A Furnished Bath

This elegant bathroom has fixture panels fabricated from parts of a Victorian armoire.

- By Brian D. Coleman

When Rick and Mary Lou Ponder bought their 1886 house in St. Louis, a priority was the poorly remodeled master bath, which had purple paint and a green tile floor. They kept the clawfoot tub and, inspired by an 1888 plumbing catalog, decided to surround it with paneling. Then they found an antique toilet and marble sink. At Shellenberger Architectural Antiques in York, Penn., they bought a huge (9'7 tall x 10'2 wide), burled-walnut armoire. Disassembled, it would provide all the parts needed.

disassembly & refinishing