Like the rest of our Bauhaus-influenced, International Style house, the primary bath was spare with clean, elegant lines. But the tiles and tub were deeply stained and dirty. The wall-hung sink had stains and rust, and the original chrome faucets were dull with age. Or so I thought.
The refreshed medicine cabinet, new sink on legs, and Deco-style tube light sconces make for a subtle transformation.
I went to work on the room myself after receiving a $50,000 estimate to gut renovate the space. After deciding on a black-and-white Art Deco theme, I did a little Googling and found a tip for freshening chrome: rub it with aluminum foil. (The tip called for salt water, but it wasn’t necessary.) I wrapped some foil around my finger, wet it a bit, and rubbed a faucet handle gently. The chrome gleamed like new. I was embarrassed that I’d lived with dull, water-spotted fittings for 15 years. Now I was inspired to save what I had.
Before: The tub was stained and peeling after the failure of an earlier attempt at repair — using paint.
This story is from the January - February 2022 edition of Old House Journal.
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This story is from the January - February 2022 edition of Old House Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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FORMAL ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS
EARLY GARDEN TYPES AGAIN IN FASHION.
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A NEW KITCHEN WITH A PRESERVATION ETHIC
Before 1994, when she fell in love with and bought this house, Sarah Blank hadn't heard of Royal Barry Wills. Then she learned that the Cape, built in 1957, in New Canaan, Connecticut, was typical of the work of the famous Colonial Revival architect who was a prolific designer as well as America's best-selling architectural writer. A Massachusetts native who opened his Boston firm in 1925, Wills loved New England's small, historic houses and made a specialty of designing updated yet authentically proportioned versions of Capes, saltboxes, and garrison colonials. Hundreds of his houses stand, including the 1500-square-foot Cape that Blank proceeded to enlarge.
The House that APOTTERY BUILT
William Day Gates, founder of an important terra-cotta tile and pottery company, built his retirement home in 1927. Decades later, it would take a knowledgeable Arts & Crafts collector to save the abandoned house in Illinois. Chicago architect John Eifler helped guide the restoration: \"The house is a terra cotta and pottery catalog!\" he says.
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comeback FLOORS
Floors hand-cut or milled from old-growth woods can withstand decades of abuse. Over the arc of time, however, settling and subsidence, careless repairs, and damage from water or pets create challenges for even these hardy survivors.
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original period built-ins PERMANENT FURNITURE FOR EVERY ERA
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A DEFT REFURBISHMENT
With features missing or unsalvageable, the house needed a facelift-in keeping with the architecture.
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