A Panelized Home: Blissful Bathrooms

Mirror, Mirror The Hammonds' master bath is the perfect place to hang two of Kohler's nostalgic Revival mirrors. Before the Peaches hung the mirrors Anne and Ned met with them to determine the best height for hanging them. In the event that someone shorter needs to see him or herself, the mirror simply rotates towards the wall. The design may have been loosely based on the cheval, glass mirrors which gentlepeople had in their dressing chambers in days gone by. The Kohler mirrors are easy to install with two pieces of hardware which are secured to the wall. The Master Bath The master bath is very important to the Hammonds. Anne and Ned wanted to be able to take full advantage of the view while they soak in the tub. As the pictures show, the Hammonds succeeded perfectly in achieving this goal. Lighting consultant Markus Earley created a sophisticated lighting design utilizing Lightolier fixtures. There are several combinations of illumination enabling bathers to enjoy the appropriate ambiance for every mood. Another great feature of this room is the two person shower. The shower was custom built and has two Kohler Revival hand-showers which are controlled with two separate Rite-Temp valves. Across the room the Peach crew built the sunken tub enclosure. They used water resistant cement board over the wood framing as the underlayment for the finish tile work which was accomplished by "Chip" Randall and his son, Matt. All of the tile work in the home was set in mortar--tradesmen refer to this type of work as a "full mud" job. Bill and the Peaches included a small access door in the tub enclosure. This is a critical step. Too often plumbing fixtures are installed with no access for repairs. If this is the case, even if only minor repairs are needed, it will be costly to re-tile and repair wherever the plumber needs to break through. Bill was careful to make sure that all the critical pipes, joints and connectors can be reached through the door. Prior to installing the tub, Bill checked his lines for leaks. He also checked the water pressure. Before Bill and his helper Mark place the Thunder Grey Revival bathtub in the enclosure, they mix gypsum plaster which they will use as a skim coat under the tub. While the plaster is still moist they spread it on the inside floor of the enclosure. The plumbers are careful to make sure the plaster is pitched slightly (many plumbers suggest a slope of 1/8 inches per foot.) Without a slope the tub could be placed at an angle making it impossible to drain. Before the plaster dries Bill and Mark walk the tub in and slowly lower it into place. Bill tightens the pipes and hooks up the Antique bath faucet. The workmen caulk all the seams including the under-lip of the tub.

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