pristine art deco bathroom - how to update?

Meant to tag this as "renovation". Whoops.

Can you email me a picture of the bathroom? i might be able to help

primerenovations@mac.com

From my experience it's pretty difficult to renovate around original tile and fixtures when adding a new element, like a shower stall. It's rarely a seamless transition. The additions make the original (however pristine the condition) look shabby. That's my experience.

In the long run, the origianl fixtures will serve you better than tricked out for now, out of favor later.

Heisenberg, I wanted to do something similar, but maybe a little more complicated - combine two adjacent standard sized bathrooms into one large master bath and preserve the pre-war detail that I loved (scarred floor, crackled tile etc.). I was told that it simply wasn't worth the pain and that I would spend more money for something that wouldn't look right - I would have to replace / add some tile that wouldn't match the original etc. It would be far better to execute the project with all new materials in the spirit of pre-war, so that's what I did. I ended up with something a little fancier (black and white marble mosaic floor, statuary marble tiles for the walls with a black marble cap around the ceiling, double-wide polished nickel washstand etc.) it has a pre-war look, but more luxurious, and I've really enjoyed it. I saved a couple of pieces of tile and some elements from the original bathroom and display them as objets in the towel cabinet as an homage...

buster, you got pics? Would love to see.

heisenberg, what do you think about modifying your other bathroom instead of mutilating this one? In your master, get rid of the bath tub and make a huge, super duper luxurious shower room.
I've never seen an "updated" retro bathroom looking silly at best and just plain bad. New "old" is never good.

correction: "I've never seen an "updated" retro bathroom looking silly " should be "I've never seen an "updated" retro bathroom looking GOOD" but always silly

Your husband's right.

Commoner, both bathrooms are art deco in perfect condition. So either one would be considered mutilated, I guess, if we were to redo it. But that super duper luxurious shower might be worth it.

I guess one question is how much value a perfectly intact original bathroom adds to a place. If we were ever to sell, would we lose value by changing the bath? Pretty sure we wouldn't gain, but the renovation would be an investment in comfort rather than $$$.

I don't think you'll gain or lose on re-sale, and quite honestly, I don't think it's the right approach. Some buyers go for new, some for original, some for Trump baroque. Also, you'll be living there, right? So amortization is in the cards no matter what. So just have that shower you so desire and enjoy the comforting thought that you did NOT mixed the pretend-old with old.

Definitely put the giant shower in the master bath if you have a choice -- that way potential new buyers with small kids will be able to bather the little ones in the second bath, and not have to go to the master.

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

heisenberg, also this: how many times in a lifetime can you really go wild renovating a bathroom? So do go wild. I did with my latest place and built the bathroom and the kitchen that have the visitors' knees wobble.

>I did with my latest place and built the bathroom and the kitchen that have the visitors' knees wobble.

Sounds like you have a gas leak. Call 911 and ConEd.

I like the advice! While I'm at it, maybe I'll get one of those awesome Japanese toilets. Really, life is too short not to have one.

Actually, I'd advise against the Japanese toilet. I've heard there's hell with plumbing and other issues, like pressure. I'd get that real ROUND retro toilet with flushometer (if you can get the flushometer they use in good hotels, they use the one without water restriction thingy.) Looks and works phenomenal.

I think to each his/her own, but if you haven't bought it, why not leave it as is? It's a perfect condition prewar. Why not look for a post war that you can make modern/fancy and not feel any guilt, OR find a prewar in bad shape that NEEDS a makeover. Might as well preserve the character for a buyer looking for just that in perfect shape. You haven't bought yet, right (based on your first post)?

"Trump baroque"

What a great name, you should trademark that. Very apropos.

Once you trash the original, it's gone forever and all you've got is the same big shower every new condo has.

What you can do, without wrecking the original tile, is put in one of those English shower setups. The hot and cold for the mixer would come out of the wall where your faucets are now.

As far as size goes, I think a big shower is a waste. Being able to step back all the way out of the spray seems as if it'd be chilly.

"As far as size goes, I think a big shower is a waste. Being able to step back all the way out of the spray seems as if it'd be chilly"

That's really funny. It's very nice to be able to wash your hair, soap up and scrub, without having water pouring pouring down at you.(and actually having a little bench in the the shower makes it easy to shave your legs). And guess what? The glass shower doors keep the heat in!!

ph41, that's exactly it. May seem like a pathetic fantasy, but a shower with a leg-shaving bench is something I daydream about. I might even nightdream about it.

Heisenberg- also nice having that long niche built into the wall for all the shower "stuff" - shampoos, conditioners,soaps, etc.

ph41, you did peek into my master, didn't you? I went a bit further and had the niche all around the walls, took the shower stall off, waterproofed the whole floor and made into a walk-in shower. Giddy with pleasure every single time.

commoner - THEN it could get cold

Hadn't so far. Quite the opposite.