Gareth Hughes
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JoceAndChris said:
If the mice are running round in your pyjamas, it's time to call in Rentokill
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Do I choose a traditional or contemporary bathroom?
- Thread starter JoceAndChris
- Start date
If the mice are running round in your pyjamas, it's time to call in Rentokill
Jon Maine
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Mickey mouse pyjamas?
All day in pj's on a tuesday you must be rich, a manic depressive or doing a photo shoot 8)
All day in pj's on a tuesday you must be rich, a manic depressive or doing a photo shoot 8)
biffvernon
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How come you lot are all so rich? I spent £20 on some tiles for my bathroom a few years ago.
Penners
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Ah, but that was back when £20 was £20. You could have a night out at the flicks, a portion of fish-and-chips, 20 Woodbines, and still have change from half-a-crown for the bus ride home.biffvernon said:I spent £20 on some tiles for my bathroom a few years ago.
Or are your tiles a little more modern?
skier-hughes
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£20 pah, should have seen the prices on the 3 valleys slopes, 20 euros didn't buy us a bowl of chips, plate of pasta and two cokes!!!
JoceAndChris
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biffvernon said:How come you lot are all so rich?
I'm not rich just thick. I'm afraid it was me who caused the credit crunch by maxing out on my credit cards in Marc Jacobs and getting a 100 year mortgage that I could never pay back. Sorry. Suffering now. Husband locks me in the house so I don't cause any more mischief.
Jon Maine
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rogerh said:My basin and WC came from a skip across the road and the roll-top bath was £50 on eBay (with free delivery).
Amazing whats thrown out in Bath.
Always had a bit of a problem with poor enamel on old baths, pet hate of mine if its lost its surface and I have not seen an in situ refinishing which looks durable either.
Nigel Watts
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I'm a bit late joining this thread but here is my twopenny worth.
In adding any new function to an old property the default position should be to use good design that is of the present, whether it be light switches, kitchens or bathrooms, but take into account the nature of the house you are fitting it into. A sophisticated townhouse and a pictureque cottage would probaly suggest different solutions in terms of modern design.
My experience of following this practice has hit some problems however. About seven years ago we had our tiny second floor bathroom done in a very modern and quite minimal style. It looked great for a couple of years then started to come apart, partly becasue of the flexing of the building and partly becasue the architect designed it without practicality in mind. Modern minimal is hard to get right. Shoddy work stands out like a sore thumb and it does not age gracefully. Refurbishing will be tricky and may require a pretty substantial redesign.
We still have our main 1st floor bathroom to do, but this is my wife's domain and, being a shower person rather than a bath person (I am very much the latter), I am not really getting much say about what it will contain but I think I have disuaded her of the wet room idea. What I hope we may achieve eventually is a look which preserves the integrity of the original room (the most elaborate fireplace in the house is in that room - I suspect it was relocated from the floor below at some point in the past) with the new fittings housed in such as way that they almost look like a piece of modern sculpture placed inside an old room.
Our kitchen is modern and I dont regret that decision. We deliberately went for fairly cheap units on the basis that, where we live, kitchens will get ripped out and rebuilt at least every ten years or so not becasue they have worn out but beacuse they have gone out of fashion. There is therfore no point in installing something that will last 100 years. One can still make it look quite good with imaginative use of colour and finishing touches.
In adding any new function to an old property the default position should be to use good design that is of the present, whether it be light switches, kitchens or bathrooms, but take into account the nature of the house you are fitting it into. A sophisticated townhouse and a pictureque cottage would probaly suggest different solutions in terms of modern design.
My experience of following this practice has hit some problems however. About seven years ago we had our tiny second floor bathroom done in a very modern and quite minimal style. It looked great for a couple of years then started to come apart, partly becasue of the flexing of the building and partly becasue the architect designed it without practicality in mind. Modern minimal is hard to get right. Shoddy work stands out like a sore thumb and it does not age gracefully. Refurbishing will be tricky and may require a pretty substantial redesign.
We still have our main 1st floor bathroom to do, but this is my wife's domain and, being a shower person rather than a bath person (I am very much the latter), I am not really getting much say about what it will contain but I think I have disuaded her of the wet room idea. What I hope we may achieve eventually is a look which preserves the integrity of the original room (the most elaborate fireplace in the house is in that room - I suspect it was relocated from the floor below at some point in the past) with the new fittings housed in such as way that they almost look like a piece of modern sculpture placed inside an old room.
Our kitchen is modern and I dont regret that decision. We deliberately went for fairly cheap units on the basis that, where we live, kitchens will get ripped out and rebuilt at least every ten years or so not becasue they have worn out but beacuse they have gone out of fashion. There is therfore no point in installing something that will last 100 years. One can still make it look quite good with imaginative use of colour and finishing touches.
The only way I could have solved the 'modern shower in an old house' problem would have been one of those freestanding totally enclosed shower units. But the ones we could afford were horrid and the ones we liked cost an arm and a leg.
So we've been making do with a couple of bog-standard showers and (touch wood) nothing's leaked yet.
So we've been making do with a couple of bog-standard showers and (touch wood) nothing's leaked yet.
Ixia
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I've got a pink toilet and a green bath sat out in the yard if anyone wants them?! The dark brown toilet has already been snapped up so you've missed out on that one.
We've just gone for simple and modern, our house was two flats, so we had an upstairs kitchen which converted easily into an en-suite. Not sure if I'm keen on en-suites, I don't really want to be led in bed 2m away from OH's bodily functions and aftermath. :shock:
I
We've just gone for simple and modern, our house was two flats, so we had an upstairs kitchen which converted easily into an en-suite. Not sure if I'm keen on en-suites, I don't really want to be led in bed 2m away from OH's bodily functions and aftermath. :shock:
I
Lime
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I have always had a hankering for devices such as the General Gordon bath.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/features/nostalgia/2087398.Awash_with_technology/
It struck me as a good idea when young particularly as I used to smoke in the bath too.
.....Always a light available.
My older bathroom experiences (40s-60s) were nearly always diverted from purpose by the plumbing and the physical limitation set by heavy steel piping to ever fit a space properly.
You could nearly always see a plumber's good purpose (but sometimes completely wrong) hidden amongst the mismatch and the awkward.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/features/nostalgia/2087398.Awash_with_technology/
It struck me as a good idea when young particularly as I used to smoke in the bath too.
.....Always a light available.
My older bathroom experiences (40s-60s) were nearly always diverted from purpose by the plumbing and the physical limitation set by heavy steel piping to ever fit a space properly.
You could nearly always see a plumber's good purpose (but sometimes completely wrong) hidden amongst the mismatch and the awkward.
Nigel
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Another late joiner to this thread.........................
We have adopted three approaches within our house.
1) The "maids'" bathroom - this is down a corridor beyond the kitchen and was fiited originally in 1915 by converting a lean to outhouse. Alas the Edwardian suite had gone and we inherited a stunning 1970's chocolate brown plastic bath. As this is a utilitarian bathroom we went low key and put in a plain B&Q suite with a steel bath. Painted in period colours (wall/floor) it looks fine and appropriate for a maids' bathroom. If a future owner doesn't like it they can change it - although we are Grade A listed (Georgian c.1775) as it is in an out house it is not a CO focus.
2) En suite - this is in a converted cupboard off our bedroom. As it is in a cupboard and effectively permanently out of sight we tiled the whole thing and stuck in a modern electric shower/suite etc. Not sympathetic at all, but out of sight.
3) Main bathroom - alas we inherited an ugly 1950's suite - again the Edwardian 1915 suite had been removed. Given this is a high profile room we decided to invest the money saved on the maids. Our approach was in the context of our seeing ourselves as custodians of the house - that is, we should put something of real quality that, in our view, future custodians would seek to keep. Also, in the absence of a Georgian bathroom to replicate, we decided to put in what would have been an early bathroom. After much web browsing we went for - and apologies to those on this thread that disparage it - the Thomas Crapper solution. This was on the basis that that the cast iron bath is timeless and of great quality (and 24 stone!) and solid brass fittings (unlacquered) were in keeping. In the context of a Georgian house in theory this approach can not slip out of fashion - unlike the previous owner's 1950's and 1970's choices.
We did explore the reclamation approach but the stuff was too tatty and my brother ended up ripping out all of his as washers dripped and sinks cracked etc. Also we had to replace a nice old w/c in the cloakroom as the s bend cracked - so why buy old again for it to happen tomorrow again.
Just another view for consideration - an acid test for us is "are you doing something that the next owner will wish to retain" - as a custodian it is a good test, albeit always subject to future fashion.
We have adopted three approaches within our house.
1) The "maids'" bathroom - this is down a corridor beyond the kitchen and was fiited originally in 1915 by converting a lean to outhouse. Alas the Edwardian suite had gone and we inherited a stunning 1970's chocolate brown plastic bath. As this is a utilitarian bathroom we went low key and put in a plain B&Q suite with a steel bath. Painted in period colours (wall/floor) it looks fine and appropriate for a maids' bathroom. If a future owner doesn't like it they can change it - although we are Grade A listed (Georgian c.1775) as it is in an out house it is not a CO focus.
2) En suite - this is in a converted cupboard off our bedroom. As it is in a cupboard and effectively permanently out of sight we tiled the whole thing and stuck in a modern electric shower/suite etc. Not sympathetic at all, but out of sight.
3) Main bathroom - alas we inherited an ugly 1950's suite - again the Edwardian 1915 suite had been removed. Given this is a high profile room we decided to invest the money saved on the maids. Our approach was in the context of our seeing ourselves as custodians of the house - that is, we should put something of real quality that, in our view, future custodians would seek to keep. Also, in the absence of a Georgian bathroom to replicate, we decided to put in what would have been an early bathroom. After much web browsing we went for - and apologies to those on this thread that disparage it - the Thomas Crapper solution. This was on the basis that that the cast iron bath is timeless and of great quality (and 24 stone!) and solid brass fittings (unlacquered) were in keeping. In the context of a Georgian house in theory this approach can not slip out of fashion - unlike the previous owner's 1950's and 1970's choices.
We did explore the reclamation approach but the stuff was too tatty and my brother ended up ripping out all of his as washers dripped and sinks cracked etc. Also we had to replace a nice old w/c in the cloakroom as the s bend cracked - so why buy old again for it to happen tomorrow again.
Just another view for consideration - an acid test for us is "are you doing something that the next owner will wish to retain" - as a custodian it is a good test, albeit always subject to future fashion.
JoceAndChris
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I love this thread and really appreciate your interesting and experienced thoughts, although they do, unsurprisingly, show a wide variance of taste and opinion! I think the Thomas Crapper bathroom sounds great in the context of your house, and I would have jumped up and down with excitement had I been a prospective buyer.
Lime, I love the sound of that General Gordon bath too. Where can I find one, or how build? The thing is, that whilst I appreciate all the sound advice to fit in our modern contraptions "honestly" (unpretentiously, I suppose that means) at the same time modern design often appalls and repels me. I find it very very hard to live with things like plastic loo brushes chrome toilet roll holders plasticcy fold-out shower screen doors roads supermarkets modern life.
Why oh why oh why was I born in 1973, not 1773. Ok, it's had its perks, but...
To get back to the point I am now thinking of doing very little to our exisiting bathroom until the time comes when I can convert the lean- to to a proper bathroom with a General Gordon bath, candles and a pretty maid in a period costume. She can also stand in for me on those tired out nights...
Lime, I love the sound of that General Gordon bath too. Where can I find one, or how build? The thing is, that whilst I appreciate all the sound advice to fit in our modern contraptions "honestly" (unpretentiously, I suppose that means) at the same time modern design often appalls and repels me. I find it very very hard to live with things like plastic loo brushes chrome toilet roll holders plasticcy fold-out shower screen doors roads supermarkets modern life.
Why oh why oh why was I born in 1973, not 1773. Ok, it's had its perks, but...
To get back to the point I am now thinking of doing very little to our exisiting bathroom until the time comes when I can convert the lean- to to a proper bathroom with a General Gordon bath, candles and a pretty maid in a period costume. She can also stand in for me on those tired out nights...
Penners
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If you'd been born in 1773, I don't think you'd have had too many worries about the design of the your bathroom.JoceAndChris said:Why oh why oh why was I born in 1973, not 1773.
A quick dip in a fetid river every 29th February.... :wink:
Jon Maine
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Oh Penners you are such a fetidisht.......... :lol:
DaveBrigg
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Biff has the Lincolnshire equivalent of the General Gordon bath in his garden.
http://www.biffvernon.freeserve.co.uk/the_yurt.htm
http://www.biffvernon.freeserve.co.uk/the_yurt.htm
Penners
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Ah, yes. Biff's famous yurt.
Personally, I prefer Activia.
Personally, I prefer Activia.