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Retro bathroom: Black pearlescent toilet seat from Kohler

Posted by: • 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.

A 50s bathroom with dusty-grey-lilac tile

Posted by: • 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.

Alexa, let us know how it all turns out! This is a really beautiful bathroom – the quality is amazing. What a wonderful daughter you are!

Retro bathroom: Crane shower bases in terrazzo — a most noble, retro material!

Posted by: • July 9, 2008

These terrazzo shower bases from Crane look like the real deal. The website says that they truly are marble chips embedded in concrete, then polished to a high gloss. I have shower bases in two of my three bathrooms, and when I renovated about 5 years ago, I went with simple white Swanstone solid surface. While the Swanstone has worked out fine, I definitely would have checked out these Crane bases, if I’d known about them. Terrazzo is a most noble, retro material! These bases come in several colors (hint: go neutral) and sizes (hint: go minimum 36″x42″). Here’s the link to the Crane page.

Hey, if you have a Swanstone or fiberglass base, the only thing I can get to really keep it clean it Lysol Basin Tub & Tile Cleaner. The liquid spray is best – my husband actually orders it online. Using this cleaner, I really can keep the white base looking like new – although it may take several soaking applications. Suzie Homemaker (a real joke, you can bet), over and out.

Lawrence Bill asks for more ideas for his 50s bathroom floor

Posted by: • June 5, 2008

So many readers have sent emails over the past few weeks … and then I was sidetracked by the hacker … that my new #1 goal for the site is to make my way through them. There are questions… suggestions… photos, tons of great stuff. So look forward to the blitz! Heck yeah there is more →

Replicating Alice’s blue 50s bathroom tile floor

Posted by: • May 7, 2008

Palm Springs Stephan noticed how cool Alice’s blue bathroom floor was, and is now working to replicate it in his California bathroom. He’s using unglazed mosaic’s, I believe, and I can’t wait to see the results. I also think you could use matte finish just fine. Alice was kind enough to send close ups of her floor so we could figure out how to replicate it.

If you’re looking for an authentic floor design – and one that’s not too expensive, either — this is a great find. 4×4 field tiles, and 1×1 mosaics are abundant in many colorways from Daltile and American Olean (which are owned by the same company) and, I am sure, other regional makers in your area.

What I also like about this floor, is that you can make it basically neutral via the larger tiles — but with just a little punch in the mosaics. A nice compromise.

  • See Alice’s green bathroom, too! Click a couple of times on the photo and it will fill your screen for a good close up of the design. Clearly – the pattern was sold in sheets; don’t try to piece this together yourself, you will go insane.

And see these other two posts for other mosaic tile ideas:

By 1961, there were 46 colors of Case toilets (and presumably, sinks and bathtubs, too)

Posted by: • April 21, 2008

It seems that many readers are trying to find just one or two matching pieces to bring their original bathrooms back to their full glory. Sinks seem to be big contenders in this search – they get dinged or otherwise worn out, or they were replaced at some point with plain white.

I was amazed when I saw in this 1961 ad, that Case made 46 distinct colors by that time. Holy cow, that’s too many choices! I don’t want to be a downer on a Monday spring morning – but be forewarned, anyone trying to recreate a very particular look, in a bathroom or elsewhere for that matter, that this is a quest not for the faint of heart. And as I got into my retro renovations, I actually got more picky, not less, that everything be “just so.” This is not a bad thing, I think of it ultimately as artistry. But, it takes time. If you are up for it, the decorating gods will be teaching you the virtue of patience.

Retro bathrooms: New-old-stock Crane sinks and toilets

Posted by: • April 12, 2008

Hunting for a particular sink for a particular reader I came across this photo and this story. It just blew me away, I could barely contain myself. This is from a salvage place, Recycling the Past, in New Jersey. The link is at the end of this post. Here is what their website says about this treasure trove of new-old-stock Crane sinks and toilets:

Essentially all these great plumbing fixtures date from the late 1950’s to early 1970’s and have never been installed. In fact, the first time they’ve seen the light of day was when we opened the boxes here at our shop. These factory direct condition sinks have been sitting in a warehouse for over 30 years untouched. It is our pleasure to offer our loyal customers the opportunity to own one of these great treasures. We must have really lucked out, because they are not “average” sinks, rather they are manufactured by Crane Plumbing of Chicago. Crane was started in the early part of the 20th century by entrepreneur and statesman Charles Crane. Charles was actually the ambassador to China at one point and was said to have refined his skills of making Vitreous China directly overseas. The company was founded to offer only the highest quality porcelain and cast iron plumbing fixtures available

Cut and paste this link into your browser to see the complete selection; I didn’t research the price, will someone add a comment if you really look into it? Thanks! url: http://www.recyclingthepast.com/newoldstock.asp

Alice’s picture perfect yellow Geneva kitchen… pink bathroom…and blue bathroom — a festival of 50s cheer

Posted by: • April 10, 2008

Alice\'s yellow Geneva kitchen

Alice\'s blue 50s bathroom

Alice\'s pink 50s bathroom

Sleeping Bee Alice writes:

Hello, I am a novice retrorenovator…and am loving your website.

My husband and I are leaving our modern, brand-spanking new customized kitchen for a charming 1950′s yellow Geneva kitchen in a home that we have fallen in love with. I’m having trouble thinking through the “enhancement” of the kitchen…the cabinets are in great shape and we really like the look…we have to replace the outdated wallpaper, bad flooring and yellow countertops. The fridge was gone.

I really enjoyed all the pink kitchens pictures…any such resources for yellow kitchens? (Pale, maize yellow.)

For future thought, we are also inheriting three fabulous tiled bathrooms…one pink, one blue, one aqua…will be looking here for complimentary design ideas for those as well…no gutting going on here!

Thanks!

No — thank you, Alice! For all the wonderful photos — and for letting us know, another sweetheart of a middle class mid-century home is being saved. Hallelujah!

Since this is already a long post, what with all the photos, you’ll get some suggestions tomorrow!

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