Palm Springs Stephan is a wealth of info, and provides this info on a Southern California company still producing the 50s pink tile so common during this era. Don’t use any other pinks – they are not right! I am so excited at this find – a big one for the retro renovation community.
The source: B&W Tile, with 3 locations and online, bwtile.com. See the warehouse photo to the left – they sure look like they’ve been in this Gardena location since the 50s. Reassuring!
Stephen adds: “B& W Tile makes this tile and keeps it in stock at all times in every size imaginable, from 1″ hex tile to 6×6 inch glazed and unglazed wall and floor tiles. I talked to their Riverside location just this afternoon, and the 4.25 by 4.25 glazed wall tile in 1950s pink (their inventory number 70W) is just $3.88 per square foot….I should be able to do the walls in my new bath just like the ones in that photo.”
Thank you thank you, Stephan! Original color – vast selection – great price. And, they produce the 1950s style wall-mounted & recessed china toilet paper, soap, and toothbrush holders (see toilet holder in top photo) also from original molds. Or you can use shiny stainless from Franklin Brass.
Spread the word and prepare the mastic.
This post — one of the most popular ever on Retro Renovation – was originally published on Dec. 14, 2007
IMPORTANT:
- See this 2012 story on 12 places to find 4″ x 4″ ceramic tiles in colors — it is a pretty fundamental story if you are renovating a bathroom.
Jim says
My wife and I were just debating over a complete renovation or a retro refresh on our 1955 bathroom. After seeing this site our minds are made up. It will be a retro renovation. Thanks for operating this site and provideing the info on a place to get replacement tiles.
pam kueber says
jim – hurray! be sure to take before and after pics so we can show them on the site.
Lazy Gardens says
OMG! The bathroom in that picture is exactly like my aunt’s 1948 house.
Amy says
Hello!
I have the same tile scheme, but it’s in green/mint and black. I have some tiles that need to be replaced and I’m not sure where to go. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help!
Amy
pam kueber says
Amy — look at my Fast & Easy Product Guide page – Bathroom, for our tile resources identified to date. B&W — same supplier as the pink — has 47 colors. They might be your best bet. Good luck.
Long Beach Friend says
Hi All,
I recently retiled my shower with Tiles from the B/W location in Gardenia. I had a great experience there and highly recommend them. I am now moving into phase 2 of my bathroom renovation and I need some help and guidance. I am planning on continuing the turquoise green tile color to the rest of the walls of the bathroom in a subway tile with a black header and footer tile to accent. I will be installing a new white tub, toilet, and teak cabinetry topped with Caesar stone. My dilemma comes from the tile for the floor. I am planning on either doing the Daltile mosiac from the Keystone collection that you featured or a 3″ Hexagonal tile. My question is what colors of tile would work best for this situation? I was originally going to go with white, but I think the contrast might be too much. My condo was built in 1959 and I can send pics if they would help. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Long Beach Friend
Jim Sutton says
I am repairing an old house that has pink tiles in the bathroom. Some are missing and I do not want to remove this great looking vintage piece of history. I need to see about finding replacement pieces to get this room back to it’s original condition/look.
Judi Gee says
Love all the 1050’s pink bathrooms…..but what about the rest of us who have other colored 1950’s bathrooms. My bathroom has taupe’ish tile with a rust border. The bathroom walls are tiled from top to bottom and are in excellant condition. I also have a working heater in the tile that looks and works great ( just needs rechroming). Any others like me out there????? I need to re-do the floors, help!
pam kueber says
Judi Gee – OF COURSE “pink” bathrooms are just emblematic: We love and celebrate bathrooms of all colors. Are you a new reader? Hang around a while and you will see…
The crazy suburban mom says
You know my mom had a pink bathroom AND a pink kitchen…complete with pink wall oven… range… counter top… phone. when they remodeled the kitchen…it all was ripped out and taken away. I wish i had it all now. and 2 remodels later its that standard stainless… they love it and i miss the pink something awful
Gabbie says
Just to comment on the hex tiles: I have a 1949 Brick Cape Cod and I have hex floor tiles in both my pink bathroom and in my yellow bath. My sister has a “ranch” home that I think was built in the 50s and it too has the hex floor tiles all the different bathrooms.
This is an awesome website, BTW. Suddenly, I’m feeling very protective of my pink bathroom.
pam kueber says
Welcome, Gabbie. We’d love to see some pics of your house and bathrooms some time!
pam kueber says
Hi Joan. For security reasons, readers cannot upload photos. So email me with your picasaweb link…Again, yes, I’ve seen hex tiles in 50s houses – but I don’t know for sure how popular these were vs. the other choices. I think they’re fine. I recently saw some in the Re-Store – white with a little marble-ized glaze, and really liked them.
Joan Becich says
Hi Pam!
Do these hex tiles really fit for a 50’s bathroom or is this more appropriate to a 20’s or 30’s bungalow? I did see them at B and W, and I also saw little white squares….. I’d like to download a photo I took with two of my tiles as a possible floor choice. Is there a way to do that or should I send you a link to my picasa album?
Joan