8 Retrouvius Designs Featuring Vintage and Salvaged Components

Kennith Bogan

Maria Speake and Adam Hills specialize in what they connect with “tales of transformation.” Pushed by the belief that “good elements and well-produced things are cherished,” they inventively repurpose pieces of aged properties and assistance other people do the exact same. The couple satisfied in 1988 as architecture pupils at the Glasgow University of Art, and, appalled by the needless destruction of historic structures, uncovered them selves in the reclamation business. They commenced in Glasgow by rescuing things from derelict church buildings, and soon began doing the job with all manner of architectural results.

Retrouvius, their combination salvage operation (operate by Adam) and inside design studio (operate by Maria), has been primarily based in London’s Kensal Inexperienced given that 1997 and is a longstanding Remodelista resource of inspiration. The organization usually takes on a few remodeling initiatives a year and generally overhauls entire dwellings, each city and rural. In those people, a beloved area to deal with is the bathtub, “often the only spot in the house with a lock on the door,” details out Maria. Below are some of Retrouvius’s bathroom methods, all of them types of inventive reuse.

Images courtesy of Retrouvius (@retrouvius).

1. Victorian Sink Meets Salvaged Wood Paneling

Over: “Bathroom home furnishings tends to be clunky and substantial, but reclaimed freestanding washstands are normally fragile and functional things that can effortlessly be put in in the corner of a guest bed room or in a lavatory quick on area,” states Maria. “They usually absence faucet holes, which allows the faucet to be wall mounted.”

Revealed right here in a children’s tub in North London: a Victorian-period forged-iron sink stand paired with an Edwardian porcelain basin with new copper fittings (supply, however, not accessible). Salvaged huge pine boards increase from the flooring halfway up the wall, exactly where it hides the pipework but still supplies easy accessibility to it. The blue stained glass window was commissioned for the space.

2. A Touch of Vibrant

in a buckinghamshire farmhouse bathroom, maria and her design team transformed  10
Higher than: In a Buckinghamshire farmhouse toilet, Maria and her style crew remodeled a claw-footed tub with drinking water-primarily based, eggshell-concluded paint in a shade known as Heat from Tiny Greene. The colourful rug is a classic Moroccan structure.
the room has a vintage pedestal sink and towel rod. the painted paneling hides  11
Higher than: The space has a classic pedestal sink and towel rod. The painted paneling hides the water pipes and provides a helpful ledge. The rewired 1940s glass pendant mild is from Retrouvius’s at any time-shifting classic Lighting stock. The fringed mirror was the client’s own.

“It’s possible to combine and match aged and new sanitary furnishings, nonetheless, classic plumbing is normally not suitable with fashionable programs,” notes the company’s website. “Make guaranteed your plumber has labored with vintage sanitary ware previously as there will be a variety of measurements of faucets, drains. and fittings that may possibly want to be altered.” For power performance, Maria recommends present day mixer taps and shower heads: “they’re developed to aerate h2o and lessen squander.”

3. Tidied Aged Tub (on a Mezzanine)

in a six story holland park townhouse that retrouvius remodeled for a family, t 12
Earlier mentioned: In a 6-story Holland Park townhouse that Retrouvius remodeled for a family members, the best two floors are the children’s zone. Since the children “love staying social even though bathing,” an current tub got moved onto a mezzanine in the vicinity of a few bedrooms. The Dinesen flooring was “discovered” by the Retrouvius team when renovating the boards were stripped of their paint and resealed.” (Go to Steal This Look to see a different London tub clad in Dinesen wooden.)
the double height room with a window wall is thought to have originally been an 13
Over: The double-height room with a window wall is thought to have originally been an artist’s studio. The vintage zinc-topped desk is utilised for homework and crafts. Go to Retrouvius Demonstrates the Stylish Side of Salvage for Elle Decoration’s spotlight on the home.

4. Coloration and Privacy Courtesy of Stained Glass

retrouvius introduced a salvaged leaded glass window in a formerly uninhabited  14
Previously mentioned: Retrouvius launched a salvaged leaded glass window in a formerly uninhabited Buckinghamshire farmhouse that Maria and crew restored and refurbished for “its all feminine citizens to retreat to as a dwelling and a area for writing.”
a new skylight was inserted over a claw foot tub painted in a green from emery  15
Higher than: A new skylight was inserted about a claw-foot tub painted in a inexperienced from Emery & Cie. The wicker mirror and environmentally friendly stool are from Retrouvius. The wood beam, Maria points out, is authentic but the patinated wood floor is a new addition. See other rooms in the home on the Retrouvius web site.

5. Recast Parquet and Flamboyant Marble

in the holland park townhouse with the mezzanine shown above, the parents
Earlier mentioned: In the Holland Park townhouse with the mezzanine revealed earlier mentioned, the parents’ bath has a salvaged cast-iron sink on a help developed from oak parquet flooring panels. See a further basin like it in Retrouvius’s Rustic London Townhouse Remodel. Read through the case for wall-mounted taps in Reworking 101.
the shower
Previously mentioned: The shower’s boldly patterned pink and green marble was sourced from MGL Warehouse in London—”it was sized to get the job done with minimal cuts and squander,” the corporation notes on Instagram, “and must be reusable in the long term if and when individuals want a change.” Retrouvius shares a little selection of salvaged marble and stone, which tends to get snapped up quickly.

6. A Reuse for Copper Verdigris

creative reuse involves thinking beyond the material
Earlier mentioned: Creative reuse entails imagining further than the material’s unique programs. Situation in stage: the Retrouvius designers cloaked this sink cupboard and shower in patinated copper sheets salvaged from a London rooftop drinking water tank.
Earlier mentioned: “A solitary salvaged material employed very well and broadly generates serene,” claims Maria.

7. The Sideboard Washstand and Other Antiques

in a north london townhouse, a carved antique sideboard got repurposed as a sta 20
Earlier mentioned: In a North London townhouse, a carved antique sideboard bought repurposed as a stand for a new porcelain basin. “Introducing aged home furniture is a actually fantastic way to incorporate character to a tub,” notes Maria. The early 20th century round mirror came from Retrouvius.

a salvaged marble insert from a fireplace frieze is used as wall decoration. 21
Earlier mentioned: A salvaged marble insert from a hearth frieze is made use of as wall decoration.
the shower screen was built from a salvaged window. admiring the pale pink wall 22
Above: The shower monitor was constructed from a salvaged window. Admiring the pale pink partitions? They’re tadelakt, a h2o-proof Moroccan plaster complete.

8. All-Above Paneling from Reclaimed Flooring

maple flooring from a school gym was applied in this children
Previously mentioned: Maple flooring from a college fitness center was used in this children’s bath established in an Edwardian turret in central London. The paneling listed here is truly the leftovers from a larger venture that created use of the wood. “Small quantities of remnant salvage can be best for reuse in smaller rooms, these as loos,” says Maria. However the tub and sink glance shiny and new, they also arrived from demolitions. “Reclaimed wash basins are not challenging to get keep of,” says Maria. “Try eBay or a community salvage provider.”

The Retrouvius showroom and warehouse in Kensal Inexperienced, London, are open up weekdays by appointment. Here’s a Retrouvius Notting Hill Townhouse Transform that we featured a whilst again.

Much more bathroom inspiration:

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