Finishing Touch: Installing a Vintage Tub in a Child's Bathroom

Project: Babyproofing the House, Episode 5



Bob wraps the Melrose, MA, nursery remodel with a tour of the home, a view of the colors, finishes, and fixtures selected, and our first visit with the new baby.  Bob starts with a safety review of the kitchen and stairways.  He checks out the new powder room and master bath. On the third floor, the nursery, guest room, and children’s bathroom are complete.  The bathroom features original beadboard, new blown-in insulation, and a roll-top, claw-foot bathtub that we see installed.  In the nursery, new windows with enclosed sliding shades, sound insulation, and an acoustic fabric ceiling make the new baby’s room snug and quiet.  Atticus and his parents show off the new solid-wood crib and changing table that are pressboard-free, and crib furnishings that are healthful and beautiful.  Everything from no-VOC paint to the slip-covered gliding club chair is intended to create a healthful, comforting world for the new baby and his family.

 

Part 1: Finishing Touch: Installing a Vintage Tub in a Child's Bathroom

Bob visits the third floor to review what has been done in preparation for the baby. The third floor will primarily be a kids' floor and a baby safety gate has been installed at the top of the staircase. Across from the nursery is the guest bedroom where interior painting techniques were discussed. But the focus is on a room that was previously a home office and is now being renovated to become a child's bathroom. The unusually shaped room has the original beadboard and sits under the eaves of the roof. A new, freestanding Vintage-style bathtub has been installed in front of the dormer window that has been replaced with a Pella window to prevent cold drafts. We see how the plumber installed the tub and connected the supply and waste lines. Bob then talks with Tara Dick of Vintage Tubs about the bathtub’s features, how molds are made from older tubs, the durable porcelain finish, and the ball-and-claw feet. Fixtures for the tub can be bought from many companies. Dick adds that free-standing tubs offer great flexibility in design and can accommodate any bathroom layout. 

 

Part 2: Tour of the Finished Nursery and Master Bathroom
Part 3: Tour the Completed Nursery for the Newborn
In Melrose, MA, Bob Vila helps a young couple expecting their first child to prepare their home. The focus is on creating a safe place with a strong emphasis on indoor air quality and a healthy living environment. Bob reviews child safety products with industry specialists, as they outfit the home from top to bottom in preparation for the new baby.

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