Christine’s basement bedroom and bathroom — built from scratch to look like 1962 originals

Christine has been very busy. Not only did she update her kitchen — complete with vintage pink Lyon steel kitchen cabinets, she also added a bedroom and bathroom in the basement. Taking cues from the original 1962 bedrooms and bathroom upstairs, Christine’s goal was to make the rooms look like they had always been there. Her mission: Accomplished! 

Hi Pam,

 

Here are the photos from my basement remodel. We took about 500 sq.ft (of our 800 sq.ft.) unfinished concrete basement and created a bedroom and bathroom that we hope look as close to their 1962 upstairs counterparts as possible. 

Christine took cues for the new basement bathroom straight from her existing pink-sink bathroom upstairs.

Ten years ago when we remodeled our master bathroom, I tried to find a source for an authentic looking bathroom vanity, but didn’t have any luck.

The new basement bathroom vanity.

So, this summer when a cabinet maker told me he could recreate my original bathroom vanity and put in a hudee-ring sink, I was beyond excited. I think they did a stellar job.

• Pam says: You don’t know what hudee rings are? Well, we have all the history here. 

Kohler Tahoo with metal hudee ring

When designing the basement bathroom vanity, the cabinet maker, Dan Lester, insisted I go with the hudee ring sink so it could keep its 60s look and was willing to alter the vanity to fit it. The vanity had already been built to fit another sink, but he added onto to make the bigger sink and its ring fit.

 

When the plumber put in my new sink with a new hudee ring, he said he’d been in business for decades and taken many hudees out, but never put one in.

The new closet and built-in drawers and storage in the basement bedroom.

My general contractor, Sean MacNeela of Corrib Construction, usually works on big houses with big budgets that feature the highest end styles. But as my neighbor who also owns a 60s ranch, he knew a lot about the value of good bones, mid-century styles and how to find those same materials in today’s building market. Corrib Construction installed the vanity and built-in, in addition to designing and installing the closet. He really is an amazing craftsman. Couldn’t have done it without him.

 

He referred me to the cabinetmaker and designed the closet so it is identical to all the closets upstairs – all wood rods, same stain and shelves, no metal racks.

Most of my supplies were purchased from our local building materials shop, 52nd Ave. Hardware, where the brothers who own it shared tricks they’d recently used re-installing new interior clamshell trim in their father’s 50s ranch. These tips were invaluable since I stained all the window and baseboard trim in my basement myself. They were all happy to help me find just the right lights, wood, colors and materials needed to help me keep my kitchen in the mid-century where it belongs and fool the eyes into thinking the basement rooms were there all along.

 

Thank you for being an incredible inspiration and conduit for keeping this loving era alive and growing. 

Resources for Christine’s basement bathroom and bedroom remodel

Bathroom Resources: 

• Vanity: Custom crafted by L & Z Specialties
• Vanity Counter: Formica Paloma Polar, purchased through The Floor Store, installed by L & Z Specialities
• Edge: Stainless steel, purchased and installed by L & Z Specialities
• Sink and Faucet: Kohler Tahoe with metal frame, Delta Faucet Lahara, purchased through Home Depot and Consolidated Supply, installed by Sharpe Plumbing and L & Z Specialites
• Light Bar: Progressive, purchased at Home Depot, installed by Precision Electric
• Toilet: American Standard Cadet Pro, purchased at Consolidated Supply, installed by Sharpe Plumbing
• Floor: Azrock VCT Salt & Pepper and Pinch of Salt, purchased and installed through The Floor Store
• Shower: Daltile, Delta Lahara Shower head and handle, Kohler shower pan, purchased at Home Depot, Consolidated Supply, Ferguson; installed by Corrib Construction, Eamonn Doherty Construction, Sharpe Plumbing
• All Trim: Clamshell, Pocket Door, Zissner Amber Shellac on all, purchased at 52nd Ave. Hardware, installed by Corrib Construction

Bedroom Resources:

• Built-in: Custom crafted by L & Z Specialties
• Closet: Birch door slabs, interior rod, shelving, Zinnser Amber Shellac on all except doors. *Purchased at 52nd Ave Hardware, installed and designed by Corrib Construction
• Egress Window: Milgard * Purchased at 52nd Ave. Harware, installed by Eamonn Doherty Construction and Corrib Construction
• Floors: Click LVT Northern Lights * Purchased and installed through The Floor Store

Christine in her pink kitchen. She asked if she should wear a vintage dress for the photo, and of course I said YES!

Howdy hudee, nicely done, Christine! Thank you for sharing your photos and resources for your basement remodel — and for the kitchen remodel we featured earlier. But ack! She’s still not done:

I have a 450 sq. ft. family with fireplace, pool table and gorgeous wood paneling that needs freshening up, and we will be finishing the rest of our basement to match the existing Douglas Fir tongue and groove wood paneling, I hope.

Have fun, Christine!