A wise person once said,
“The key to a happy marriage is separate bathrooms.”
Add every conceivable luxury and convenience to the equation, and you’ve got the makings of a very joyful union.
Historic homes are undoubtedly appealing. They offer abundant charm, and tell their own special stories with every squeaky floorboard and slanted door. But even the most devoted lover of historic preservation can agree that there are certain rooms in our homes where we most appreciate all the advances that modern technology has brought to our lives. Namely, the bathroom.
For this project, the homeowners wanted to update two bathrooms in their early 1800s colonial home with the very latest in modern conveniences and technologies. The stunning result did not come about without careful consideration to the unique challenges of renovating an older home.
Project Planner Brian Taber knew that to attain the modern look desired by his clients for each of their respective “His” and Hers” bathrooms, much work would need to be done “behind the scenes”. The beautiful large format tiles in the “His” bathroom required perfectly straight walls, which few older homes have. The skilled crew of Schrader craftsmen carefully shimmed the walls to achieve the required correct angles. The same needed to be done in the “Her” bathroom to allow for the new tub and tile. Underneath the layers of horsehair plaster, wood lath, and brick behind the walls, everything needed to be replumbed and reframed.
From that new squared straight foundation, the coolest of modern conveniences could be added. Hot water radiant heat was installed under the tile flooring of both bathrooms, and a round dome Sun Tunnel skylight was added, which allows for natural light while taking up less space than a typical skylight. The “His” bathroom features a hinged tempered glass panel that can alter the size of the shower or toilet space as needed. The curbless shower floor has a linear drain. And both bathrooms feature safety and convenience features like benches and grab bars, which will help the homeowners age in place.
Looking back on the project, Brian says he’s most pleased with the way Schrader and Company was able to meet the client’s’ vision for their space. “We worked closely with the owners to tailor both bathrooms to their specific needs and wants. The collaborative result is clean, modern, sophisticated, and luxurious.”
The bathroom is a room for comfort, even in the quaintest of older homes. This renovation shows what’s possible when history and technology come together in one cohesive design.
