JUICY 1920S BATHROOM REVIVAL

Serial restorers redesign their tired baths in period style, with colorful tile and Art Deco touches.

By Brian D. Coleman

I’ve written before about the restored houses of my friends Patricia Chidlaw and Robert Sponsel; they went from a 1912 bungalow to a 1925 Norman Revival cottage, both beautifully done to the period. I recently revisited the cottage to see the transformation of their bathrooms. This house was built by a Swedish-born carpenter. Its picturesque details include a steeply pitched roof and a prominent chimney, eight-light casement windows, and built-in window seats. The setting is absolutely enchanting as the house sits amidst live oaks above a meandering creek; the area was once a park owned by Mission Santa Barbara. Patricia and Robert nicknamed it Scottie Cottage after their beloved dogs. They’d held off fixing the two bathrooms—for almost 20 years. The rooms were functional but ugly. With unflattering lighting, the downstairs bath…

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Old House Journal (Digital) - 1 Issue, September/October 2024

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