1964 Bathroom Gets a New Tub, Porcelain Tile Surround and Fresh Flooring

This bathroom hadn't been touched since 1964. Wood paneling on the walls, worn hex tile on the floor, an aging tub with dated square tile surrounding it - the kind of space that works, but barely. The homeowner wanted something that actually felt current without losing the character of the home.

We started by stripping the tub surround walls down to the studs. That's not always the plan going in, but once you get behind old tile in a bathroom this age, it's often the right call. A clean substrate means the new tile goes up properly and stays that way. No shortcuts here.

For the surround, we installed large-format porcelain tile with a bold blue-gray marble look and copper veining running through it. The scale of the tile is what makes it work in a narrow bathroom - fewer grout lines, more visual impact. We also built in a recessed niche with a stainless steel trim for storage right in the surround. It's a small detail that adds a lot of function. The new tub ties it all together with a clean, modern profile.

The floor got a full replacement too. Out went the old hex tile, and in came large-format gray tile laid in a linear pattern. The light tone keeps the space from feeling heavy, and the bigger format tiles make the narrow footprint feel more open. Countertops are still coming - but even at this stage, the difference from where we started is dramatic.

This is the kind of bathroom remodeling work we genuinely enjoy. It's not a quick flip - it's a full gut and rebuild done right. When a space has been the same for 60 years, the bones are usually solid. It just needs updated materials and someone willing to do the work properly.