. The fact that it sits atop feet gives it a furniture look that also lends a more spacious feel. Four drawers offer enough room for everyone in the family to store their toiletries, while the cabinets have room for towels and cleaning supplies.
6. Freestanding bathtubs. I know it seems like you need a large bathroom to incorporate a freestanding bathtub and a shower, but you can combine them. I have this setup myself with a vintage claw-foot tub. Rigging it up with a shower curtain ring around the top is not tough and really does prevent the water from splashing out. The one piece of safety advice I have is to remember that when you step out of a claw-foot tub, the floor is farther away than you think. Be careful not to stumble, and be sure to let any guests know before they use it.
5. Clever water control. You know that phrase, “Save water — shower together”? It usually means one person is left cold and shivering outside the showerhead’s stream. A range of options, including dual showerheads, lets you enjoy togetherness while still being efficient about getting clean. And speaking of efficiency, I love the control of a handheld shower. It means you can take what my family refers to as “a Navy shower” — you turn the water off or down to a trickle when sudsing up your head with shampoo, waiting for the conditioner to set in or shaving your legs so as not to waste water.
TIP: Clever water control. Say goodbye to basic shower and basin faucets, and hello to smart, user-friendly fixtures (such as thermostatic mixers; mixers that control multiple water sources, like the one used in this shower; and touchscreen-operated showers) that give users more control over the flow, mix and temperature of water, says Adelaide, Australia, interior designer Jordan Smith of Brilliant. “Double showers would be a good place to use this, as multiple people can use the shower at the same time, with individual settings for their own shower,” Smith suggests when explaining how she’d incorporate this trend into one of her designs. “One mixer can control both multiple showers or a combination shower-bath.”
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Dimmer switches. Because there are a thousand stops between on and off.
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ANN SACKS Save Email Ceramic Basics Savoy Tile 2 You can't go wrong with hex tile in white; it's a classic choice for the bath.
Farmhouse Style: The luxury of a claw-foot tub (facing the window). Although claw-foot tubs weren't readily available in America until the late 19th century, they have become a staple of farmhouse design. Originally made of cast iron and lined with porcelain, these hefty pieces generally hold more water than modern tubs. The sloped end allows users to recline, unlike the tub's European counterparts. Get this look: Fiberglass replicas of this original beauty can be purchased from just under $1,000 up to several thousand dollars. Not ready for the added expense? Try giving your bathroom a dose of farmhouse style with accessories. Hang hooks on walls to hold towels. Include a wooden chair for dressing or to use as a side table. Throw down a woven rug instead of a standard bath mat.
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TIP: Put the shower in its own enclosed space with its own ventilation system on the opposite side of the room. “After that we weren’t concerned about moisture at all,” he says.
Looks like Nicole Curtis bath
Medicine cabinets. Since we easily collect various toiletries, having a good place to store them is essential. While drawers in the cabinets and the space under the sink provide some storage, medicine cabinets place more accessible and well-lit storage areas at eye level. There are many ready-to-install medicine cabinets that range from 15 to 24 inches (38 to 61 centimeters) in width and 20 to 30 inches (51 to 76 centimeters) in height. You can either mount these on side walls adjacent to the sink or in the wall above the sink. You will want the top of the cabinet to stay under 80 inches (203 centimeters) but not below 48 inches (122 centimeters).
The choices for bathroom tile and other materials can be overwhelming, and homeowners often make a knee-jerk decision they quickly grow tired of. If you’re seeking a relaxing, elegant, long-lasting style, you can’t go wrong by sticking to traditional-style materials and finishes. This bathroom, one of the most popular uploaded to Houzz in 2012, illustrates why. The team at Chalet designed a 9-foot-long stained walnut vanity to look like a piece of furniture. It, along with the Calacatta marble countertop and flooring, round swivel mirrors, shaded sconces and light gray painted millwork, helps the room maintain its freshness.
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