YES, I AM OBSESSED with this sink. I have one — in white, although I also love this icy gray — in my garage on hold for my tiny, storage-challenged master bath; I am waiting to see if the retro decorating gods also send me the vanity. Meanwhile, I have finally learned its official name: It’s the Gracelynn Cabinet-Lavatory.  The toilet: The lovely Carlyle. You know it is one of my life goals to be able to name every midcentury toilet and sink on sight. This 1960 photo is from flickr friend Java1888, click the image to go straight to his photo stream. Another flickr friend, What Makes the Pie Shops Tick, has a 1965 American-Standard catalog posted where I found the name of this much-coveted sink, and more. Final note, I believe this sink was introduced in ‘59.

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If you own a 20s, 30s or 40s home with deco or streamline style and also have lots of dough re mi, this bathroom suite from Lefroy Brooks would be fun to consider. The faucet style is called “1950 Belair,” but I say it’s is “streamlined” style, which is defined by the period when products were designed to look like fast-moving objects, like steam-engine trains. To be sure, this streamline style blurred over into the 50s. But this faucet is so distinctive, it looks like it is preparing for take off. The Lefroy Brooks sinks are also beautiful. And you can get the entire suite – sink, tub, toilet - in Vespa Pink. Heaven, simply heaven!  Lefroy Brooks site.

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THANKS GO OUT TO JOAN (I *think*) for finding this new resource (other one here) for recessed porcelain ceramic bathroom soap dishes, shelves, towel bars and toilet paper holders. The manufacturer is HCP Industries, and they make these pieces in 33 colors, many of them great for a midcentury bathroom retro renovation. Click through for some tips on installing recessed shelves… a slide show and the link to HCP…

 

Some advice on recessed shelving in the bathtub surround:

• More is better, when it comes to shelving. I swear I am not a bathing beauty diva… I am very low maintenance in this regard… and even so, I have: shampoo, conditioner, super conditioner to keep my hair from getting all static electricity-y, shower gel, shaving cream, clearasil face wash, clearasil super scrubber, buffer cream stuff I got on a trip 2 years ago, etc. etc. etc. Now, aren’t you glad you know what’s in my bathtub.
• Also, if you have the choice, recess the shelves at the far back of the bathtub – not on the side. That way, when the shower curtain is open, you are not staring at the shelf.
• Oh and there’s more: I was told by the guy who installed the tiles in my tub surround, that after you shower, you should indeed leave the curtain open for as long as practical. This encourages the water on the tile and grout to evaporate, which will preserve the whole situation longer. I believe it.
• One last tip: Seal the grout in your shower/tub surround, too, he said.

Here’s the link to the HCP Industries webpages.

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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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WHEN I WAS RENOVATING my three bathrooms, I searched high and low for recessed soap dishes like this. I finally found them at a small Ohio Company, Apple Creek. (Separate post to come at some point.) But now, SableMable has also spotted this online site, Eclectic Ware, which seems to carry a big lineup of Lenape recessed bathroom ceramics – in white and a small selection of other basic colors. I’ve seen Lenape at Home Depot (I think) and at my flooring/tile store — but what’s great about this site is that they seem to have a much larger selection — included “recessed” and “semi-recessed”. The stuff is not cheap — but definitely a great detail for your bathroom retro renovation. Please note, that for the toilet paper holder, I kinda prefer chrome (or stainless steel, as per the Franklin Brass lines.) Thanks, Sable Mable!

And click through to see more photos.

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Wow. This company — Miscellanea Discontinued Bathroomware — claims to have more than 50,000 pieces of discontinued “sanitaryware” — toilets, sinks, bathtubs — making it the largest such salvage place in the world. “Over 100 Retro bathroom colours in stock including,” they say: “Coral Pink, Sky Blue, Champagne, Turquoise, Sunking, Primrose, Flamingo Pink, Pampas, Indian Ivory, Linden Green, Bali Brown, Misty Blue, Harvest Gold, Oyster, Whiskey, Wild Sage, Bone, 2-tone including Lilas Jaspe and of course Avocado, Avacado or if you prefer Avacardo…”

As you may be able to tell by the spellings of Avocado, sadly for us Americans, MDB is in Surrey, England, far far away. To be sure, a trip to London is now on my to-do list. But the heck with Big Ben — I’m going for the bogs! Oh, did I mention their website, brokenbog.com? I am taking it that bog = toilet?

Miscellanea says it has collected all these pieces by buying about-to-be discontinued stock direct from manufacturers. They add, “Whether you’ve got a smashed Sepia cistern or a broken Bermuda Blue bidet we can help, rather than going to the expense, disruption and downright mundanity of having a complete new White suite fitted.”

“The downright mundanity of white…” — These are my kind of people – and they now go into our Top Ten Bathroom posts.

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A PLANTER MOLDED RIGHT INTO A TOILET TANK LID? Well, this is a new one to me… found in this ad for a 1964 Eljer Estate toilet. And of course – LOVE it. Has anyone ever seen this? Let’s all be on the lookout. Like spotting rare and endangered species in the (retro)Amazon. Carry your cameras, readers!

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There’s nothing I like better than a pretty, midcentury toilet. This 1959 Ellis model from Eljer has wonderful lines, and came in 7 “decorator colors” including this great shade of pistachio green that is heading in a straight line toward avocado.

The text says that the toilet, along with coordinating bathtub and wallhung sink on chrome legs, were designed by the Dave Chapman firm. Chapman was a well-known industrial designer and seems to have had a long career with Montgomery Ward, in particular. See his IDSA bio here. Eljer has existed since 1904 and along with Crane, is today part of the American Standard brand. I keep an eye on Eljer’s product line … As far as retro renovation choices, they have one wall-hung sink (Murray II) and several simple toilets (with some of my favorite names: Titan…Diplomat…Patroit!) worth a look.

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So where else can you come to swoon over beautiful toilets (without a hangover being involved)!

Truly, when I was renovating my three bathrooms, I searched and searched for a retro style toilet. Most everything out there was “Victorian on steroids.” I swear – I could name ANY and EVERY toilet made in America by make and model on sight. It was really rather impressive, I was quite proud, I wanted a gold star.  I ended up with a milquetoast Kohler Wellworth.

Oh what I would give for three Crane Criterions JUST LIKE THIS.

This one is available now in deabath.com’s stash. Not cheap – but Fabulous! Here’s what they have to say about this particular model:

1951 Crane Criterion Elongated Close-coupled Toilet

A rare find! Supplied with the original saddle seat, this toilet just screams modernism. This was Crane’s top-of-the-line for 1951, and was only found custom, high-end homes . 12” rough, 3” waste, will fit most newer applications.. There is a crack, it’s been repaired and it’s not visible. (bottom of tank) This one will not last!
OT08910 Crane Criterion toilet 1095.00

Oh, and when I come back to my next life — I want to be the person who names toilets. I will do a whole riff on that soon!

And how about pairing it with this late 50s Crane Diana sink:

1950s Crane Diana console sink

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