Renovation Transformation: Bathroom revamp mixes timeless elements with mid-century chic
Everything about David Segaert’s renovated bathroom is new, yet the charm of his 1960s bungalow still fills the space.
Basketweave flooring, white subway tiled walls and a re-purposed vintage cabinet are reminiscent of mid-century modern design – what Segaert refers to as “the greatest design period in history.”
The house in Ottawa’s west end community near Iris Street is Segaert and his partner’s first home. It was built around 1960 by prolific builder Robert Campeau, according to renovator Philip Coe, owner of Revision Built.
When Segaert hired Coe to transform his bathroom he was adamant that its history and ambiance remain. “I wanted it to look period-specific but still modern,” Segaert explains.
It all started with the floor.
“The basketweave floor is something you see in a lot of 60s homes and I love it. Unfortunately, you used to be able to get it in every colour in the rainbow, but it only comes in black and white.”
From there the black and white colour scheme was chosen and wooden elements were added to “warm it up a little bit.” A circular dark brown wooden framed mirror hangs above the re-purposed vintage vanity made from a reddish-brown Danish cabinet from the 1960s.
“When you mix the vintage look with modern custom shower glass, upgraded faucets and accents in matte black, along with the wood vanity and door, you can get an undeniably classic look that will never date the bathroom,” says Coe.
It’s a sharp contrast to the previous space.
“The bathroom was depressing. Everything about it was bad. It had an old bathtub with a sliding mirror door. It was cramped, the vanity was tight… there literally wasn’t one redeeming feature of this bathroom,” says Segaert.
Not only was the bathroom outdated but also dangerous, explained Coe. Do-it-yourself electrical wiring was hazardous, switches were located within reach of the bath/shower, there was a non-compliant light fixture in the bathtub area, improper ventilation and more.
The homeowners moved into the bungalow in March and began renovations by mid-April. The bathroom had to be completely gutted, except for one wall and ceiling, and then rebuilt. It took about three weeks to complete.
Segaert said his partner was hesitant to spend thousands on a renovation at first, but the pair decided to move forward knowing one day they would sell the house as part of their retirement plan.
“It’s our first home. We’re not rich. Our plan is not to just upgrade houses every time we get a bit more money. We plan to live here for a long time so we decided that this bathroom is really the bathroom of our lives for 30, 40 years or so,” he says.
“Phil really worked with us to give us any advantage possible to help save money and that’s how we kept it within our budget.”
The owners saved money by taking on some of the work themselves, including demolition, cleanup and painting, explains Coe. In addition, the couple also re-finished the cabinet and door and supplied the sink.
Coe said a renovation like this would typically cost between $30,000 and $35,000 but they were able to bring the cost under $25,000.
“Everything went off without a hitch,” says Segaert. “We are just ecstatic.”
