Some of our house tour hosts have found a great way to simultaneously spice up their bathrooms, salvage resources, and save money....
Close-Up: A Cheap Way to Add Color to Your Bathroom
New York
Bill Harvey, of Green Meetup fame, scoured a large salvage yard to fill his home. The photo above reveals his children's bathroom, with 'his and her's' sinks. According to Bill, the total cost for furnishing 4 bathrooms in his incredible home was $600!
Raelene and Jose, of AT's House Tour Book fame, used vintage bathroom sources as well. In their meticulously curated modern home they not only brought in mid-century era pieces, but fixtures and floor tiles to match! Raelene wanted to streamline her bathrooms, and because she is persistent and patient, she was able to find matching sinks, toilets, and bathtubs!! Once the sets were purchased, it was just a matter of complementing them with tile, new mirrors and other modern accessories.
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clearly they were able to look outside the nyc area (and had a car). i fell in love with a lavender sink at demo depot but at the cheapest one there ($250) it was still more than the one i ended up getting.
also, what do people think about being green by salvaging fixtures/appliances that are not energy/water saving? which is better?
view lexoo's profile
While I try to recycle as much as possible and love the idea of salvaging old fixtures (I once saw someone salvage an old claw tub for $75 (!) on HGTV *is jealous*), I would not salvage an old toilet. Sorry Mother Earth, I just can't do it.
view Snowiye's profile
A friend of mine, who works in ecology area, told me, that according to some research, you save more even if you get old appliances, that don´t save energy/water. She said that to make a new washing machine, fridge etc., more water and energy is used than it is spent by using the old appliances. (Hope I´m clear in explanation.) Howewer, I would feel really bad to get some old washing machine, that needs much more water than a new one... We like to buy old furniture, we have a second hand dog :)... but bought a new washing machine, new fridge, stove. Maybe we didn´t try enough. Maybe it´s possible to get older appliances, that are still new enough to save enough energy and water. It´s a pity that where I live, the possibilities of getting anything "second hand" are very poor. It´s much better in the States from what can I see here.
view jjanul's profile
those sinks are NEAT! i want one!
view gypsy marie's profile
For a bathroom I don't see much, if any, environmental cost in buying vintage. There are tricks to keep an old toliet from using too much water, and as long as you buy a newer, efficient showerhead to go in the vintage tub, it's not an issue.
view lurker2209's profile
jjanul - things are easier in the states, if you live on the east coast or west coast. The rest of us suffer from pitiful craigslist offerings, very expensive "vintage" shops, and a lack of national stores (like Ikea). My mother in law (from NYC) asked me if I even knew what a Costco was.
view jakelegs's profile