Now that I have Kate, I can work on my email inbox. Which is ugly. There are going to be lots of stories like this. From old emails, maybe very old emails, maybe very very very old emails. My bad. And even worse: I can’t find the email from whence this lovely bathroom photo came. I do know it’s Margie’s bathroom — I saved this photo as “Margies bathroom” stat, because I love her story: This is her bathroom “after” she replaced some sort of other flooring material with this awesome penny round floor tile that I am pretty sure she told me she bought from American Universal Ceramic.
Margie, reveal thyself to accept your righteous acclaim at such a lovely bathroom and brilliant floor tile solution. This photo is a little blurry — I’m thinking your wall tiles are mottled peachy pinky white. I recall that Margie told me that she combined a few shades of the penny round tiles onto the floor — what a great idea to mix up things up a bit. This bathroom reminds me of cotton candy — what a lovely confection.
Seriously, Margie, I am so sorry to have lost your email info. Contact me and I will happily add more information about your project. Well done!
Rebecca prichard says
Beautiful!
Margie C. says
Hi Pam! Here I am…
The new floor tile is American Universal, but it’s not penny round it’s 1″ hex. I included a close-up photo of the tile on your “Vintage Bathroom Tile: 171 photos” photo page–it’s the 6th one after my bathroom shot, and the one after that is my pink half bath.
The new tile is American Universal’s SX-11 but they discontinued the color combo which is dark peach, light peach, and off white. I did not create the combo, it was already done that way on sheets (I’m making myself sound so uncreative, but it was expedient). You can get the same variety in pink, which is their SX-10. Some years ago I had been watching it on their website and the instant I saw they were discontinuing the peach, I snapped up enough to do the bathroom. Then I held onto it for about 2 years, waiting for the money to hire a tile guy. I think you misunderstood before that I did not personally set the tile (I wish I could have, but I’m working solo). The big white glazed tile that was in there was set *hard* and badly and I didn’t have the chops, the tools, or the shop vac to tear that all out and clean it up and prep for the new stuff. My tile guy did a great job. I had him grout it with a peach grout, although I almost wish I’d gotten something darker because the grout matches the middle shade and makes it sort of disappear into the field. I think if all 3 colors showed fully, it would be more dramatic. But the fact that it is hex tile, which echos the original 2″ hex (long gone), and that the peach goes so perfectly with the tub and sink, makes me very happy.
My bathroom walls are a speckled creamy yellow and the tub and original toilet are what I’m told is “Tuscan Tan.” The peach edge tiles around the wall tiles are a teensy bit darker than the tub. When I first looked at the house, I thought peach and yellow was a terrible combination, but it’s actually really nice and very easy to decorate around.
The sink is a 1961 Kohler wall mounted sink with some great atomic style handles that I found at my local Habitat for Humanity. It is just slightly lighter in color than the tub but not enough to ruin the look.
The original peach Rheem-Richmond toilet’s tank had cracked (but I saved it, in case anyone can tell me how to repair an 8″ hairline crack from the handle downwards), which is what started this project–as long as I was replacing the toilet, it was my chance to remove the bad tile job and start fresh.
The new toilet is a Mansfield Alto in ‘bone’ which absorbs/reflects the yellow from the walls which makes it look fairly matchy.
I can take some more photos with better lighting so the colors will be more true and so folks can see the other walls; just tell me how to post them.
It’s a 1958 ranch house in Athens, Georgia, not in a cul-de-sac in NH. 😉 My subdivision has some great vintage bathroom tile jobs. A friend’s blue, white, and black bathroom is my favorite and I’ve seen some awesome sea green bathrooms around town, too.
Margie C.
pam kueber says
Thank you for all this clarification, Margie!!!!!
David Martin Fisher says
Hi Pam,
ive just come across a large supply of early 50’s floor tiles. The elderly couple in the western suburbs of Sydney had a connection with the tile company and their garage is full, so I’ve purchased the whole lot. I’m going to tile two bathrooms and a toilet and I possibly would have amounts to do another two bathrooms.
Picking them up tomorrow so will post some photos up onto my newly created blog.
You should go and have a look on there as I’m sharing my years of experience. 🙂
http://1950sfibro.com/
David
Edilberto Durano says
Absolutely beautiful! It’s neatness and simplicity makes it more fascinating. I love this bathroom, really.
Toni says
The solution to clutter is cabinets with doors or drawers. Get rid of your bathroom counter. You’ll be forced to put things away.
Harak says
Is she by any chance from a circa 1960 cul-de-sac in Seacoast NH, because that looks almost exactly like my bathroom [but cleaner…and with new tile ; ) ].
Jan says
I love this bathroom! Not only is the yellow tile the same color as in my own bathroom, but I love how the toilet seems to go with the field tile, and the sink and tub go with the trim tile! How neat! And the floor is lovely!
Suzanne says
Such a neat and clean bathroom. I too have a tiny bathroom. But it’s a wreck! I wonder how she keeps it from being cluttered up. I wish I could see the other walls.
Sandra says
It’s not the same as being there, but check out the mirror leaning against the toilet for a glimpse of other walls.
marta says
Love those little tiles. I’m always in awe of people who can do their own subtle color manipulations. Snaps to Margie!
Pam, I sooooo sympathize with your email situation. I tend to use only the account that goes to my iPhone, so recently had to clean out the other account which had reached over 3000 unread. You were my inspiration to finally tuck in and get it done because it’s the email I registered here with, and I wanted to clear the field in case I won the wreath.
pam kueber says
I have two email addresses that I use to communicate with readers on blog business. They are both OUT OF CONTROL and have been, for years.
lynda says
I love penny rounds! Yellow is a lovely color. Nice bath. My daughter used penny rounds from American Universal too.
hannah says
What an absolutely sweet bathroom! Happy to see we’re not the only ones with a small bathroom. 😀
At first when you said ‘penny flooring’ I thought you meant real pennies (which we’ve considered). Our bathroom is our next big project to finish. Flooring and painting.