The “Egg Yolk Yellow Tub & Brown Carpeted Bathroom” Makeover
Makeover by: David (check out David’s kitchen makeover, too)
Location: Glendale, CA
We purchased our mid-century ranch house in 2012. We were only the 3rd owners. The first owners commissioned Architect Robert L Earl to build the house, and it was complete in 1962. They lived in it for ten years, the second owners for 40 years. Other than some decor changes was pretty much in original condition.
The second bath came to us with an egg yolk yellow bathtub, and brown carpeting, yuck! I looked at photos of period mid-century bathrooms, as well as updated mid-century ones trying to find a balance of now and then.
I ended up choosing a $13.00 per sf Terrazzo style floor tile with bits of aqua glass and mirror pieces to add a touch of glamour. On the tub and sink wall we chose a textured porcelain tile that looks a bit like stacked stone. I borrowed this idea from a multi-million dollar home in the Trousdale community in Beverly Hills, which was made famous by the film Valley of the Dolls. At $3.99 a square foot it added a period feel and at a reasonable cost.
The custom walnut vanity by a local woodworker was a splurge at $1,600. It serves as the focal point of the room so I thought why not. The bathtub was on sale at a big-box store for $400 and fit perfectly into the existing niche so we saved a chunk of money not having to move the plumbing.
The Altman’s faucets were purchased at a local plumbing supply for 40% off retail. And since we were remodeling the kitchen at the same time our stone counter fabricator gave us the material for the bathroom counter and only charged us for fabrication and installation. Tip: Always ask your stone fabricators if they have any materials left over from past jobs. They usually do and will give you an excellent price.
The illuminated mirror I saw at a kitchen and bath design showroom for over a $1,000. Found a similar mirror on an overstock website for about $250.
The bath and whole home has been an exercise in High/Low design, as well as creating modern functional spaces with a nod to the past of the house.
Check out David’s kitchen makeover too: The “What the Architect May Have Done Today” Kitchen Makeover
Thanks, David!
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