Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of going on a lot of historic/old home tours, almost always at Christmastime. I’ve also attended gatherings and holiday parties that were held in very old homes. One thing I’ve noticed about really old homes is that “things” are not always perfect. During a holiday party, if you happen to visit the bathroom, you may notice a little darkening of the grout over in a corner or some deep scratches on the hardwood flooring. You may pass down a hallway or down a staircase and notice a wonky piece of molding, or a bit of chipped plaster. Being a bit of a perfectionist, those things would sometimes catch my eye causing me to both admire and feel thankful that the homeowners, despite their old home’s imperfections, were willing to open their doors to the public for tours. I truly admired their ability to not obsess over their home’s less-than-perfect features, instead, choosing to live their life enjoying their home and sharing it with others.
Buying a home that’s just 14 years away from being 100 years old has challenged me to be more like those homeowners that I’ve appreciated and admired over the years. Each day since I’ve taken ownership of this adorable “dollhouse” cottage, I am faced with deciding what needs to be updated and just how far to take it.
I have been enjoying a lot of the beautiful renovations a previous owner completed, including the renovation of the master bathroom.
I love that she kept its original Rookwood Pottery tiles and didn’t make any drastic changes—like closing off or blocking the original laundry chute, a feature I use several times each week.
I’m not sure if the tub is original, but it may be since it is surrounded by original tile. I think it would take a lot of work to remove it, and based on what I’ve seen through the access panel door for the tub that’s hidden behind a door in the master bedroom, it appears the plumbing in this bathroom is mostly all original, as well. I can tell that the tub has been refinished over the years, probably a few times. Katie, a previous owner, said that she last had it refinished around 10 years ago. That’s about the life expectancy of a reglazing job if a tub has been well-cared for over the years. When I moved in, the finish was looking very rough. I think the previous homeowners that were here for two years, were finding it difficult to keep clean. Once that finish is gone, it becomes very worn and scratched, then everything sticks to the surface.
A closer view showed a lot of pitting and wear.
There was a lot of cracking around the original drain. I looked into having the drain replaced since its finish has worn away over the years, but the three plumbers I talked with all said that it would be pretty involved. They thought getting to the drain through the access panel in the master bedroom would be tough, and they each said that they would probably need to cut into the downstairs ceiling to reach the area they needed to access.
Ummm, I wasn’t too worried about the plumbing costs, but I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of the downstairs ceiling being opened up. That would add to the expense and I wondered if it would be like opening up a major can of worms. Decision time: Leave the worn-looking, but still-working-fine drain, and refinish the tub, or let the plumbers tear out the ceiling downstairs to remove and replace the drain first. I decided to leave the drain, at least for now, and just have the tub reglazed. That was a tough decision for me because I don’t like taking shortcuts or leaving something not completely done, but this old-house-business is still new for me, so I decided to take the advice of the plumbers.
The technician from the company I hired to do the reglazing felt like he knew why the glazing had cracked so badly around the old drain, and he had an idea that he thought would help prevent that in the future. Katie had said that the cracking of the glazing around the drain was a common issue and often happened not too long after the tub was reglazed.
Here’s how it turned out—looks much better! The technician left the bottom of the tub with a slightly rougher texture, just as Katie had the technician do when she had it refinished 10 years ago. That was to avoid any issues with it being too slippery.
There’s a bit of grit along the top edge that I’m not thrilled about. The technician told me to call him back if I had any concerns, so I think I’ll do that today. I don’t know the process for refinishing a tub since I didn’t watch the process while it was being done, but I’m pretty sure that the previous tub surface got sanded, and I’m guessing some of that sanding dust/grit can find its way into the finish. It may be something that’s easily fixed by some light sanding and refinishing in that area that I find so noticeable along the top edge. In any case, it does look a lot better, and the area around the drain is smooth now. Hopefully, it won’t crack anytime soon.
These are the care instructions the technician left, in case you’re wondering about the aftercare for a reglazed/refinshed tub. I’ll keep you posted on how this holds up. I’m in uncharted territory, so I’m not really sure what to expect. lol
A Happy Surprise! Have you ever done something to your home that you thought you would love, and then it ended up having a secondary benefit that you never saw coming?
I was standing in the kitchen the day after I planted Pentas in the window flower boxes and I happened to look up. I suddenly realized how visible the flowers were from inside the dining room and kitchen! What?! I don’t know why, but I hadn’t even thought about how they would appear from inside the house. I knew I’d be able to water them from inside, but I had never considered how pretty they would look from inside. This is the view through the window (and the screen on the lower window) as I look out through the dining room window.
This is the view through the upstairs window with both the window and lower screen raised.
Love this view!
I had plenty of help over the weekend with watering the flowers. ♥
Those of you who said that hummingbirds like Pentas, you were right! Do you see her there in the center of the photo, eyeing the white flower?
Here are two zoomed-in views…
Sorry for the blurriness of the photo. I had to take the photo from a distance through both the window and the screen, plus hummingbirds rarely stop moving. She visited both window boxes, upstairs and down, and has come back every day since that first sighting! Love that! I hope to continue planting flowers each spring that will bring the hummingbirds visiting.
The Dollhouse really does feel like an enchanted fairy cottage at times. It’s not perfect, but I am learning to love it more and more with each passing day.
Pentas are also a favorite food for butterflies, so once they find it in sure you’ll get many delightful visitors. It’s an annual that I always planned every year to feed the wildlife and enjoy.
I love butterflies, so love hearing that! I need to keep planting these each spring. Thanks, Robin!
Susan you are doing an amazing job with the Dollhouse! I wish I had half of your energy! I enjoy reading all your posts! You are educating me and motivating me to start thinking of some home projects.
Thanks, Maureen! It feels good to get some of these things done before heading back to GA.
This is so very nice and you are doing a great job. Part of me wishes we could start all over with a new empty space but I think that ship has sailed, so really enjoying your journey. Our home is 30 years old and I am like you, I notice every little thing. Happily hubby is pretty good as a handyman but home and yard upkeep is endless. Keeps us busy, a good thing.
Def keeps you busy! Seems like there is always something needing attention. Thanks, Jillian!
There’s quite a few do-not’s with the tub, but really the best solution for repairing it. It looks like you step down to get into the tub; is that awkward as opposed to stepping over? I love the flower boxes full of blooms and the added bonus of hummingbirds visiting! I have a pair of hummingbirds visit my zinnias and cannas. They are so sweet. I always tell them to be careful of the cats. I don’t put out feeders because I have cats about. Love how your front yard looks. Oh, I also like how your screens go up for access. Are all the window screens on the house like that?
You don’t really step down, it’s about like my tubs at home where you just step over the side which isn’t too high. I think the bottom of the tub is about the same level with the floor, if not, it’s really close. Thanks!
Yes, a previous owner changed out all the windows and they all work that way where the screen is on the bottom but can be easily raised. The windows and the screens surprisingly go up and down very easily. I’ve only found one window that I think the seal is broken and it’s on the top part. I need to find out if that top half can be replaced.
Looks like they did a great job on the reglazing. Your drain, being very old, is just showing the brass that it is made of. You can’t buy that quality anymore. I had a post WWII house that I had tub reglazing done. I left the old drain even though it looked like yours. I used Dawn dish liquid to clean my tub. (just make sure to really rinse well so you don’t slip). Now we’re in a house that’s about 30 years old. Nothing is plumb in this house & the builder must have used all clearance rack fixtures (lol). We’ve been slowly trying to replace with quality, but you just can’t find 100 year old quality anymore. I bet your tub is cast iron too – just beautiful – part of the charm 🙂
I know you’re right, you really can’t find the same quality anymore. It is cast iron, my tubs in Georgia are, too. I bet there’s a way to touch it up the drain to make it look better. I think that’s what I’ll be using—Dawn. I rarely ever take baths, just showers, so hopefully, the Dawn will work fine. Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective, Sharon. That really helps so much!
Hello Susan, I love reading your blog and as one who lives in an older home I’m pleased to hear that not having everything perfect is something many can appreciate. I always strive to fix glaring problems but the upkeep of all the little things can be overwhelming. I’m here to tell you that after having my old tub reglazed twice I finally called in BathFitter to do the job. I had heard horror stories about them but I figured I give it a try and see for myself how much it would cost. Well I can say that it was a truly wonderful easy and affordable solution and I got to keep my original deep and very large bathtub. If you have a need in the future I highly recommend them.
Thanks so much, Dianne! Oh, I don’t think I’ve heard of them before. Interesting! I’ll look them up and read more about them.
Congratulations on your new old house! I live in an old house, the original part was built in 1870 stone with plaster walls. There is always a surprise when something needs to be repaired/replaced. The couple we bought the house from told us when they bought it there was no kitchen (fireplace in the basement for cooking), well pump in the built in cabinet in the dining room and NO bathroom, outhouse on the property. Since we have lived here we gutted and remodeled the kitchen, gutted and remodeled the master bedroom which is on the first floor, added a side porch. There is a fireplace in the bedroom and a spiral staircase which leads to a loft. Someone plastered the chimney in the attic in 1915. Wishing you a multitude of happiness for years to come in your new old home.
Thanks, Maryann! Wow, 1870! I can imagine you’ve had some interesting adventures with past renovations. My hat is off to you because I know it’s not easy working in these older homes. You’ve done some amazing renovations! I love that you have a fireplace in the master bedroom!
I love a cast iron tub…that being said my tub in Florida that I had reglazed was not very satisfactory. I too had spots where sand/dust had dried on the finish so after a couple of years I had Rebath come and put an acrylic tub over the old one. They have thousands upon thousands of tubs to fit an existing old cast iron. I have been happy with it for the last 5 years…seems to be holding up well. It may not be the look you want but it is an option if this last reglazing does not hold up. Just an FYI.
Thanks for that suggestion, Rebecca! The company I used it coming back out on Tuesday to redo the areas that have some dust/grit showing. Hopefully, the finish will be better soon. It will be interesting to see how well it holds up.
You just made my day, Susan. Tub looks great – such a unique shape – like the DH it is special. And the hummer visit? Spot on perfect – enchanted, indeed.
Thanks so much, Michele! That makes my day to hear that! It really is a unique shape, I was so surprised when I pulled back the shower curtain and saw it the first time. Yes, so many neat surprises with this house—like the hidden cedar chest. 🙂
I just love your sweet home. It’s so individual, something you do not get in newer neighborhoods. I love the charm of the laundry chute, the quirky hall to the addition, the mail slot, and the sweet window boxes and the dormers. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thanks so much, Jen! I do love that about it, its unique features. You’ve given me an idea, I should do a post sometime sharing all its fun, unique, crazy features. I think that would be a fun post.
That would so fun to see!
The tub glazing is beautiful. I can see that you’re one of the busiest women on the planet, but if you ever have a second, I would love your list of service-people: plumber, handyman, appliance fixer, people you love. I’m in Suwanee, but it would be so helpful.
Also, we’re also moving in about two years, if you find any five-star tips for moving I’d love it if you’d share.
The Dollhouse is amazing. I love old homes too. They’re living history (so to speak). They’re too big to put into a museum, but they’re just as worthy as museum pieces. Your new neighbors are going to love you. Just having you on the street probably raises everyone’s property values!
Wendy in Suwanee
Wendy
Wendy, I’ll make a note to email you anyone that I can think of once I get back home. My favorite painting company is Dixon in Marietta, but I’m sure they go to your area, too. My favorite for Electrical and Plumbing is TR Certified. The also do AC/Heating but I’ve not have them do much in that area other than change out my thermostats in the Georgia house. They tend to be a bit pricey but they stand behind their work.
Thanks! I really do love old houses, too. It’s painful to see some of the damage I’ve found in this house, but I’m trying to correct it as I find it. I especially hate seeing damage to the beautiful moldings.
Aww, thanks! You are so sweet to say that!
XXX
It’s so good to see you enjoying your new home! When we bought a beach house many years ago, I felt a bit like I was “cheating” on my city home when we were at the beach and vise versa. Eventually we sold the big house in town and downsized to the beach. It was hard to part with things that we loved but were not going to fit anymore or were duplicates. I think your little visitor is there to welcome you and your grandsons and let you know how much your presence is appreciated. Moving is hard, but being with family makes it easier.
Ha! I know exactly what you mean, I kinda feel that way, too. Moving is hard, especially if you still really like your other house. I’m taking it slow to give myself time to get used to the idea and make sure I am ready for such a big move.
Thanks, Janet!
XXX
Yay for the pentas attracting the hummers!
When our previous owners renovated our home, they had the original upstaurs bathtub reglazed
its held up very well, now 8 yrs. Smart move.
Loving your home!
Wow, that’s great! I hope this one will last that well, too!
Thanks, Rita!
Your tub looks great…and day by day you are making the doll house your dream house!
Thanks so much, Ann!
XXX
Hello Susan, I’ve owned several old house and like you had areas that bugged me at times. Many times I’ve decided that items like the drain are just quirky. Things that show some wear are part of what makes the home feel like it has some age which why we are drawn to the older home. In a newer home they would seem shabby. By the way I had a tub reglazed and it held up without cracks or scratches. Mostly you will use the tub and you obviously are someone who takes care of your belongings. I hope that you are able to relax and enjoy your house with it’s quicks. Iris
That is so true and a great way to look at those less-than-perfect areas. You’re so right, we feel so different about them in an older home than we would in a much newer home. They are part of the home’s character and history. So good to hear that about the tub you had reglazed! Hope mine lasts that well, too. Thanks, Iris!
Hello Susan, I’ve owned several old house and like you had areas that bugged me at times. Many times I’ve decided that items like the drain are just quirky. Things that show some wear are part of what makes the home feel like it has some age which why we are drawn to the older home. In a newer home they would seem shabby. By the way I had a tub reglazed and it held up without cracks or scratches. Mostly you will use the tub and you obviously are someone who takes care of your belongings. I hope that you are able to relax and enjoy your house with it’s quirks. Iris
My sister’s home in Nashville, built in about 1937, has that same tub. Had never seen one like that before. I have the same floor tile pattern in my bathroom. My home was built in 1927 in New Orleans. It is hard dealing with my old home’s imperfections but still love many of its unique characteristics.
Enjoy your imperfections , embrace the character. I know it will be hard because you have such a wonderfully cared for and beautiful home in Georgia.
That is so cool, Carmie! I’ve never seen a tub like this one so that really helps knowing that your sister’s home has the same one. I guess it really is the original tub for this house, then.
Yes, that is such good advice about enjoying its imperfections and quirky character! 🙂 I’m not sure if/when I’ll sell the Georgia house, not in a rush, just trying to make sure I’m comfortable with doing that before I take that step.
The reglazing on the bathtub looks fantastic! That is such a cute tub. I have never seen one that is angled like that before. It’s fitting for that house.
I’ve never heard of Penta flowers before. They must be a northern plant. They look very pretty though and I am glad to see you had a helper over to water them for you. 😀
I had never seen one like this either. This house has its own personality, for sure. lol I’m not sure if we have Pentas in the nurseries back home. I don’t think they will survive the winter, but are great annuals here.
Susan, thank you abundantly for sharing your new adventure in the Dollhouse. Older homes have so much more charm, beauty and fun to decorate. You are doing a fabulous job!
I love your new office space and recently purchased 2 of the same lamps for my living room after looking for six months now. I have become a big fan of yours now for only the past 5 months. WOW, have I missed out. So refreshing to join in the adventure with you!
Blessings to you and your family close by!
Thanks so much, Diane! It makes my day to know you are enjoying this new adventure, too. So glad to hear you were able to snag a couple of those lamps before they vanish. I don’t know why, but it seems like the lamps that I find and really like on Amazon, never stay available very long. There was another company on Amazon whose lamps I purchased a year or two ago and I would love to buy more for the Dollhouse, but now they aren’t available on there anymore, and when I find them elsewhere, they are double the price. So it seems with the lamps at Amazon, you have to get them while they are available. Also, I’m super picky about shades, I don’t care for drum shades, I find that they don’t really shield your eyes from the light when you walk by them since they aren’t tapered, and it seems like so many lamps these days come with the hard drum shades. So, I was so happy to find the blue and white one for my office with a pretty tapered shade. Glad those are working for you in your living room, that’s wonderful!
We had our master bath shower refinished about five years ago. We have been very happy with the results. The only caution we were given were to not use harsh chemicals or abrasives. He recommended we use Simple Green which has been working well for us.
Oh, thanks for that tip about the Simple Green, Beverly! I will look for that!
Susan, I’ve been following your blog for 10 years and this is the first comment I’ve ever left. First of all, welcome to the old home club. I’ve had my farmhouse for 30 years. It’s been a lot of sweat and tears to make it what it is today. Thank you for mentioning imperfections, because my house is far from perfect. 3 grown boys and a few family dogs took its toll. Thank you for sharing your fav products as well. I’ve ordered a few of your suggestions and very happy with my purchases. Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration to many! X
Thanks so much, Nicole! I think the imperfect homes are the happiest homes of all…proof of a life well-lived! ♥
That’s the beauty of an old house! My two new houses in Florida made me feel like I had to keep them like a model home! Now I’m in an almost 100 year old cape cod (previously a carriage house to a mansion) and it’s so much better.
Robin, I know exactly what you mean! I was thinking about that recently, how living in an older home makes you feel so much more relaxed about those imperfections that come with age.
Hi Susan, I love how you can see the flowers in your window boxes from inside the house, and the hummingbirds coming and going! And I love the photo of your grandson watering the flowers, so sweet. You must be so happy that you live so close to your family now. Like you, I moved closer to my family less than a year ago and I enjoy spending more time with my grandchildren.
I am really enjoying it, I love being able to see them so much more often. That’s wonderful, Antoinette, that you were getting to spend more time with your grandkids, too!
Tape off the drain and spray it with some chrome spray or metallic spray paint. No, it won’t cure the problem, but it will disguise it for a while. And paint can always be REPAINTED! It will last a while (especially without using a harsh cleaner on it).
They probably make paint for metal, and it might last for a little while. LOL Thanks, Mel!
You love the house and it seems like the Dollhouse is loving you back!
lol I hope so! ♥
I loved seeing your Cinderella bathtub reglazed! Here is the name of that bath tub you have in your Dollhouse: https://retrorenovation.com/2009/06/08/3-midcentury-bathrooms-with-large-square-cinderella-bathtubs/
I had one in a 1937 ranch home that is 5,000 sq ft. It had 5 master sized bed rooms with a bathroom included. The bath tubs are extra long, except for the Cinderella tub which is in excellent shape.
Thank you so much for sharing the clothes rack in another article you wrote. I have the exact same rack for nearly 20 years. The top screw/plastic hook is broken, so now I’m going to buy a new rack in white to go in my brand new laundry room.
Barbara, thanks so much for that link! That does look just like it and the period during which it was produced lines up perfectly with the age of this home. Seeing that photo in the article makes me wonder if this tub was originally blue since the tile in this bathroom is that color. I’m kinda glad it’s white now. Thank you again so much for identifying it! I’m so glad none of the previous homeowners had it removed to install a walk-in shower. There is a shower overhead, which is what I usually prefer, but after seeing that photo, I guess I’m going to have to take at least one lounging bubble bath so I can recreate the scene in the picture. Ha!
Wow, your home sounds amazing! That is an especially large home for that time period, and I love that it has so many large bathrooms! Sounds luxurious!
Those are great clothing drying racks, I love the two I have in my laundry room since I don’t put my actual clothes in the dryer.