HI all,
I am contemplating redoing a bathroom at home and am trying to do something industrial. I hope to do a concrete countertop supported by steel pipes and wide plank pine flooring. My problem is what to do about a tub or shower. Currently there is a small walk in shower, I would like a tub/shower combo. What options are there that would give me this look? I saw a picture in a magazine where someone used a farm tank and kinda liked the look but do not know what issues this would present. I thought about an old clawfoot but they are hard to find and very expensive. Any ideas from you guys would be very much appreciated.
thanks,
Bob
Replies
The hallmark of Industrial modernism is the use of common industrial materials in uncommon and creative ways; A corrugated metal tub surround for example. One option is to pour a concrete tub if you have the floor to support it. Don't forget to factor in the weight of the water when the tub is full. This is a tough retrofit- supporting that much weight is usually not easy or inexpensive if it wasn't planned for in the initial construction.
The stock tank is not necessarily a bad idea but what are your plans for the sink and toilet? It is not essential but I would say it is at least advisable to keep the tub and toilet in similar style. They make metal toilets but I wouldn't want to sit on one first thing in the morning. :-)>
Undermount stainless is almost a given for the sink in today's popular concrete counter designs and for good reason; it looks great! A one piece concrete sink and counter will work well too. However, if you do the stock tank tub, I would suggest tying it together with the rest of the room by doing something similar with your sink. Maybe a small metal wash tub sitting on top of your concrete counter with a drain plumbed in from underneath.
Personal pref.- Gray's and darker earthtones fit well with this style. Notice I did not say black. I'm personally not a fan of black porcelain for fixtures as large as tubs and toilets. IMHO black is a color best used like steak sauce rather than steak but there are a lot of color options in standard tubs/toilets that will add to the tone of Ind. Mod. you're after. Using standard fixtures in gray or darker earthtones will allow you to match the tub and toilet for a sense of cohesion while playing to the Ind. Mod. style. Do something "industrial" with the shower doors (warehouse style, sliding, corrugated metal doors, turnbuckled cables crossing frosted glass... etc.) and it will be very effective.
IMHO- straight Ind. Mod. can almost feel depressingly impersonal. I would suggest drawing attention to important elements by breaking the rules of the style here and there. A nice touch I like to see is an unexpected splash of refinement such as a back-lit glass block screen or a bright splash of polished color among the drab tones. Again- sauce, not steak.
Done right, Ind. Mod. is a powerful and masculine style that feels solid, strong and innovative; done wrong it comes off like a junk dealer slapped together a port-a-john out of the stuff he couldn't sell. It may seem simple but Industrial Modernism is actually one of the most difficult architectural art forms to effectively pull off.
One other word of caution- Ind. Mod. "feels" a lot different in actual experience than it looks like it would feel in the photo's. You may have already done this but make sure you "experience" the style before you spend the big dough implementing it in your own home. If there is a significant other, make sure they experience it too. Concrete can feel mighty warm compared to the cold shoulder of a wife stuck with an architectural style she despises. Especially when its the first thing she deals with every morning. :-)>
There is an architect in my office that is a genius in Ind. Mod. design. It ain't me! If I were doing Ind. Mod. in my house I would not hesitate to commission his expertise and pay him well for it. I'm not suggesting that you can't do something brilliant on your own, just that the best designs I've seen in this style all had one thing in common- a professional designer that knew what he was doing.
By all means, check out the magazines, books and videos and get some great ideas, but if it is at all affordable, I believe your best money would be spent on a designer experienced in this style. I'm not talking about Thad from "Trading Spaces" here either. Lots of architects and designers think they can work in this style. Check references and get a good look at finished projects, not just photo's.
Well, that's probably about 7 paragraphs more info than you were looking for. Gee, I didn't mean to write a book here. I was actually just planning to suggest a poured in place concrete tub and couldn't find a good place to stop. Sorry, what can I say? Just get me started... see, I can't even wrap it up now... I may just go on typing like this for the rest of the day... Naw! I'll stop now- ready, last words then I'll sign off... here goes...
Good luck! I would like to hear what you ultimately decide on.
Kevin Halliburton