Reader Russell also has recommended Locke Plumbing for hard-to-find toilet replacement parts. Apparently they have a good system to identify the exact parts you need based on the brand and model number – it worked spectacularly for him, he reports. Here’s the link to Locke Plumbing’s toilet part guide. Thank you, Russell!

Meanwhile – isn’t Kelly’s bathroom great? She has not moved in yet and gearing up to use tips from the site to clean up her tile. In particular look at the shower – real leaves are laminated into the plastic. And this is one of the first examples that I have seen of a full-sized walk-in shower. I like the way the floor pan is set – the way they handled the tile. Thanks for sharing, Kelly – we look forward to seeing more of your house.

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I HAVE BEEN FEELING ANXIOUS about getting this new toilet recommendation out there into the retro universe. I see a nice toilet good for a midcentury bathroom — and the world must know. It must know!! This is the Gerber Ultra-Flush, and doesn’t it have lines reminiscent of the lovely 50s model in Susan’s yellow bathroom? I like it a lot. Gerber’s website, I don’t like it so much, though. Here’s how to get straight to the Ultra-Flush page. I think there may be another toilet like this Gerber out there, but one with swoopier less angular lines on the tank. I must find it. I must!!

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Drum roll, please. I’m adding a second toilet recommendation for 40s and 50s houses to the Bathroom list: The Kohler Cimarron two-piece, round-front. This model joins the Kohler Wellworth on the list of toilets that get my nod for having some modicum of a retro look. Or, damning with faint praise: They are at least not “Victorian on steroids.”

As my old story goes, when I was re-doing my three bathrooms I sweated over the toilet choice more than any other. At one point I swear I could name any toilet sold in America by make and model, on sight. Most had way too many design flourishes for my retro-taste. And now today, you have the designs with NO flourishes whatsoever, the Euro-styles.

The best model I found all things considered was the Wellworth, so I went for it. Now, I add the Cimarron. It has the same basic look — however, the tank is more rounded, less angular. I like it.

In fact, I should be adding some more from other makers, because in the 4 years since I’ve done my bathrooms, there have been other toilets that have come on the market that would pass the test. But you get the idea from these two Kohler models.

Notes: If you have a midcentury modern 60s house – you can go for a one-piece elongated model. These have a more modern look. The round-front generally takes up less space, though – another consideration if your bathroom is narrow.

And don’t forget:  Chrome handle, and painted wood seat and cover also attached with chrome.

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Where can you find the perfect pink, peach, blue, sunset tan, mint green or harvest gold toilet seat for your vintage toilet? We have three basic answers to this common question about updating your 40s 50s 60s or 70s bathroom – including a new-found source. A typical plea:

Hello,

I am new to your site, brought here because I am about to purchase a Las Vegas home built in 1970 (it will be the first house I’ve lived in that is younger than me).  The bathrooms have unusually shaped toilets, in a sort of peachy color.  Anyway, the toilet seats on them are an attempt to match the color, but not a good one, and the size/shape is obviously wrong too.  I am wondering if there are sources to buy seats that matching color and shape for what I assume is original.  I’d love to have them to put right away when we move in.

Thanks, Tami

A couple of answers so far:

• Bemis’ Color Direct Program
• Locke Plumbing — this is the “new source” — their image is above
• Plastic white marbleized seat here on Amazon — what do you think?? Too cheesy? Have I lost my mind?
• And here are a bundle of novelty toilet seats available in the U.K. — yes, I have lost my mind, it’s clear.
• For anything Crane, try deabath.com
• Buy a wood seat and paint it yourself – see Palm Springs Stephan’s comment in the Bemis story for more info
• And remember: You can always go with black or wood – which might look great depending on your color scheme

See what I do for fun – I research toilet seats.

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I think I have finally lost my marbles. Jumping up and down in my office, all excited to find a company that offers 94 different colors of toilet seats… and dying to share it — to stop the presses — to postpone the planned laminate story — get this NEWS on the blog!

Thanks to Sales Manager John at deabath.com, who provided a quick-as-a-flash answer to my question about where to find vintage-color toilet seats. I think John knows everything. Readers: Send me questions. Let’s test him! I’ll get a radio show. Like Click and Clack, only… about Vintage Plumbing.

So, the company that performs this wonderful service to all of mid mod America, is Bemis Inc. from Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Elongated, or round-bowl. Plastic – but it will do if I wanted…needed…the perfect pink toilet seat.

Here’s the url direct to order the perfect color toilet seat of your very own!

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Where can I buy a tank cover for my vintage toilet?

Do you need a cover for your vintage toilet tank? Here’s the place to go, they have more than 10,000 varieties of vintage tank covers in stock: http://www.plumbingsupply.com/tanklids.html

Pretty amazing, huh?! Of course, I also went right to their FAQ for this one:

How did you get into the unique business of selling toilet tank lids?”

Over thirty years ago our founder Vic began saving toilet tank lids. It’s his passion. He loved how unique they all were as well as saw how much history was in each toilet tank lid. In 1980 Vic started offering his vast inventory of toilet tank covers in Northern California. Fifteen years later in 1995 when he started our Internet store he offered/showed his inventory of toilet tank lids on-line. We were the first by far on the Net and we still have the largest selection of toilet tank lids any on the Internet by far. Experience and longevity does make big difference. We’ve heard it said that: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” and so we look at our competition and feel flattered.

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A Monday reader FAQ:

I’ve been using Google to search for a replacement tank for my 1952 Crane pink toilet. I stumbled upon this site and was wondering where are the places I should be entering my plea? Do you have any suggestions for me?

Thanks, Jane

Jane: This is likely a needle-in-the haystack search – to get the exact brand, year, color. Here are a few sources:

• DEAbath.com. On Crane especially.
• HistoricHouseParts.com
• This place in New Jersey — There appear to be pink new-old-stock Crane toilets here (photo above)!
• And salvage yards and craigslist where you live.

Readers – Please contribute your thoughts! And Jane, let us know how it turns out.

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There is nothing that makes a true retro renovator happier, than finding the perfect toilet.

I have a 50s house, so I must have a 2-piecer. And today, there is nothing new that really fits that old groove so my recommendation is basically, something innocuous.

However, if you have 60s home with a more defined modern style, you can go with a 1-piece elongated toilet like this Champion Elongated from American Standard. I particularly would like to see this suite — including the toilet, tub and sink — in gray. Or: Match it to the sinks in today’s ebay pick.

And remember: Painted wood seat, chrome attachment hardware.

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I could name every toilet at 100 yards, when I was in the market a few years ago. As with everything, I searched endlessly to find a model to replicate the original 50s toilets in my 3 bathrooms. Alas, most everything was “Victoriana on steroids.” Ultimately, I chose Kohler Wellworth, which was streamlined, simple & with good flush ratings(!)

I am very happy. I ordered white, with a chrome handle, and white toilet seats also with chrome attachments. Also: “NO!” to one-piece or elongated, you must get “two-piece, round bowl.” And as I mentioned, this model has done well in testing, as there can be issues with these low flow models. I think Congress is considering the issue. I am serious!

There are other options out there – from Gerber and Toto – that also get good ratings and which have a similar, simple design. I approve.

Finally, if you’re doing a 60s bathroom retro renovation, the one piece elongateds fit fine in there. In fact, I love them as part of a suite of grey fixtures, as one example.

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