KITCHENS & BATHS

How appealing is this vintage bathroom, all in green and white?

An appealing cottage bath.

My client Emily has a bathroom everyone falls in love with—a cornucopia of vintage finds and soft color. Many features were here when Emily and her husband bought the house, including the period tub and lighting. They added the antique Queen Annestyle door; surrounded by salvaged beadboard painted a watery blue-green in the hall, it allows light to stream into the bathroom. In my design work, I often use salvaged doors to brighten a dark hallway or a windowless bath; they’re also great for closets and pantries.

The stained glass came from the Round Top Antique Shows in Texas. The paint-decorated cottage dresser is an antique. The column is just decorative. An old door with great green patina provides separates the water closet but lets light into the small chamber. The wood floor, the beadboard, the patina— the space!— all give the room a spa-like feeling that leans toward Victorian flavor.

Joanne Palmisano is the author of Styling with Salvage and other books about designing with reclaimed materials.