How to paint and decorate a beige bathroom? We get this question a lot from readers who may not be accustomed to the warm and sometimes pinky-beiges in midcentury bathrooms. So, continuing our series looking back at the colors of vintage bathroom tubs, sinks and toilets, let’s take a look at how beige has evolved from 1927 to 1962 — and along the way, we’ll see the colors that designers were choosing to complement and accent beige fixtures back in the day.
American Standard Beiges — St. Porchaire Brown, Persian Brown, Fawn Beige and Spice Mocha
Above: Check out this bold color combination from 1930 — St. Porchaire Brown fixtures with a dark purple wall tile, black floors and green and yellow accents — nothing boring about this beige! Images from 1930 American-Standard St. Porchaire Brown bathroom fixtures from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Above: By 1950, American Standard had modified their available brown/beige color to be lighter and have a more pink cast, renaming it Persian Brown. From 1950 American-Standard catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library showing Persian Brown as a bathroom fixture color choice.
Above: Here’s a fun green, gold and Fawn Beige combination that feels very lively. Note: When Pam remodeled her bathrooms in about 2003, one of them got Fawn Beige tiles that were available from Home Depot then. She says the color is lovely.
Above: Check out the rattan covering the vanity, cabinet and walls. Mixed with a yellowy peach tile and aqua laminate countertops, this Spice Mocha bathroom feels downright tropical.
All six images above of American Standard’s Fawn Beige and Spice Mocha fixtures are from a 1962 catalog in the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Kohler — Autumn Brown, Tuscan
A few years ago, Pam wrote about the very first year — 1927 — that Kohler offered its bathroom fixtures in colors besides white. One of those first colors offered was “Autumn Brown” a light brownish beige.
Above: Autumn Brown fixtures from a 1928 Kohler catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Above: An Autumn Brown “Mayfair” bathroom was also spotted in this 1929 Kohler catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library. Note that Mayfair sink — we’ve spotted a similar American Standard sink and others like it only a handful of time over the years — they can sell for quite a bit of money!
Above: We see Kohler’s color lineup in this 1936 catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library. The company added a new lighter beige called Tuscan that became one of their four most popular colors — along with Spring Green, Lavender and Peachblow. Autumn Brown, while still on the color line up, was less popular.
Above: This beige bathroom above mixes the lightly colored neutral with a punchy navy blue and red accents, making quite an impact. Above: In this 1948 Kohler catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library, we see the whole palette for the year, which includes two beiges: Tuscan and Autumn Brown.
Above: By 1949, Kohler had reduced its color offerings to just four: Spruce Green, Peachblow, Cerulean Blue and Tuscan. Two images above are from a 1949 Kohler catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Above: By 1950, Kohler was still producing Tuscan — but is it still beige or has it become yellow? It could be a printing anomaly, but we don’t k now for sure. Above images from: 1950 Kohler catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
To see more of the evolution of beige from Kohler, check out their extensive color timeline.
Crane — Sun Tan
Above: In 1940, Crane offered a beige called Sun Tan along with Orchid Pink, India Ivory, Citrus Yellow, Pale Jade, and Lavender as part of their lineup. Images above from a 1940 Crane catalog in the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Above: This Sun Tan bathroom fixture suite is surrounded warm sunset tones of coral, red and brown offset with a few medium blue accents. From this 1940 Crane catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Briggs — Sandstone
Above: Beige and burgundy and yellow (chartreuse maybe even?) and red! What a fun, punchy combination — the wallpaper makes it all work.
Above: For a rustic coolonial look, why not match beige with brick red and a green stained pine? Don’t forget the tree stump stool! Four images above of Briggs’ Sandstone Beige from this 1951 Briggs Beautyware catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Above: Sandstone from the 1962 Briggs Beautyware catalog from the Building Technology Heritage Library.
Eljer — Tuscan Tan
Above: Pam spotted this 1939 Eljer catalog on the Building Technology Heritage Library featuring Tuscan Tan.
Alliance Ware — Tan
And finally, Pam found this ad for Alliance Ware porcelain enameled bathroom fixtures that includes ‘Tan’ in a 1950s Small Homes Guide.
See our other stories about vintage bathroom colors:
- The color green in kitchens and bathrooms sinks, tubs and toilets from 1928-1962
- The color pink in bathroom sinks, tubs and toilets – from 1927-1962
- The color blue in bathroom sinks, tubs, and toilets from from 1927-1962
- The color red in bathroom fixtures through 1950
CarolK says
I am currently watching the old film “The More the Merrier” and noticed that the bathroom in Jean Arthur’s apartment has colored fixtures. The film is black and white so I can’t tell what color they are, but they’re definitely not white!
Bunny says
I grew up in Jersey with this color in our only bathroom of our 1954 brick ranch. As an only child, with a vivid imagination, I called it “flesh color”. My Mom have interpreted more as a pink beige, because the other colors were grey, pink, and black. I remember a beautiful basket weave tile in fleshy pink and grey on the floor. I’d kill for that bathroom now. Lol!
Bunny
CyberCraft Robots says
Pink, blue, green, sparkle ANYTHING but beige (no matter what you call it) That’s just for us, mind you. Anything beige that shows-up in our environs gets painted or tossed. Beige is Bad for my Brain!
Denise says
Just the color names for the sinks: Tuscan Beige, Jade Green, Tang Red—they show a cultural shift of Americans traveling that began with air travel becoming part of our lives.
Kristy Hansen says
We have Fawn Beige fixtures in our 1964 bathroom. Original countertops have the gold speckled laminate with a beige mosaic backsplash. Beige is NOT my favorite color so I brought some color in with some vintage vinyl backed curtains that I made into roller shades, a picture and a curtain to cover an under counter space that I have laundry baskets in. I use blue and green towels with colors from the curtains to add pops of color. You can also see the gold Maytag dryer – love my gold Maytags! They work better than any washer/dryer set I have ever had!
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-znkTcfSUv4w/U_vstqTgglI/AAAAAAAAESs/_6DZlONxwUM/s1600/08242014.jpg
CarolK says
Kristin, do we live in the same house? We have those pinky beige fixtures in our bathroom and similar laminate. We no longer have the toilet unfortunately, but the tub and sink are in pretty good shape.
Kristy says
We have the toilet in the Fawn Beige too but the tub was removed at some point to make a shower suited for the folks who used to live here – they were here for 49 years and needed safety bars and whatnot – so sad that we don’t have the tub!
Joe Felice says
In the Sun-Tan bathroom, what the heck kind of toilet is that?
There was a color that was often used in the ’50s that I called “flesh.” I never could decide if it was pink or beige.
CarolK says
“Flesh” was peach. I never thought that anyone’s skin was actually “flesh”-colored and, in fact, there are many people whose skin is most definitely not. I can’t remember when Crayola changed the name of the crayon to Peach, but that was a good thing.
la573 says
What strikes me first about most of these bathrooms is how little storage space there is. Where did people back then put all their stuff? There are almost no cabinets, no shelves, no countertop space around the sink.
These illustrations have convinced me that purpleish-red walls and rugs are the best way to de-boringify beige bathrooms.
CarolK says
A couple of things strike me: For one, people had less stuff to store. I’ve got three products to clean my hair, conditioner and several styling cream products and that doesn’t include my facial products. Beauty routines have gotten very complicated. Second, most of the mirrors concealed medicine cabinets where you’d store things. Third, an ad wouldn’t show all the clutter of products on the edge of the tub or lavatory.
carolynapplebee says
i love the Fawn Beige with the green and yellow.
Sarah J says
I have a book called Colors for Interiors from about the mid 60’s I would guess. It has color swatches for all the major design eras. One of the colors from the 50’s was called “Nutria” and it is a pinky beige.
azure. says
I can never decide what color my “pink” bathroom is. It’s peachy/fleshy color with a light brownish trim. I wonder if it is one of these beiges…
yellow says
I wondered the same. Just the other day my Mom remarked how the tile in my childhood home – a 30’s bungalow – was never her favorite, though it was mostly in relation to decorating successfully around it. I thought she did good, and I honestly always liked the shade. I see a few here that look like it, but would have to see how they translate in real life to be sure : )