SFGate

Gretchen Maurer awsome love it! the floor looks good too, maybe a new counter and back splash on the right part i see, a quick up date and less expensive...

Walter Frazier No way. I'd do it today.

Brush Park Studio I would attempt to keep, since blue is the new color.

Shari Garrow Aughtman like it but not deep enough for me

Rebecca Nielsen It is pretty to look at, but doesn't look very comfortable. If you can't enjoy a nice relaxing soak then I say tear it out and get a new functional tub!

Heidi Hunt_Kagarakis Two homes in our court have this tub and it is very hard to get in and out of a bathtub like this. Unless you are very young. A smart designer had one neighbor's tub raised by adding cement on top of gravel or stone filler. Then tile over that to make an open shower. Great looking.

debmrides Change out the light and call it good!

Heidi Draffin This is exactly what I want! Make it a shower from heaven and retile the bottom field with glass..

Amy Klein If you put a hand shower in there, it would be awesome! Spray paint the chandelier black, replace the countertop and get updated faucets, hardware, etc. And buy a lot of bleach-based cleaner to clean up the tile and grout - it'll be your new best friend.

msmaddy67 I would also build it up to make it deeper and a better soak. Also update the vanity and possibly add shower head to soaking tub area and some sort of seating to make it multi-purpose bathing area.

Karen Johnson Not exactly a tub I'd want but the color is beautiful. It needs to be redesigned.

Phancy Design I would absolutely keep it and simply re-tile. It's fabulous!

skizat My gut reaction- horrible!!! After thought, it's kinda cool, but is it even comfortable to sit in? If so, ramp up the lighting, where I live a hanging light is not to code though. Go for it and make it a statement space.

Danielle B If you are on a tight budget, can you actually afford to redo? I would keep the tile, I think it's funky. replace shades with modern white roller blinds that filter light instead of blocking it. Replace the chandelier with a modern fixture and change the counter for a white quartz.

Angela Dodson oh I love it. I agree keep the color. I have always wanted a tiffany bathroom and this would be a killer start.. you could update it with crown moldings, a gorgeous gold leaf, or sky trompe l'oeil treatment and a new but sparkly jewelery chandelier. you could perhaps have a mason extract the inner portion of the tile design and replace with an updated stone and even match that stone to a new stone for the bottom of the tub or surround.

Lauren Jacobsen Interior Design Not at all, it could turn out great.Just re-tile to update and take out the chandelier, not helping you on this one. For more tips follow my on my blog: "Lauren's Style Library" www.ljacobsendesign.com

Angela Dodson oh the gold leaf / trompe l'oeil comment is meant for the ceiling

Design & Decor By Shelley I would leave it exactly as is..This is a perfect example of retro style..The only thing i would add is a hand held shower.
When decorating or adding anything to this room make sure you keep the same style going..I have included a few images as examples in keeping with this style..
I love your bathroom..

Angela Dodson I would reface the exterior tiled column that faces the vanity. You could eliminate the top cut outs that match the design in the bath and are currently dating the look. If you do reface them you can square them up with the matching stone mentioned before.

Drapery and Design by Carlos I would do a stone wall and a stunning raining shower. Would change the chandelier to a recessed spot light and to finish it I would frost 3/4 of that window.

linderella Is there enough room inside the "tub" to put in a free standing footed tub? They come in a variety of lengths (from 54" to 70" or more) and are about 3' feet wide. You can get them drilled out or not to accommodate the faucet. An update to cabinets and the lighting fixture should complete the look. Would love to see what end up doing.

angelyn1320 On a tight budget I would add frost (or some other opaque treatment) to the windows for privacy, give the tiles a powerwash or professional cleaning, add a few plants and candles. If you enjoy the tub and tile, why change it? It's your private tub. As long as you enjoy it and it's in good shape, "dated" is irrelevant unless you're selling.

Pamela Parker I love the tub, and tile. I would update outer area.

Helen Harkless_Young Tear it done and make a beautil spa area.

Amy Thompson Take the whole bathroom out and start over! Do it the way you want it. One thing I have learned about buying houses is that if you do not like it now you won't ever like it.

lovinglife7 Thanks for all of your comments. Some of them give me a lot to think about! Love the shower idea, filing in the tub and putting steam shower there, adding a shower handle, frosting the window, etc. Given our budget, I think we'll keep it, update the sink area, and try and make it work for a year or two until we can afford to demo it and make it into a spa-like retreat.

Candy Giard Not sure how tight your budget is but if you can afford to re-tile I would do it in something that will not become dated quickly. And I would make it a shower - adding privacy film onto the windows. Get a vanity with shelves to hold baskets. Granite or marble countertop. I like the chandelier maybe that can be moved into the bathroom. Put a waterfall shower in the ceiling. Add a glass door enclosure on shower that swings in and out and allows lots of light.. Good luck with whatever you decide - make sure it suits your needs is most important.

Keating Design Studio Aging grout often means it's leaking and that's never a good thing. In the 60s the moisture barriers weren't all that...and in the case of deteriorating grout the seal is broken and the moisture barrier is likely broken down. I see that there's mold/mildew forming in the corners which may indicate an issue that runs deeper. More likely than not, this will be a total gut. If it were mine, I'd be wondering how much damage there is to the infrastructure...and with that in mind, I'd rip up at least a portion of it to find out. I'm going to speculate that the moisture barrier needs to be updated and maybe even some damaged framing. With that you'll have the option of creating whatever you want in that space. Steps never were a great idea in a bathroom. If you want a tub there, do a normal tub installation at grade level...sunken tubs are a thing of the past, and don't contribute to the value of the home. If you want a shower, have it built up level with the floor and do a curb-free shower with a trough drain on the back side. Lighting should be recessed and to code for shower/tub enclosures. Also, are the windows suitable for a bath/shower enclosure at grade? If the frames are wood, the answer is NO...they need to be replaced with a more suitable, non-permeable frame. While you're at it, get windows that have glazing that will darken for privacy or install windows with blinds inside the glazing. There are many options for privacy....none of which would involve materials that absorb moisture. Sadly, none of this is "shoestring" budget stuff but again, I'd be concerned about the water that may be getting to the substructures and rotting them so I don't think I'd be filling this space with water.

Yvonne Dixon I would remove/change the light fixture to something round, and change the windows :)

camsmiles4u Ok that window bothers me. I never appreciated the plastic curtains. I can see a privacy block glass in the area where the counter is and possibly for the window. I would re tile the seat and floor with the same or similar type or accenting design as the wall, and have them freshen up the existing walls so it all looks new. I would also change the lighting to a high hats. We went away and in the bathroom instead of a standard vanity they had a marble table top with a shelf under it.I could see something like that here also or with a different material to lower costs if your looking to keep the existing design.

delenaruehl How wide is the opening for a tub?

danala Tweak it but don't lose it. I think it's fantastic!

Thomas Wakeman I don't know how much space you have, but that tub doesn't look great, and can't be very comfortable to sit in, built in alcove-tubs can look really good, or just a regular roll-top tub in the alcove e.g. Newport Beach Custom Home 01
or
Quinlan Residence

Thomas Wakeman even in a really small space:

cekranjec If you are on a tight budget, I would leave the tub and spend the $$ to replace the lighting, fixtures, and that countertop (is it formica?) with new cabinets/counters. Maybe trim work and framed mirrors, too?

spatric1sympaticoca if there is no issues with water leakage ect, I would consider retrofiting it with a new tub insert, that would be beautiful and much less expensive that riping it all out!

Jackie Clark build it up to be a cool walk in shower with a retro feel!!!, new counter and light fixture and you will be happy!! hopefully

Julie Jewell I vote for a remodel. I have a shower/tub like this in my dads house ( which I will be moving into eventually) T he house is 30 years old. My plan, while I'm sure will be expensive, is to raise the floor and make it a regular shower.