40s bathroom — Retro Renovation

21 ideas for your 1940s ranch, bungalow or cape – 40s kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms and more

Posted by: pam kueber • January 19, 2009

Quickly after World War II ended, Americans plowed right into making a wonderful new life for themselves – starting with building their dream kitchens, dream bathrooms – dream houses. Looking at periodicals from 1946, I can see a few distinct trends – this was a transitional period…you still see many Deco influences…you see a lot of primary colors…and definitely, interiors were “sweet”, although in ’46 homeowners certainly would have declared them “modern.” Read on for ideas from each of six great interiors, including a bathroom, two living rooms and a bedroom. 1946 was a very good year! Heck yeah there is more →

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Retro bathroom: Black pearlescent toilet seat from Kohler

Posted by: Pam Kueber • July 15, 2008

Alexa was looking to dress up her dad’s 1951 bathroom, and I suggested she play up the black trim with a fancy black toilet seat. Well, here it is – the Black Pearlescent Kathyrn toilet seat from Kohler. Be sure to get the nickel hinges (chrome is also fine if that’s available.) The one caveat is that it is for elongated toilets only. If you have a round-front, all that I can find so far is plastic (not even wood). I’ll keep searching on that front.

One other thing – this is expensive, the list is around $250 as I recall, although you can find it cheaper online.

Also – it’s available in White Pearlescent. I have to say, if I had an elongated toilet, I would definitely get this, it is wonderful. And – I have seen precedent for it in vintage advertising.

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A 50s bathroom with dusty-grey-lilac tile

Posted by: pam kueber • July 12, 2008

My dad lives in an apartment building in Brooklyn that opened on April 1, 1951. I assume the bathroom is original. The bathroom floor tile is a (true) gray and white in a simple checkerboard pattern. The wall tile is a funky purplish-gray field with a black bullnose border. It doesn’t really go with the floor.

We’re going to renovate the bathroom, and I’d like to be able to keep at least the wall tile, but the color is impossible to coordinate. It’s not gray and it’s not purple. Have you seen this color before? What should I do with the walls and floor if I keep it?

Thanks so much,
Alexa in Brooklyn

Thanks for the photos, Alexa – what a gorgeous gorgeous color that tile is! In the palettes of the late 40s and early 50s you do see some dusty lavenders, but I have to admit you are the first reader to send in a bathroom this color. Here are some thoughts:

This bathroom definitely has a deco feel to me. For additional tiles, if you need replacements, the only place I know to send you is B&W Tile in California.
And I must say: Unless that floor is destroyed, please keep it! The photo does not show it in great detail – but from what I can see, it’s gorgeous as well! And I think you can work with the grey. It is neutral.
Put a black toilet seat and lid on that toilet to play up the black trim. The best you can buy, like, really substantial. I need to do some research on this…It’s bizarre to even think about “good” toilet seats, but I think there are truly deluxe ones out there worth the investment – like, with marbling and stuff. This will be fun. I think: Kohler…Barbara Baker or some high-style designer. Wicked expensive.
Finally, how about vintage wallpaper to perk that bathroom right up: I had to work hard to find the possibility below for you, it’s from Hannah’s. Can your dad handle a floral? If you’re doing wallpaper, you want to be careful regarding the scale – you’ve got 4″ tiles creating one kind of pattern, and then those smaller floor tiles creating their own thing, too. A wallpaper must complement but not compete. I really kind of like this floral, although if you can hunt some more and find something more deco, maybe with some metallic shine, that might be the very best. As I recall, Secondhand Rose is right there in Manhattan – maybe you could go hunt through their stocks? Yowza, what fun. I’d also recommend Bradbury & Bradbury – but nothing in purple family there.
Oh and accessories: Put in a brushed steel-style hamper, the wicker is clashing, it’s jumping out too much. Can you find one built-in side towel bar to fit the sink-from a salvage place perhaps? That way, the hand towels could move there. (Do you understand this suggestion?) For shower curtain, towels and rug: I would tend to think darkish grey, you want these to recede. But no need to make a final decision on this, until the other elements are completed.