Retro Renovation

Get everything you need to restore your 40s 50s or 60s bathroom right here. Be sure, though, to Search and/or check the Category on main site - I may have added something, or you may find inspiration from a reader home. There is TONS on the site about bathrooms - these are only the basics.

Sink choices:

• Lots of great choices from Kohler - click here
• Some nice choices from American Standard - click here
• Buy a wall hung — click here
• And add chrome legs — from deabath.com (preferred) or Franklin Brass
• Spend a lot at Waterworks, nice! — click here

Lavatory faucets:

• An 8″ spread and a 4″ spread, each with two handles - click here
• A single-handle 4″ that’s fine - click here

Countertop laminates and vanity choices:

• See my complete Resource-Basics page, which includes my choices for bathroom vanities - click here
• If you want a solid surface material, I like the look of that Caesarstone-Blizzard
• For a vanity: Use MDF. Painted. Full overlay doors.
• See Category: Cabinet hardware selections - click here

Tubs:

• Several classic choices from Kohler - click here

Shower pan and doors:

• Terrazzo from Crane or Fiat - click here
• Swanstone solid surface or Tile ready - click here
• Shower doors: Get the very basic sliding door installation, mottled glass or fluted glass

Bath & shower fixtures

• Retro style Delta - click here

Toilets:

• A basic round-bowl toilet suitable for a 40s, 50s or 60s home - click here
• An elongated toilet suitable for a 60s or 70s home - click here

Toilet seats:

• In 94 colors! - click here
• Black, and white pearlescent elongated from Kohler, nice - click here

Toilet tank covers:

• Yes, someone hoards these for re-sale! - click here

Lighting:

• Please see my Resource-Basics Lighting Page - click here
• See “What Else?” below - for instructions regarding putting an exhaust fan/light in tub/shower. Two sets of lights — one in the tub/shower, and another over/flanking your sink/mirror - should be enough, if your bathroom is a typical small bathroom. If you need a third - recessed or very low profile - ceiling/centered.

Ceramic tile flooring for retro bathrooms:

Tile floor:

• American Restoration Tile - unglazed porcelain mosaics - click here
• Daltile mosaics - really nice - click here
• Penny rounds from Modwalls - click here
• B&W - pink source and more - click here
• American Olean Chloe is a nice choice - click here
• I love the 60s and 70s style tiles from S.J. Masters - click here
• Note: I recommend tile floors for their waterproofing. A resilient or wood floor may be okay for an infrequently used guest bath, powder room or half-bath.

Wall tile:

• B&W - for pink and other vintage colors - click here
• S.J. Masters “Flintstone tile” (also for countertops and maybe floors) - click here
• Also check complete, current selection of ceramic 4×4 field tiles from: Daltile, American Olean and U.S. Ceramic

Rugs and towels:

• 25 colors from Lands End - click here
• Bath rugs from J.C. Penney - click here

Chrome accessories:

• Lots of towel bars, toilet holders, soap holders, etc. from Franklin Brass - click here
• Vintage recessed Hall-Mack — if you can find it! - click here
• How to re-chrome your existing fixtures - click here

Wallpaper:

• Your retro renovation bathroom needs wallpaper! Try Bradbury.com - and ask for the special bathroom coating to deal with the moisture

Window treatments:

• I used simple pleated shades in my bathroom
• I also recommend 2″ metal blinds - click here
• You can add a pleated valance
• And/or pleated curtains

Recreate a complete Pink Bathroom - click here

What else?

• In most climates, you need an exhaust fan! Put it on a standalone switch - and add a timer so that you can leave it on for 10 minutes.
• I like to put the exhaust fan in the tub and/or shower and use the kind that includes the light. Put the light on its own switch.
• Medicine cabinets - I don’t have any posts on this. I tend to prefer large vintage etched mirrors - if you don’t need the storage. If you do need the storage - use a vintage cabinet or a good quality simple cabinet new.
• Other storage - can be created by building into a wall. I prefer doors - I used old folding shutters, framed in. Quite sweet.
• Wastepaper basket: Fun to find at estate sales
• Scales: Ditto - find something vintage. DO NOT USE. Dangerous to your health, both medical and physical. You don’t need one of these to tell you if you need to lose a few pounds! They are decorative only.

Salvage places:

• Deabath.com - great service, experts at Crane, know their stuff

Yummy historical tile examples:

• Combine 4×4 and 1×1 tiles in an authentic 50s way - click here
• An authentic pattern for 2×2 and 1×1 porcelain ceramic floor tiles - click here

Design inspiration:

• A great 40s color palette - click here
• A sweet 1949 bathroom for folks who’d been through a lot - click here
• A bathroom in blue - click here
• 1959 green and blue American Standard - click here
• Charming Jadeite green - click here

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