Gus recently discovered Retro Renovation while searching for advice about the vintage pink bathroom in his newly purchased 1956 home. While he is a fan of mid century design, Gus isn’t sold on all of the pink in his master bathroom. In addition to his uncertainty about the color, Gus wishes his bathroom had a few more functional updates — such as more storage in the shower for toiletries. So, Gus has asked us for our ideas to help with his Retro Renovation Design Dilemma.
Gus writes:
I’m a 30-year-old male from Florida and I recently purchased a 1956 mid-century modern home with terrazzo floors and exposed beam ceilings. The house has a pink master bath (half of all walls tiled in pink, terrazzo floor, pink sunken shower, weird angled vanity, metal ring around pink double sinks… basically classic pink bath).
Some of the tiles have flamingos and fish picture tiles (I’m guessing original owners did it since it’s Florida).
To be honest… I h*** [edited] them. I want to re-tile with a “friendlier” color scheme for re-sale. Am I really ruining good potential? Is there any compromise I can easily do (wall color…take down some portion of the tile, etc)? Update faucets?
I’m trying to be opened minded (since I want to stay true to the mid-century vibe), so please don’t take my post the wrong way. It’s just difficult to envision me as a retro lover. Anyone have advice on how to incorporate “new” features with the retro?
I want to make the spaces more masculine and fit my personal style which is mid century modern, but I feel the amount of pink makes it a little too monochromatic for me. Since I need to remove some tiles to replace the shower fixtures, what should I replace them with? I also want to add a niche in the wall to hold shampoo bottles, but the only place would be by the flamingo tiles.
As a fun bonus I added some photos of my second bathroom too!
Ok readers — now it is your turn to pipe in with ideas:
How can Gus decorate his bathroom to achieve his style goals,
as well as add some storage to the shower area?
Kate’s ideas to make a pink bathroom more masculine:
Gus, I really like your pink bathroom. The vanity and sinks are my favorite part. It isn’t often that you find a vintage vanity like that with hairpin legs and an extra thick laminate countertop. The sinks are gorgeous and the whole bathroom looks to be in very good condition.
As someone who is still working on building a retro pink bathroom of my own (having demolished a bathroom with poor layout that was not in good shape) I would recommend leaving as much of this bathroom intact as possible. It is hard work to gut one of these (likely) cement set tile bathrooms and costs lots of money to rebuild the bathroom afterwards.
“Re-tile with a friendlier color for resale?” Wait! With the rise in popularity of mid century and retro design in the last few years, more and more house hunters are looking for original character and details like this. My advice would be to renovate this bathroom as minimally as possible. You can never know what the next owners of the house will want. They could dislike whatever you might want to do to this bathroom. We are advocates of “love the house your in” here, but we also recognize the homeowner’s need to make their house work for them. That being said, it is always best to live in your house for a while before making any expensive or extensive changes. That way you can see what you like and dislike about each room before doing anything drastic or irreversible.
Kate’s solution #1: The grey area between feathers and stone
Since the original vanity is black with a neutral patterned grey laminate top, I suggest you add more of these elements to the room. Painting the walls a dark grey will help make the room feel less pastel pink immediately. This look was inspired by our recent post on Robert’s pink and black bathroom makeover. Just as Robert played up the black trim tile in his bathroom, adding more dark grey and black to your bathroom will make it feel more masculine.
Once you have the walls painted, it is just a matter of adding some accessories to the space. This black and white abstract design shower curtain from Target mimics the design on the laminate counter top and has a modern feel. Black bath towels coordinate well with the room or, to give a nod to the vintage “His and Hers” towels that were common in the 1950s and 1960s — a “Mr.” hand towel from Bed, Bath & Beyond gives a nod to the vintage while also proclaiming “this is a man’s bathroom.” Also from BBB, Shiny black and chrome bath accessories add polish to the space. Finally, adding a framed vintage flamingo print or two framed in black — like these from Ebay seller yorkietoy — repeat the flamingo theme from the decorative shower tiles without going overboard.
Kate’s solution #2: A flock of feathered friends
For this mood board, we continue to play up the black and grey in the space. Instead of paint this time — this Cole & Son flamingo wallpaper pays homage to the vintage flamingo shower tiles and the house’s tropical location in Florida. Adding a third color — the teal green from the wallpaper — gives the room more visual interest. Repeating this teal green in the towels and vinyl bubbles shower curtain helps the room’s design feel more cohesive. Finally adding a shiny stainless steel bath set helps repeat the chrome from the fixtures and hardware. When it comes to finding space to store your shampoo in the shower — instead of taking out tile to add a recessed niche — consider installing a ceramic corner bath shelf, which can be applied to the existing tile without tearing anything out.
Pam’s ideas for this pink bathroom:
Gus, Gus, Gus. Your pink bathroom looks to be an absolute gem. You knew we would say that, though, didn’t you?
I think that Kate’s mood boards are fabulous — so I don’t even need to do one.
I will add a few additional thoughts, which underscore some of the things she said:
- Remodeling for resale is quite often, a fool’s paradise. Read my story “Remodel and watch your investment plunge.” You typically do NOT make your money back when you remodel.
- There are plenty of folks who are looking for vintage houses with original features. Make that your goal if you plan to sell… Find a real estate agent who specializes in listing and selling mid century properties and as a result, connect with the kinds of people most interested in these vintage/historic houses. Read this important story, with interviews with three such experts — How to sell a midcentury house full of original features.
- I am covering my ears at the mere thought your considering removing those vintage flamingo tiles — which our resident tile expert Bungalow Bill points out are worth hundreds of dollars today! Virtually everything in that bathroom is SUPER COOL. You just need to get your head around a style that you may not be accustomed to seeing. You can do it, we know you can!
- A super key rule for any serious Retro Renovator just getting into their house, which may have features that at first, seem “odd” or undesirable to them: WAIT AT LEAST ONE YEAR to do anything you could later regret (unless there are safety or environmental issues, of course.) Learn about what you have… see if your mindset changes once you fully understand its history.
- Be sure to read everything on our other little website, Save The Pink Bathrooms. You are now the lucky caretaker of one of the most famous and, increasingly, most desirable features in a mid century house. Go with the flow!
- If you need replacement pink tiles for the shower area, see this story about World of Tile, which carries 95 colors of replacement pink tile. As many readers have mentioned — all the tiles in your bathroom are likely “mud set” — that is, set into cement. These are hallacious to take out. You will have a ginormous mess on your hands if you try to take out just a few.
- Oh, and your other bathroom, equally fabulous.
- For more storage in the shower, try this Simplehuman Adjustable Tension Shower Caddy (affiliate link) — preferable if it will fit your floor-to-ceiling height. If your ceiling is too high, go for Simplehuman Adjustable Corner Shower Caddy (affiliate link). A reader recently recommended these Simplehuman shower caddies — and I bought them for my bathrooms (one each.) They are very nice. They fit a lot of bottles. You have a really long shower — you definitely have the space. Don’t mess with that tile! If there are plumbing issues — can you go in via the other side of the wall?
UPDATE: After this story aired, I heard from Gus who writes:
It was definitely surreal to see so many people comment – and especially knowing someone recognized the flamingo tiles. I will definitely take all the input into consideration and will hold off on doing anything drastic. I appreciate what your website has done for allowing uninformed home owners (like me) to embrace restoration.
My plan forward is to hold off for a while until I have a set idea of what works/doesn’t work functional-wise instead of going full force too soon. I had just always envisioned an updated bathroom and never a 50s bathroom, so it was difficult to overcome the desire to renovate. I think in time I will learn to embrace the style more. As a side note, rest assured that I have not had that same mind frame with the rest of my house. There are many mid-century elements (like my indoor planters) that I have painstakingly worked on preserving.
Gus, we’re glad you are taking the time to live with the space before doing anything drastic. It will be interesting to see what you end up deciding to do (or not do). Keep us in the loop.
cebette says
Not that you need anyone else weighing in but that is just about the most awesome bathroom ever! I especially love the slant front and hairpin legs on the vanity (and it’s current color) and the sinks- perfection 🙂 The only thing that seems out of place is the “Hollywood dressing room” light-bar above the mirror. And although neither pink nor flamingos are my number one favorite things it is so obvious that the person who built your house put it all together with great thought and care that I wouldn’t alter anything besides wall paint and lighting. As someone who has been searching for my “perfect” mid century ranch for the past year I can’t tell you how many times I have found a house that should have been perfect had the original kitchens and bathrooms been left alone. Would love to see more pics of your house- it sounds fabulous.
Andy says
As a fellow fellow, I say embrace the pink. Gray would be a good wall color. With the flamingos, you could go for a “Flamingo hotel-Dean Martin kind of look,” or a “Miami-Nautical” theme. There are quite a few possibilities. My bathroom has pink counter tops, with dual sinks, and I’m adding vintage nautical themed items to my side. Old fishing pictures, mermaid pin-ups, etc. Basically, balance out the traditionally female color choice of pink, with a whole bunch of carefully selected testosterone. Good luck.
Jessica says
This bathroom is perfection. I’m chiming in as a recent purchaser of a 1954 Ranch that had been the victim of an early-1990s remodel. We’re slowly trying to restore it to its 50s glory, but it’s heartbreaking to think about what the old bathrooms and kitchen must have looked like before they were torn out. This is all to say that we would have paid the asking price (or even a bit more) had the house had the original baths/kitchen. As it was, we negotiated down significantly because we knew we’d have to dump money into a restoration project. As others have said, you never know what the next guy’s gonna want (do not get me started on the painted over wallpaper we have to deal with–no doubt a quick fix before putting the house on the market!).
Tricia says
This will be the most simple words of advice- leave that phenomenal wonderful bathroom just exactly as it is. If you must do something that makes you feel it’s been changed, utilize paint color (it can always be changed by a future owner), and more gray if you wish, to tone down the pink; i.e., towels, counter accessories, etc. We would all kill to have that bathroom just as it is, you lucky dude! So learn to enjoy it, and don’t give ‘resale’ a second thought. You’d be devaluing your classic home if you destroyed any of the built-ins of that bathroom. Green with envy…and wishing for pink :0)
melO says
This is inspirational! And MikeD, loved looking at your links to your great bathrooms. If you’re not a DIY kind of person, how can you find someone to work with who has a desire to update rather than gut these midcentury bathrooms? We have *very* similar pink bathrooms circa 1950, untouched and in amazing condition, but not so much time to seek out the right kinds of tiles, fixtures, cabinetry etc to keep the stuff in good shape there while having an eye for design for an updated clean look. So far people just want to gut it all for 30K each! Resources for help? Thanks!
pam kueber says
melO, this blog is written day in and day out to serve up all the resources you need to research what you need. Start diving into the categories and stories in the blue navigation bar…. And if you want, send Kate and me your Retro Design Dilemma (use the link in this story).
Christa says
These bathrooms are so cool, and they have held up for so many years! I like Kate’s #1 solution, although for resale I would keep the gray more of a mid gray, not so dark. But definitely a flamingo print and warm gray paint – Abalone or Silver Fox from Benjamin Moore. If you really must replace the flamingo tiles with a niche, I won’t hold it against you. I know plenty of others here will protest, but cutesy picture tiles are not for everyone.
The second bath is also really cool, and a nice sophisticated paint color (Sesame from Benjamin Moore?) would really perk it up.
My last tip is lighting. I put new minimalist Xenon light fixture in my original 1958 bathroom and I can’t tell you what a difference brighter lighting made.
Tee and Tom says
Please don’t change a thing – except maybe paint if you have to. As for resale, we want to move south in 10 years and would buy your place as it- the flamingo tile is fabulous and would one thing that would make me want to buy your place! Honestly, Pam is right, there are buyers (like me) who hate to see updated bath and kitchens and want authentic and charm. Embrace, enjoy and hold your head up- you’ll be the secret envy of all.
Kim Campbell says
I too immediately thought of grey or black to make it more masculine. I also thought it would be fun to pull out the bright colors from the flamingo tiles, the blues and greens. Such an amazing bathroom no matter which option you choose!
Mary Elizabeth says
I am so envious of what you have! I am one of the pink bathroom “curators.” (See Mary Elizabeth’s pink bathroom story on this site.) I agree that the feminine feel that comes from pink is based on an aesthetic peculiar to certain decades. I was in high school and college in the sixties, and guys were still wearing pink polo shirts and pink button-down collar Oxford cloth shirts. But they didn’t wear them with tutus, right? They wore them with black or gray slacks or jeans. And I’ve noticed pink shirts for guys came back in the ’80s and are becoming available again.
And General, later President Eisenhower’s bathrooms were pink. I can’t think of a more masculine role model from the ’40s and ’50s than Dwight.
So as you spend the year contemplating the pink bathrooms of others and keeping your paws off the sledge hammer, think of a way to get that same kind of look in your bathroom. I think with the black vanity that charcoal or black walls would make the seem like a dungeon. A lighter gray shade would work better, in my view. And I would go right up the walls and over the ceiling with the gray paint. To choose a color, get paint samples and hold them up to your vanity top so they don’t “clash.” Believe it or not, there are many shades of gray. 🙂
You don’t have to just sit and do nothing for the next year. Paint and accessories are things you can experiment with very cheaply and without doing any permanent irreversible damage. Try starting slow with some accessories. I liked the city scape shower curtain for which one commenter provided a link–and only about $10! Black and while abstract, or black and white stripes for the shower curtain would work, and sleek black and/or chrome accessories–soap dish, toothbrush holder, etc.–would be nice, too.
For myself, I would love the idea of embracing and enhancing the flamingos, but I think you don’t like flamingos and would rather hide them behind the shower curtain. For masculine art, I would suggest black and white photos of sailboats or battleships and maybe a portrait of the General and Mamie. Maybe you can get a shower curtain with black and white boats. Don’t worry–some piece of art will jump out at you from a catalog, on eBay or Etsy, or a yard sale.
Here’s one:
http://www.cafepress.com/+boat_shower_curtain,682817014?utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=682817014&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=sem-cpc-product-ads&utm_content=search-pla
Finally, forget “updating for resale.” When we were looking for our current ranch house (we’re in Connecticut), we rejected on that was more expensive and needed extensive work–roof, windows, plumbing, etc.–but it had a nice mid-century bath and knotty pine kitchen. We offered $10,000 less than the asking price, knowing how much we would have to put into it. That offer was rejected. The house just wasn’t selling, and the owner was advised to “update” the kitchen and bath as well as fix the windows, etc. So we figure she put $40,000 into it over a year. Finally the house sold over two years after we moved into our own house, for $30,000 less than the original asking price. So think about yourself living in the house and not what style someone will be looking for in however many years in the future. If you decide after a year you can’t stand the bathroom and want a total redo, you will be forgiven as long as you save every piece of that pink bath that you can and sell the bits on eBay so that those who love them can have them.
Scott says
Holy cow… make that flamingo… Kate’s number one idea was exactly what I was thinking, a big dose of Charcoal Gray!
Not only is Charcoal and Pink a classic MCM combination, I have a very strong hunch that bathroom’s original wall color was not white. Like I have found in my own house, some of the efforts over the years to tone things down actually have an inverse effect like your bathroom where currently you only see pink.
The market is full of me-too houses that have been renovated to the point they are virtually undistinguishable from new builds. As we have seen right here on RR some of the most authentic houses are now commanding staggering prices. I think you’ll stand out from the crowd and make more money on the house (and spend a lot less doing it too) by concentrating on making sure everything works and functions like new but in appearance is as authentic as you can make it.