BATHROOMS ON THE REBOUND
Giving life back to the mid-century modern bath
-- remodeled projects, new products and tips
From the pages of CA-Modern magazine
By Tanja Kern
At 50 years of age, our bodies just don't seem to work as well as they used to. The skin isn't as fresh and dewy, that bum knee keeps us from running like a kid, and our clothes fit tighter than before.
The same goes for the mid-century bath. After a half-century of use, parts are old and worn. For growing families and beauty product addicts alike, square footage and storage space are tight. Plumbing fails and the original fixtures break down.
While we might not all have the luxury or the inclination to go in for a minor tune-up at the plastic surgeon, your bathroom can --and likely should at some point. Although many homeowners are struck by the shabby looks of older bathrooms, it's the structural elements of the bath that need to be upgraded the most.
Remodels of mid-century baths can be simple or glossy, elegant or hip. What they should always be is smartly designed in a way that dovetails well with the original plan. Imagine how wonderful it would feel to enter a space and feel good about what you see reflected in the mirror.
Most mid-century modern homeowners want to enlarge an existing bathroom with a bedroom as part of the remodel. These homes tend to have very small bathrooms that incorporate what is (or once was) minimally needed. By today's standards, they are quite tight in the clearances around bathroom fixtures, and there's not a lot of built-in storage space to speak of.
Perhaps the best-designed original bathroom in an Eichler home is the one in the X-100, the experimental custom steel house Eichler Homes built in the San Mateo Highlands in the 1950s.
The X-100's bathing area is a sunken shower sandwiched between water closet rooms on either side. The bathing room can only be accessed through sliding-glass doors located in each water closet room. The two water closet rooms each have a toilet and sink, allowing the bathrooms a sense of privacy for the bedrooms nearest them. Positioned in the center of the home and off the main hallway, they also function as public restrooms.
Obviously, not all homes have the luxury of the X-100's smart design, so remodeling is oftentimes necessary to bring functionality, beauty, and storage to a bathroom space.
The difficulty in remodeling most mid-century bathrooms lies in the plumbing, particularly for the Eichlers, according to designer Lourdes Garcia of Garcia DeCredico Studio, an Eichler-savvy architectural firm based in the East Bay.
"Since Eichlers have hydronic heating running inside their concrete floors, and domestic water lines and electrical conduit under the slab, moving a plumbing wall becomes quite difficult," says Garcia. "This maneuver will most likely encompass tearing up the concrete floor to extend the plumbing to a new location. We try to minimize this impact as much as possible."
Sometimes, a complete gut and remodel of the bathroom is necessary to fix the problems in a space. "These houses are typically 45 years old and older, which is just about the infrastructural life of the building," says Ron Key, owner of Keycon, Inc. a general contracting firm specializing in Eichler renewal on the San Francisco peninsula.
For a typical bath remodel project, Keycon's crew first tests all of the radiant heat, domestic water, and sewer lines. Then everything in the existing space -- including vanities, wall and floor finishes, and fixtures -- is removed to gain access to the room's shell. Any water, mold, dry rot, or termite damage is cleared away. Removing concrete from the slab floor is necessary to change the in-slab p-trap (the p-shaped section of drain pipe that prevents sewer and wastewater odors from escaping into you home) and to relocate the plumbing.
After demolition, the crew begins replacing elements from the ground up. If the p-trap in the shower is above the slab, Key's crew replaces it below the slab. New plumbing and shut-off valves are then installed. "This is especially important because of the age of everything involved here," says Key.
As in any mid-century home remodel, electrical is always a concern. Lights, fans, small appliances, and air conditioning require a lot of energy, and the original electrical service often can't keep up with today's appliance demands. Additional amperage will allow the homeowner to run more of today's electronic devices without fear of blowing a circuit.
If the home hasn't already been upgraded to 200-amp service, it's probably time to do so. Depending on the layout of the house and the area being upgraded, this phase could cost $2,500 or more. Rewiring the entire house will cost much more.
Moisture can be a bathroom's biggest enemy; so new bathroom fans and venting are a must for getting hot, moist air out of the room. Without this step, paint will peel, doors will warp, and molds may develop.
Consider installing a fan on a timer instead of a standard switch. This move allows a homeowner to set the fan's desired running time (for 30 minutes or more) after exiting the bathroom in the morning. It'll also helps save energy on days the family forgets to turn off the fan.
In his bath remodel, San Jose Eichler owner Chris Connors faced many of the common troublemakers: cracked tiles, moisture issues, and a cramped shower enclosure. He also wanted to save some of his bathrooms' original design integrity. "I think there's a distinction to be made between being true to a design and honestly respecting its intent," Connors says.
His sympathetic restoration preserved the original windowed shower stall, a mosaic tile shower pan, and the bath's original wood paneling. The plan called for removing broken and badly faded original wall tiles, increasing the height of the wet zone in the shower, modernizing ventilation, and installing new fixtures and doors.
Connors chose a single expanse of mosaic glass tile in an ocean-inspired blue. He also cast a new threshold in concrete, which allowed him to extend the shower door approximately six inches.
As a cost savings, Connors and his wife Amy did most of the work themselves, including demolition, hanging concrete backer board, framing a mold for the new concrete threshold, installing tile, and hanging the new shower door. They only called a professional to install the pipes and shower fixtures.
"I wanted our remodel to have an honesty -- respecting the goals of the original in terms of simplicity, while adding interest through the tasteful intersection of materials," Connors adds.
So how much should an owner of a mid-century home spend on a bath renewal? The Cost Versus Value Report by 'Remodeling' magazine, completed in August 2007, showed that homeowners on the West Coast usually recoup 96 percent of the cost of their bath remodel at resale.
For those on a budget, it is best to consider the other homes in the area and the asking price of your home before deciding how much to dedicate to a bath project.
"You can find someone to put makeup on your bath, but it won't fix the problems -- it'll just cover them up," Ron Key says. It's actually an art matching budget expectations with design. "In so many cases, homeowners have a design criteria in mind, and their budget level is not at the same level," Key points out. "You have to bring reality to the project, and either bring the budget up or the expectations down. Usually, it's a bit of both."
A high-end gut and remodel can take about five weeks and cost anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000, depending the level and luxury of products one chooses for the new bath, according to Key. "Homeowners really are in the driver's seat on cost, but we live in a pretty sophisticated area," he says. "You can buy a medicine cabinet for $200, but a homeowner will sometimes spend $2,000 or $3,000 on that cabinet with built-in electrical that will re-charge an electric toothbrush or razor."
A standard vanity might cost $500, while designer ones can cost $2,000 to $3,500. Of course, radiant heat, plumbing hardware, fixtures, tile, flooring, and countertop surfaces all add to the cost of the project. Building permits and inspections can also be pricey. Key adds that a permit in Sunnyvale may cost $400 to $500, but in San Mateo that same permit will run $2,000 to $3,000 due to different city management practices.
James Fanning of USA Builders, a general contractor with a focus on both small as well as large Eichler projects on the Peninsula, is sympathetic to homeowners who have less money to spend for remodeling. Fanning indicates he's completed cosmetic bath remodels for $8,000 to $9,000.
"A lot of these homes are worth a lot of money, but their homeowners still do work on a budget," Fanning says. "Ninety percent of the people we talk to are interested in saving money and having a nice finished product that's functional but not over the top."
To keep costs under control, Fanning suggests keeping plumbing lines where they're at. Prices increase dramatically when homeowners want a big jetted or sunken tub, or if they want to reconfigure the plumbing lines, because it usually means breaking into the concrete slab.
If the bathroom has original copper plumbing that doesn't leak, it often doesn't need to be replaced. Galvanized steel pipes are known to rust, requiring copper replacement. A homeowner can sometimes save on costs by keeping a few of the original pieces, such as the shower valve or tub. "If it's a good valve, I say leave it in," Fanning adds.
Fitting today's stuff-laden lifestyles into a mid-century bath can be a challenge. "Eichler baths are all roughly five by eight (feet), and it's really hard to find space," says designer Sue Olson of Sue R. Olson Designs, a design and cabinetry dealer based in Menlo Park.
If you're desperate to have a larger spa-like bath, seek opportunities for expansion within areas surrounding the bathroom. One way to do this is by re-configuring the closets near the bathroom to 'create' more room for the space. In some homes, there are closets around the bathroom that aren't very efficient in their configuration.
To make the most of storage space, many space planners also look at stud cavities. "Try to consolidate storage as much as possible to one area or wall," says designer Lourdes Garcia. "The bathroom is perceived to be larger just by cleaning up the elements within the space." Overhead storage areas around the perimeter also help, and they take up less room from the floor space.
Sometimes, finding space is more about tricking the eye than adding square footage. A bath can appear larger by eliminating miscellaneous center walls and adding seamless glass walls around the shower. Large windows and skylights also help to enlarge a space visually.
San Mateo Highlands Eichler owners Barry and Rosemary Brisco did just that. For their master bath project, which was part of a full-house remodel with general contractor Calvert Ventures, they removed the wall between the sink area and the toilet/shower area. A window was put into the wall behind the sink, and the wall on the exterior side of the shower area was replaced with an aluminum-framed glass door. Custom bamboo cabinets helped to maximize space in the adjacent walk-in closet.
As a special addition, the couple added an outdoor shower just beyond the bath. "We use it almost every day no matter what the weather," says Barry. "It's just a delightful experience to shower outdoors."
An innovative sink design also helped the Briscos to capture more visual space. Instead of a traditional vanity, the couple chose a sink formed from a single piece of glass that is suspended from the wall. To make up for the lack of under-sink storage, they added additional drawers immediately to the left in the closet.
"I used to think the bathroom space was so small before the remodel, but now I never get the sense I'm cramped -- even when Barry's in there with me," Rosemary says. "I think the sink has made a big difference in giving a sense of more space because it's empty underneath it."
If you're lucky enough to have the budget, and your local building authority will allow it, a home addition on the ground level might be a smart direction for achieving more square footage. In some cases, it's actually more cost effective than remodeling the existing bathroom, says designer Sue Olson.
Olson facilitated an addition for one Palo Alto family who wanted to include a steam shower and a walk-in closet in the master bath. The addition allowed the family to do both. "The additional space also allowed us to put in a row of cabinets, so now there's plenty of storage," she says.
Once the logistics and budget are determined, choosing fixtures and surfaces is the next task. Although a less expensive remodel is possible by incorporating fiberglass fixtures or veneered particleboard vanities, keep in mind you get what you pay for. Experienced contractors recommend either plywood or solid wood cabinetry that will resist water and daily wear and tear.
Toilets can range in price from $100 to $1,500, but a decent mid-range product will do the job and last a long time. Even if you're on a tight budget, plan to spend up for some of the bath's key workhorses: quality shower doors that won't rust, well-made faucets, and hardware.
Danny and Alison Benaderet, Cliff May Rancho owners in Long Beach, learned the hard way that low-budget products often lead to less-than-perfect results. The couple remodeled their master bath twice after inexpensive products failed in their first remodel.
"The bathroom was in bad condition -- leaking pipes, peeling floor, and exposed wires," Danny explained. "We re-did the master bath after realizing that we completely messed up the first time, when we started running out of money and needed to complete the project with poor materials and design."
Most designers will say spend what you can afford and go after style that you can live with for a while. "When Eichlers were built, they didn't go to any great length to be extravagant in the design. That's why I always figure it's best to upgrade," James Fanning says. "Some people want to retain the original look, but I like custom bathrooms with newer fixtures, stainless steel accents, tile, and Corian or stone counters."
Lourdes Garcia points out that many mid-century homeowners are interested in using sustainable materials and products wherever possible for their remodels. There are plenty of new 'green' products available in tile, flooring, and plumbing fixtures, such as water-conserving toilets.
Earth tones are always a safe choice for surfaces, and good quality porcelain tile and stone are smart upgrades. Not only do they last a long time and are low-maintenance choices, they also recoup money at resale.
Sue Olson also reminds homeowners that countertops don't have to be made of stone. "I've used a strong polyurethane coating on wood counters in the bath, and they last for years," she says.
To add retro flair to a bath design, glass tiles are also a great way to introduce color to backsplashes and shower surrounds. Kaaren Sipes and her family added color to their bath through a custom mosaic shower installation. With the help of mosaictilearts.com, the family designed a pattern made of one-by-one-inch square glass tiles.
"It's fun, and it's something interesting to look at every morning," Kaaren says. "We had a dog who died right before we moved into the house, and she liked to sleep on the shower floor. So we put a mosaic pattern of her on the bottom of our shower, so she's always with us."
Lastly, ask the contractor or architect you hire to recommend good local sources for products. Their relationships will oftentimes bring a better price. Overall, a little bit of ingenuity and a lot of creativity can get you a safe, functional, and stylish bath that's well worth the effort.
"Having the new bath really dramatically changed our day-to-day perception," admits Chris Connors. "The old shower was a little, well, dated and sketchy. In the old bath, I would get in and out of there as quickly as possible. Now, with the new one, I look forward to showering in the mornings."
Photos: David Toerge, Ernie Braun, Adriene Biondo, Julie Olson; and courtesy Chris Connors, Klopf Architecture, Sue R. Olson Designs
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