Yes — we are all dedicated to Save The Pink Bathrooms — but that quest is just emblematic, of course. We love midcentury bathrooms of all colors – blue, yellow, pinky-beige, grey, green, salt n pepper… I recently spotted some great images from Tiki Lisa’s blue bathroom (after the jump), and it got me to thinking… Let’s pull together all our blue bathrooms for a comprehensive look at this classic midcentury color. 22 bathroom inspirations in all.
Above is Tiki Lisa’s bathroom faucet. I have not seen one quite like it, until now. I love her tile-in sink. And notice the tile, it appears to be the gold granite salt and pepper style. You can still get this today, folks.
Here’s another angle on Lisa’s wonderful blue sink and faucet. I’m all for crystal faucets if they have a nice solid hand feel, as the old ones often do.
And here’s Lisa’s coordinating toilet, set against vintage blue wallpaper. See more of Tiki Lisa’s photos on flickr, and on her blog Atomic Tea Party. Thanks, Lisa! 🙂
Meanwhile, here’s another new-to-the-blog vintage blue bathroom, 1963, in this home for sale by Uncle Jack. Notice that cute daisy wallpaper. I love the look of the vanity. And darn, I want to see the floor and toilet better. You can still get mirror-cabinet combo’s like these from Nutone. See the listing via the lefthand column of VeryVintageVegas.com.
In another news update, one of our readers just wrote to say that she is buying this wonderful 1959-era American Standard sink and vanity, one of our favorite styles ever ever, and featured in a recent Retro Radar. See the complete 1959 suite here, in green. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the deal works out! Now… for some previously featured posts…
Above: One of the coolest blue bathrooms ever in this 1964 time capsule, so well designed and featuring all the latest gizmos. Click on the first image to start the slide show.
Luminous blue tub, toilet and sink from deabath.com.
Vintage blue fixtures in a grey bathroom…includes a great vintage American Olean tile set of fishes.
We love Cinderella bathtubs.
50s and 60s bathrooms used to have laminate countertops in styles like this. Swoon.
Feeling groovy in this mid mod bathroom from Chile. Red punches up blue so beautifully.
One of our favorite longtime readers, Palm Springs Stephan, gutted his condo bathroom and replaced it with this wonderful retro renovation.
Alice’s blue bathroom floor tile. (Stephan copied the design for his tile floor from Alice’s original.)
A Las Vegas time capsule bathroom. Be sure to see this post for the great Moe lighting in the dining room.
Michael’s very cool bathroom, Worthington, Ohio. Great tile and a wall-mount toilet — we haven’t seen many of these toilets yet, except in literature from the period. Very, very cool.
How much do we love Alice’s bathroom (and kitchen and whole house) in Richmond, Va. Let us count the ways, it’s nearly Perfect!
Are blue bathrooms getting your attention yet? Scantily clad genies may help: 1956 Eljer ad.
More advertising inspiration: 1953 Kohler bathroom with two tones of blue tile.
Here’s tile that would look great with the sinks. Again, very Romany Spartan-inspired.
Did I mention that when I renovated my three 1951 bathrooms I made one of them blue? It’s probably the favorite one in the family – very cheery, classic, too. My field tile came from Olympia – who have now discontinued this Maple Leaf tiles. But this color, essentially a ‘heron blue’ or ‘robin’s egg blue’, is available now by other large brands. Good news – there’s almost nothing more affordable than thsi 4×4″ field tile… and the look is spot-on for retro renovations. Update you interiors to be sympathetic to the original styling and period of your home — and the results will surely have a more timeless appeal.
Do you want to renovate or create a vintage-style blue bathroom of your very own? Check out all the resources researched in my Bathroom Category.
Pat says
You might be able to save the sink. Have you contacted a company that can re-glaze it? They can repair rusted through holes. You might have to have it done every 4 or 5 years, but you will still have your sink, and the cost is much less than purchasing a new one.
Ross says
Can anyone suggest a supplier for rectangular drop-in sinks of the variety shown in the house for sale by Uncle Jack? Our wonderful limey Austin water eats enamel, and my55-year-old model is about shot through. The sink measures 19″x18″. Thanks much.
theresa says
Love the blue. Would love to see a post on green bathrooms! We have a 1954 green tub, tile, toilet, but unfortunately an updated floor, and sink/vanity.
MrsErinD says
Ok, will do it real soon! :O)
I am working on the rest of the house, the living and dining are about done, mostly all vintage furniture and accessories of course, haha, but want to get hopefully a vintage couch in august for my birthday, it will look much better than what I have now, but I’ll get pics this week and send them!
MrsErinD says
Woohoo for blue bathrooms! We have a blue bathroom, built in 1950, it has blue tile with white trim, the built in ceramic soap thingys, white kohler tub, and gorgeous vanity at least I think, it’s like the spungold textolite, but not only the top is that, the whole vanity is covered in the textolite stuff, it’s so cute! I accented in pink with pink vintage flower shower curtain and pink vtg window curtain with white pom poms, and of course you gotta have the blue chalkware fish! ;O) I’ll have to upload pics to flicker soon.
pam kueber says
MrsErinD — we need to see pictures right away. I say: Right away! There is almost nothing I like more than laminate-covered vanities. And in spungold textolite! Heavenly! Send me some pics and I’ll do a post. Email: retrorenovation [at] gmail [dot] com!
The crazy suburban mom says
When I was growing up the main bathroom was blue, my parents bathroom off the master bedroom was pink (the kitchen was pink too) I thought the colors were awful. Now I would so totally love them for my own.
I knew nothing as a kid. 🙂
tracy
Susan says
Congrats on your quote in The New York Times.
I do not have a tub where I live, I long for a soak.
Elvis (aka) Jane says
Great overview, Pam. With your research, there are so many wonderful choices for appropriate bathroom retro-renovations. I like the original formica countertops in our baths, but I’d LOVE to replace the shower interiors and the “updated” sheet vinyl on the floors with tile. It’s an absolutely classic finish!
sablemable says
OMG! I love blue bathrooms almost as much as pink bathrooms!
Nice collection, Pam, thank you!
Margaret Roach says
So happy to see you quoted in The New York Times today, in their time-capsule house story. Brilliant!
(Also brilliant: those red tights coming out of the blue bathtub above. Hilarious.)