Update: World of Tile has now closed. I’ll leave this story up for a while at least, to show some of the amazing stuff they had.
My mega series of World of Tile wonder continues today with this new set of photos featuring ceramic mirrors… Italian lighting… decorative sinks… and faucets. World of Tile has an entire, HUGE room dedicated to these fixtures — this could be a store all its own! Most all of these were imported from Italy, in the 1970s and 1980s, I’d say. If I had a home built in the 70s or 80s that needed bathroom updates, I’d be all over these new old stock bathroom fixtures. A matching brown paisley sink, toilet and mirror set? Heck to the yeah! Oh — the lighting is all Italian GLASS — those aren’t acrylic pieces, folks. Luv. Click on through for the gallery of 30 photos — and that’s only a fraction of the stuff in this room! My head just keeps on spinnin’ –>
To see slide show, click on thumbnail, it will enlarge, use arrows below each image to move forward or back. You may stop or start at any image.
Diane says
Speaking of tile, um…..well, how about a question about tile fronts/mantels for mid century fireplaces? Our house was built in 1953 and has a rather large fireplace surround unit in thin bricks painted white. It’s not flush with the wall and looks rather cheap to me. I don’t think it would take much to pry it off the wall. There is no mantel on top anymore. What can I do? A lot of examples of MCM fireplaces have no mantels at all, but we’d like to have a place to hang our Christmas stockings. There are simple wood surrounds, but they don’t look quite “’50’s-ish” to me. Any suggestions would be welcome!
pam kueber says
Ok, I’ll put it on the list and start watching.
Lisa says
Do they have 50’s faucets? I just bought a neat ranch built in 1959 and it has the coolest bathrooms already, but, they changed the faucets in one of the bathrooms and they do NOT llok right. tried to see the ones ar Chicago faucet but cannot find any pictures on their website. Can anyone help?
Oh, it has turquoise blue, wood grain Formica ktchen cabinets!!!! SCREECH! I was SWOONING the first time I saw it!!!!
TappanTrailerTami says
Wow, just wow……….I’m a mere 3000 miles away, but it sure is fun to see all the pictures. Think I’m totally in LOVE with the 2 basin shell pedestal sink and columned tiles!
If only I were closer………….
Kathie says
Oh my goodness … Love, Love, Love so many things. The mirrors, the unique sinks – everything is so lovely! And I’m doubly excited to know this store is about 42 minutes from where I live. When I gut my bathrooms you know where I’m headed!
Marion Powell says
Kathie, That makes me so jealous, only 42 minutes away. I’m in Knoxville TN, about 14 hours away. But the store is quite close to the Big Apple where my younger brother lives. He may be getting the pleasure of my company sooner than he thinks. Lol
Marion Powell says
Just thought of an important consideration. Are the toilets low flush?
Marion Powell says
I emailed Chippy with this question. She said the toilets are Italian and not low flush. That leaves me out of that category but since the sinks and mirrors are to die foe, I’ll settle for that.
Evad Carpenter says
It isn’t necessarily “low flow” but you can put a couple of sealed 2 liter bottles full of water into the holding tank to displace some water volume. Just make sure you don’t put them where they will interfere with the mechanics. I have also heard of people putting paving bricks in the tank as well, but I have never tried it.
ChoirGirlKT says
In response to the post about putting bricks in the toilet tank to displace water, reducing water usage: I’ve done that with a verrrrrry old toilet and it works great!
Marion Powell says
Oh, where to begin. We may be putting in a bathroom downstairs (If my 91 year old mother has to move in). I was thinking of going the least expensive route(since there are two bathrooms upstairs) but after seeing some of those fixtures, gosh I may have to splurge. Since I don’t live in a 50’s house but love the era, I can mix and match when I want. Thanks for this wonderful source.
Trouble says
Hey, I know that lady in the mirror!
Jenny says
I LOVE the pendant light in no. 17! Also, I think the dolls popping out of sinks, sitting on the backs of toilets, etc. are an odd, but cute, touch. If I ever get out that way, I’m definitely checking them out. What an amazing store.
Just another Pam says
Amazing store!
While the checked and the paisley sinks et al are rather facinating most of these look more like they might work in some of the McMansions they are building around here after they kill a mid-century house to get the huge lot closer to downtown. I suspect the flowered sink with the marble counter and the brown base made the less is more fairy cry ;o)
On the other hand if I’d had access to their amazing tile selection I may well have been tempted to go another route.