Historic homes are beloved for their unique craftsmanship and character — qualities that can never truly be replicated. Their bathrooms, though, are a different story. Small, utilitarian, and built for an era when running water alone felt like luxury, they’re often the room most at odds with how we live today.
The three featured here were built in houses dating to the mid to late 1800s — a time when rooms of this nature were modest in scale and design. By contrast, today’s primary bathrooms have evolved into spa-like retreats that prioritize comfort and elegance alongside function. Bridging that gap requires a careful balance of preservation and modernization.
Three St. Louis interior design firms — C&M Interiors, Studio MC, and Nistenhaus Design — show us how it’s done, having each recently transformed a historic bathroom into a space that meets the demands of modern life without erasing the character that made the home worth preserving in the first place…