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!
(Edited to combine several emails) Christine writes:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
carolyn says
Doesn’t it make you wonder if some of these tradespeople are looking for a challenge instead of the same-old/same old to put their skills to the test. Or cringe when they see the house and the work order and wonder what the thought process THAT was?
Good job Christine, this looks like it’s been there since your house was built (or soon after when Mom & Pop decided the kids “needed” a rumpus room!
Lynn says
Carolyn, I think some of them do enjoy the challenge. I recently had a half wall with offset spindles built to separate my living room and kitchen eating area (Kate’s half wall with spindles in her entry was my inspiration) and he said he really enjoyed it. He said it wasn’t often he got to design and put up a wall. He’s mostly tearing them out. Then again, I was lucky that I found someone who appreciates older homes. His was built in the 1970s, so that’s always a good sign!
Melinda says
Another great project, Christine! I love the closet and built in cabinetry. Looks as though it’s always been there.
Adrienne K says
What company makes the baseboard and trim? What type of wood? Looking for similar for our 1950s renovation.
Lynn says
Sorry–I read it again and it looks like the sliding doors were new. WOW! I just compared my doors to your new ones. Identical. Amazing job!!
Lynn says
This looks wonderful!! You did a fantastic job!! Are the sliding closet doors new or from the ReStore? They look identical to my 1965 sliding closet doors. I love the wood grain and warmth of them. Thanks also for naming the type of trim you used. We need to replace some of our clamshell trim (now I know!) in the basement and I didn’t know what to call it when looking for it. I’m hoping local stores here carry this type of trim also.
Jim says
I really like the vanity, the built-in storage cabinets, and the closet. They look very authentic. It’s a style very much like what was used in my grandparents’ house that they built in 1956, and which I later copied for my recent bathroom remodel in my 1961 house.
Barbara says
Christine and family, also help keep the retro era alive by showing us new old designs. Thank goodness for the carpentry trade! I’ll be looking up a few myself next year. Starting with my kitchen.
Christine do you have a phone number for The Floor Place where you bought your Azrock?
Thanks, Pamela!
Barbara
p.s. Christine what a pleasure reading about your beautiful room.
pam kueber says
Barbara, the link for the floor store is in the kitchen story.
Hipkat says
We used subway tile running vertically for our kitchen backsplash, so I really liked seeing you use it that way in the shower. Beautiful job all around!
Elizabeth says
Oh, wow! Perfect job! And I love the dress!
cathie says
Agree! Christine looks great in that dress!. And I love her house as well, that wood is such a lovely colour and the work is very well done, a lot of skill there and it shows.
Stacy says
I just love stories like this! Beautiful job. It’s so nice to see new construction that is as classic and lovely as the original upstairs.