Now here is some serous vintage bathroom porn: Satin Glide bathroom vanities, medicine cabinets, shelving — and even a Relaxion Unit to compete with Hall-Mack — all from a 1963 brochure. We see these metal vanities occasionally — I do not know if they really held up well to the humidity in a bathroom. We also see slanted wood vanities like this — like in Chris and Angela’s 1964 bathroom.
Catalogs and images like this: Great for design tips to recreate a 1960s bathroom. For example, I think it would be relatively easy — if you had a good cabinetmaker — to replicate this vanity in a lightweight MDF. And, you could trim it in metal kitchen countertop edging. I’ve even think those legs are getting easier to find now that the rest of the world has gone mid mod mad — finally catching on to us. Hey, I even think you could replicated the Relaxion Unit pretty easily.
Tip for slide show: Click on first image, it will enlarge, use arrows below each photo to move forward or back. You can start anywhere.
The whole ensemble of shapes and hues adds up to something very curious…and curiously satisfying; shades of what came before and hints of what might yet come; but Right Now isn’t quite present. The color pallete…
Purple
Lavender
Pink
Tan
Beige
Brown
Odd how it teeters on the razor’s edge between awful and fabulous. It doesn’t seem to ever settle on an esthetic certainty, almost like it intends to keep you moving along; getting your business taken care of and sending you out the door having never gotten a grasp on a definite vibe.
In fact, that era had the same effect on us “moderns” who were transiting through it.
I manage 36 apartment units that have these cabinets. Have held up very well. The only thing I am looking for are the plastic tracks that the doors ride on, or something similar that would work in their place. if anyone has any information it would be appreciated. Thanks
Try IFSCO http://ifscoind.com/
I have a satin-glide 24 inches wide wit 22 inches high.I need a light cover diffuser ,can you or any direct me to the correct place to order it was built 1966 you show picture of the sma cabinet its yellow in color or your web site .HELP.
Try this company, otherwise, I don’t know where to point you — https://retrorenovation.com/2014/04/29/curved-light-bar-replacement-shades-vintage/
Good luck
I love my vanity & slide mirrors but they need to be replaced is there any where i can buy a ” new” old one ? the satin glide ?
Wow, this is the only other place i’ve ever seen the “relaxation unit!” I had an apartment once that had one of these. The place was built in 1962 by engineers and had all kinds of retro charm. Not being a smoker, it never occoured to me that the little shelf next to the TP was for an ash tray. I think I had a glade candle in there!
I bought a ‘time-capsule’ house that was built in 1969. I’m the third owner. The place was well-maintained, and I got a great price on it because it needed ‘updating’.
I have two bathrooms with medicine cabinets in this same style. One has a broken handle on the door, but they’re both in pretty good shape. I’m not ready to update my bathrooms just yet, but it’s nice to know that my fixtures are of value!
I see my next cabinet project now!! Yes, I think solid wood – perhaps salvaged heart pine – with a durable paint finish would take bathroom conditions better than metal, and DEFINITELY better than particle board and foil finish (my present nightmare). But the lines are awesome! You just can’t buy great cabinetry like this anymore!
I had a late 60’s version of the medicine chest/mirror when I moved into my house. It was a similar model manufactured by Miami Carey, but was in such bad shape that I had to replace it. (hated to, but terrible inside rust, holes, chips, no handles and horrid mirror silvering was too much to deal; with). Wish I could have found a replacement model that was the same because I really liked the design of that style. I adore the vanity style and the cool wall hung toilet. (I’ve never seen one in person before) 🙂 To Kae: be patient — I have faith that you will find a fine replacement for ol’ blue!
Thanks, Jana. We just moved into this 1969 gem of a house and we love it, but we’ve been using a lot of patience.
We had a wood cabinet maker replicate Chris and Angela’s vanity, and it turned out quite nicely. Seeing these photos now gives me ideas for a match cabinet for above the toilet. That’s been puzzling me for a while. Saw Aurora in an open house this past weekend, but it was missing the cover for the light. Was it probably plastic? Think that would still be findable?
Our original blueprints for our bathroom show a half wall next to the toilet like the one pictured, but we weren’t confident how to add it back in. My minds eye had a relaxation cabinet built into it! Now I want to make it happen! These old ads always make the bathrooms look so big!
I saw the exact same “Starfire” slanted glass front towel cabinet at Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley a year ago. Excellent condition, same knobs and mottled glass. Loved it, but was afraid to ask the price because I knew it would not be pretty. It has haunted my dreams since.
I adore the recessed ‘relaxation unit’ (?!) for TP, ashtray, and magazines – and the privacy wall.