Make a pledge to Save the Pink Bathrooms, and you never know: You might become the lead story on Retro Renovation. Sheila’s story about her vintage pink bathroom was so perfect (and her bathroom, so dreamy) that I just had to feature it.
All photos are of Sheila’s updated bathroom. Her Pledge:
When my husband and I bought our 1950 ranch-style home in Michigan, we had a definite consensus on one room being that “the pink bathroom has got to go”. The bubble gum pink tile with burgundy trim; the floor that gives some a sense of vertigo if it is stared at too long was the epitome of a bathroom that I could not picture myself owning, let alone liking. I am a practical person though. That pink bathroom was obviously built to last. The tiles and floor were solid. It was hard to justify ripping this room down first as our house was one fraught with “opportunities”. Many more pressing projects were higher on the agenda. So dropping the bomb on the pink nightmare was postponed.
I pondered this bathroom for several months, confounded. The previous owners had given it battleship grey cupboards and trim; grey wallpaper with a burgundy floral design. It had gold metal glass shower doors that were impossible to keep clean, a door and a ceiling with obvious mould issues. It had two hideous glass light bars on either side of the mirror, also impossible to keep clean. Still I was completely stumped on how to tone down what felt like screaming pink. Inaction was really my only option, figuring one day the solution would come to me, and barring that a wrecking ball was an option.
After a kitchen renovation, new furnace, basement waterproofing, basement makeover and 2 kids later, my attention turned once again to fixing up what my daughter calls “the Barbie Dream House bathroom”.
Still, dang it — that tile was solid as the day it was installed. Then it occurred to me that I should just learn to love this bathroom, play up how incredibly campy it was and stop thinking about ways to tone it down or minimize it. I turned to the internet.
The day I Googled “fun pink bathroom” was the day that I found this website. Suddenly I began to think that maybe I actually owned something kind of cool. You can be the judge on the final product but I honestly am so proud of how it turns out. Bright, clean, unique and above all, PINK. And I’m finally more than OK with that.
Thanks Pam!Sheila, Defender of Old Pink Bathrooms
Of course, I had one more question for Sheila, to which she responded:
My dog’s name is Maggie, rescued from the pound on Memorial Day weekend this year. She is very sweet and being a JRT, she is a handful.
And, Sheila confirms that is indeed a fluted (reeded?) piece of built-in glass between the bathroom countertop and adjacent dressing table. Yowza. Serious Love. Now that I look, Sheila, where did you get the new light bars that flank the mirror? I love the effect…very glamarama Hollywood backstage dressing room-like. Works really well to light up the bubble gum pink.
Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that there is pretty much nothing that makes me happier than pretty pastel bathrooms – saved… and their owners, converted. Sheila, your bathroom is spectacular! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
HollyP says
Love it! My Boston-area home had the same decorator as Pam & Angie. I even have steam heat, too! I was fortunate to find a pink & brown striped shower curtain which complemented the pink tile and 1970s faux walnut vanity in my bathroom, so I’ve decorated around that… removed the burgundy flowered wallpaper older than my husband and the most hideous light fixture ever seen, installed a new stainless light fixture and coordinating stainless door handles for the vanity, and my bathroom is totally presentable. I have learned to embrace the delicate cameo pink tiles!
Stephanie says
Just found your site and I LOVE it! I will definitly be voting for you in The Homies! When I saw this pink bathroom post I got so excited. I don’t live in a mid century home (well, kinda, mid 19th century) but I’ve always adored them. I went to an estate sale at such a home this fall and it was decked out floor to ceiling in that opulent mid century glamour/glitz Hollywood style. The hallway had gold foil wallpaper with black velvet damask print and two bathrooms were pink, one pink and gold and the other pink and black. A third bathroom was purple, gold and white, with damask wallpaper on the ceiling. It was glorious! Over the top, yes! But so wonderful! As I kept gushing over how great it all was, the other shoppers were looking at me like I had two heads. I couldn’t help but worry that someone was going to move in, tear it all out and paint the walls all beige and sage green,( No offense to those colors!) I’m so happy to see that there are other people out there who treasure these styles as part of our architecural legacy. Happy New Year!
Tamara Babbitt says
Great bathroom! I am also in Michigan and our tile looks a lot like yours! We have two original tile bathrooms in our 1952 ranch house. Had to laugh because I have the same shower curtain in one of my bathrooms.
angie says
No joke, my bathroom sports those exact tiles in those EXACT colors. I love it! It’s so cute!
pam kueber says
angie — lucky you!!!!!
retromomof3 says
Thankyou for saving this glorious pink empowered room! My only suggestion would be some barkcloth curtains!
Kathie says
What a gorgeous bathroom – so clean & sparkly! I love the lights and the glass divider. A big congratulations to you for waiting and thinking about this make-over. It’s absolutely perfect.
WLBrown1966 says
BRAVO, BRAVO to Sheila for saving that bathroom!! How sad it would have been to destroy such a beautiful piece of history. Yes, to some it may seem silly to place such importance on saving an old pink bathroom, but in today’s stressful, crazy, rat race of a world it’s the act of remembering those terrific days gone by that get us through! Rock on retro renovators!
Sheila says
Sumac sue: only one sink in this bathroom; on the other side of the fluted glass divider is a three drawer dressing table (in front of the toilet) which I imagine at one time had a fancy tuck-away chair that the lady of the house sat upon to apply her makeup. Probably June Cleaver.
Sheila says
Jane (aka Elvis): When the time is right, your solution will hit you like a thunder bolt! I think acceptance of the element that gives you the most heartburn is the key. Taxi-cab yellow sounds like it could be very fun conundrum to solve.
sumac sue says
This is at least the third house featured recently that’s in Michigan. Great retro reno stuff going on there. Am I seeing things correctly — is that wavy glass above the sink actually a divider between two sinks? It’s so pretty. Sheila and her pup look so content. That’s great.