HOUSE AND GARDEN 
January, 
i 9 i i . 
fectly sanitary treatment, and in some cases the tub has been 
sunk into the floor a foot and then incased to avoid the high 
step necessary to get into the tub. The plunge — sunk in the floor 
—is an unusual treatment that permits more freedom of move¬ 
ment than the tub; but the tile, when wet, is slippery, and I 
should expect one might carelessly slip in with fatal results. Ro¬ 
man tubs are alike at each end—with fixtures in the middle of 
one side of the rim. Solid porcelain tubs rest on the floor, set into 
the tile. The ideal position for the tub, if there is available room, 
is with the foot against a wall and ample room on either side to 
get in or out of it. Tubs are made in lengths ranging from 4 
feet to 6 feet, and about 30 inches in width over rims. 
The lavatory is an important fixture that is made in a great 
many varieties. The old-fashioned bowl is obsolete — the oval 
has taken its place, though probably the best is the kidney-shaped 
bowl, as it permits a free and natural movement of the arms in 
raising water to lave the face. The bowl should be at least 14 x 
17 in., in a slab 22 x 32, with a space surrounding the bowl counter¬ 
sunk a little to form a border that tends to confine the splashed 
water. All the fixtures manufactured by responsible concerns 
The sunken bath is a luxury beyond the majority of us. A low 
ceiling is necessary in the room below to allow for the sinkage, 
and this is frequently difficult to arrange 
For the hall bathroom it is desirable to pro¬ 
vide a separate enclosure for the closet 
wherein this is possible, so that the two 
may be used independently 
In a house where the space may be spared here 
is a luxurious plan for the owner’s bath ad¬ 
joining his bedroom 
A typical plan for the general bathroom, 
wherein are found a sitz bath and a 
separate shower besides the regular 
fixtures 
are equipped with nickelplated 
faucets, wastes, traps and supplies 
that are very satisfactory; but 
quite often the plumber who in¬ 
stalls the work buys the fixtures 
without the selected trimmings 
and substitutes a cheaper pattern. 
Some tubs and lavatories are sold 
in “A” and “B” qualities, and it 
will be to your advantage to select 
the fixtures with your architect, 
who knows the grades and fittings. 
A particularly pleasing treat¬ 
ment is the bath opening from the 
owner's chamber, and separated 
from it by glass partition. This 
arrangement is good where out¬ 
side light cannot be afforded or 
obtained, and a curtain effectively 
screens it. 
Bathroom accessories should 
be arranged with care and consist 
of the following devices: plate- 
glass shelves supported on nickel- 
plated brackets are the best, and 
as they do not get hard usage, are 
not often broken; towel-racks; 
glass and toothbrush holders; 
clothes-brush hangers; clothes 
An effective private bath adjoining a bedroom, from which 
the former is lighted 
hooks; soap dishes; soiled towel 
baskets and hardware are usually 
of nickelplated tubing screwed 
into the tilework. The accom¬ 
panying photographs and plans 
wall illustrate the subject further 
and are self-explanatory. 
The question is frequently asked : 
“What can I do with the old-fash¬ 
ioned plumbing in my home? Is it 
possible and not unduly expensive 
to have the old fixtures replaced 
by new ones of the modern types?” 
It is a very easy matter, compara¬ 
tively speaking, to tear out the old 
wood-cased tub, water cioset, and 
boxed-in basin and to set in their 
places fixtures of the “open” style. 
Probably there will have to be 
some patching of wall plaster and 
floor boards, but a better way out 
of this difficulty is to put in a tile 
wainscot and lay a new floor of 
hard wood, or tile, or even lino¬ 
leum, over the old. In many old- 
fashioned bathrooms there is a high 
wood wainscot, which, if treated 
with white enamel paint, will serve 
excellently well in place of tiles. 
