Since we’ve been on a bathroom roll, I thought that spotlighting these 1959 Kohler sinks – “lavatory sinks” with chrome legs and towel bars — would be fun. Aren’t the colors and designs just beautiful?
Here’s an entire suite (below). For those of you trepidatious about going too colorful with the fixtures and tile, this photo exemplifies how combining a two neutrals — in this case, white and gray — along with snazzy (low risk $) wallpaper and shower curtain can deliver a very stylish retro effect. If you want to buy new fixtures today – the grays tend to be lighter, but the idea still holds. As reader Laurie of 1951 Ranch Redo pointed out in the post about Sebastian’s Montreal bathroom recently, choosing towels with the dark accent trim also is a really nice touch.
ML Smith says
I have two of these sinks in my home (blue and green) with the towel bars. Any clever ideas for storage underneath?
Adrienne says
These pictures give me new appreciation for the guest bathroom in the 1959 home I bought last year. We’ve got that blue/gray Kohler suite in the “pleasing budget bathroom” photo. Trouble is, it hadn’t been cleaned for 50 years. Magic Erase can only do so much. I will replace the rusted fixtures, but can anyone advise on how to restore the sink and tub to the original sparkle and where to find a replacement toilet seat in that blue/gray color?!
pam kueber says
Hi Adrienne, my Bathrooms/Toilets category has answers on the toilet seats. Regarding how to clean — be careful, don’t use anything abrasive. You might want to contact Kohler and see what they recommend. Another idea: see the cleaning products listed by Deabath.com (an advertiser) here: http://deabath.com/General_Store/Cleaners/cleaners.html . They could probably also advise you what’s best to try after discussing the condition. Tell them I sent you. Good luck!
Ty Myers says
I am wanting to purchase a white or blue toned vintage wall hung bathroom sink which has a built in soap bar holder molded into the china sink bowl.
I have seen one in a magazine. I am wondering who manufactured this so I can locate and purchase the same.
Any help would be so appreciated.
Ty Myers
Lugine says
Any idea where you can find just the towel bars to add to an already existing sink?
pam kueber says
A tough one. Different sinks have different distances between the holes, underneath, front-to-back, where you bolt in the towel bar. Get underneath, measure. Take your measurements, take them with you to Re-Store, and look for towel bars that will fit. Repeat over and over and over and over and over, till you get lucky. Then, futz to get them to stay in. Actually, if you get the brackets — you can cut down the towel bar to fit. If you have legs, the legs kind of hold them in… Good luck.
ellen says
I have a green bath suite with a sink that looks like the yellow one. Thanks for finding the ad!