Remodeling an old historical bathroom can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with a 100-year-old home built in a small town outside of Pasadena, California called Eagle Rock, which is just North of Los Angeles. When BEST Techs Contracting was asked to do this project, we did not hesitate on the chance to team up with the owner. With careful planning and attention to detail, you can transform an outdated space into a modern and functional bathroom that still retains its historic charm.
When designing a 100-year-old bathroom, it is important to consider the historical context of the home. This will help you choose materials and fixtures that are in keeping with the era of the neighborhood. For example, this was an old Spanish style home with a lot of character, and we worked with the owner to update this bathroom tastefully without over doing it. BEST Techs Contracting kept it simple and elegant, which helped the homeowner decide to choose a claw foot tub, a marble vanity sink with more storage area, and ornate electrical hardware.
The old cast iron pedestal sink was one of those sinks that had a separate hot faucet and a cold faucet, which is not too convenient for todays’ lifestyle, as seen in this picture. The original cast iron tub and pedestal sink were donated to Habitat For Humanity for recycling purposes.
One popular design choice for a historic bathroom in Pasadena is the use of hexagon floor tiles with a free-standing claw foot tub. These classic tiles were commonly used in early 20th century homes, and their unique shape and pattern can add a touch of vintage elegance to any bathroom when combined with a claw foot tub. The result is a stunning blend of old-world charm and modern functionality.
Even though the floor tile was purchased from Italy, and was custom designed and cut to fit the existing floor dimensions, BEST Techs Contracting still had to properly fit the new floor tile to match the old floor footprint from this historic bathroom. The floor tile was made for a square room, unlike this bathroom floor. We had to do some maneuvering of the tile to make it fit properly in the bathroom. BEST Techs Contracting was challenged with the floor tile, but made it work with patience and expertise.
To bring the bathroom into the 21st century, it was necessary to relocate the plumbing and electrical systems. If you are renovating a bathroom, it is important to have the plumbing inspected by a qualified plumber. If the plumbing is outdated, it will need to be replaced. This was the case with this bathroom, which was a complex process, but with the help of BEST Techs Contracting, a professional licensed contractor, it was done efficiently and safely.
As you can see from the original historic bathroom floor plan, the plumbing needed to be redesigned and relocated in order to make the bathroom more functional and flow with proper foot traffic for the owner. The pedestal sink is not in the way anymore, and the tub is next to the window for wildlife watching.
Unlike the original bathroom, which just had 12”x12” linoleum floor tile squares over the top of the original sheet linoleum flooring, as seen in this picture. Most of the linoleum tiles were lifting up and falling apart due to moisture issues from being in the bathroom.
Ventilation is also important in any bathroom, but it is especially important in a 100-year-old bathroom. This is because older homes often have less mechanical ventilation than newer homes. To improve the ventilation, you can install an exhaust vent fan and open a window if you have one, which will greatly reduce the moisture from bathing and showering.
BEST Techs Contracting installed a Panasonic Whisper Quiet bath exhaust fan rated at 80 CFM for this project. We love Panasonic products because they are super quiet. It is in their name! The owner also wanted to keep the original 100-year-old bath light fixture, that is on the ceiling to keep the old charm look, along with the original solid brass towel bars.
The owner also wanted the tub/shower area to still be surrounded with a shower curtain when there is not enough time for a bath, so as you can see, BEST Techs Contracting added an oval loop shower curtain system that really adds a lot of historical charm to this 100-year-old bathroom in Pasadena.
Just before the bathroom remodel was finished, one of the most colorful things happened. Look at the tile wall above the tub and see the beautiful rainbow display the original glass window created. With old school glass, it is not flat like new glass, so this cool rainbow pattern from the angle of the sun reflected on the tile wall. This is one of the BEST things about this bathroom, said our client. It could not have ended in a better way!
This home has been in BEST Techs Contracting client’s family for several generations and has gone through several major remodels in the past. The next big project, THE KITCHEN!
Stay Tuned . . .
