I’ve been in Kentucky all weekend — my Dad’s 80th birthday is today — and while here, I’ve been staying with my brother and his family. About two years ago, they bought a 1962 midcentury modern house that needed a ton of work. They have now lovingly restored it — and it’s an absolute treasure. One of the things they left virtually untouched — for me — was the pink bathroom in their guest room. This pint-sized pink potty space is so darn cute I could bust! And the sink and toilet, in particular: These are spectacular designs!
Above: The sink, toilet and tub are all American Standard. It’s difficult getting the color right with my iphone camera. The fixtures are decisively pink!
The sink is quite tiny — a petite lavatory on beautiful, hefty chrome-plated steel legs with an integral towel bar. All the fixtures are in near-perfect shape. I don’t think the bathroom was used much over the years.
Above: I edited this photo to be black and white to spotlight the lines of the toilet. Gracious, I think I will declare this the most beautiful toilet design in American history. I am too lazy right now to go looking for historical info, but I am pretty sure this design was available for decades.
The wall tiles are salt-and-pepper. They are mud-set, I think. I tend to believe that salt ‘n pepper tiles came more into fashion around this time, the early 1960s. They are a nice way to do “white” but knocked down a bit so’s you don’t get a big slab ‘o white. Over the years, I’ve seen salt ‘n pepper tiles with a variety of ‘dots’ combinations: Golden combos, black combos, blue combos.
Note, when I retiled the bathrooms in my house, circa 2002, I had not started the blog yet… I did not know where to get Mamie pink bathroom tiles. If I had, for sure I’d have a B&W Tile pink powder room paradise in my own little palace!
I did go retro, though. One of my bathrooms has heron blue field tile, trimmed in white; another, rose beige trimmed in white; and the third, peach trimmed in black. And they all have wallpaper!
Above: There’s a recessed medicine cabinet, sliding doors.
Above: The floor is a random mosaic. I think you could replicate this one, more or less, using Dal-Tile’s Mosaic Design Tool. World of Tile used to have lots of 12″ x 12″ sheets like this, in colors like this, and older. Alas, the company is gone now.
More stories about designs using Daltile’s Mosaic Designer:
- Lookie the floor that Lauren created for her bathroom.
- Natalie and Graham use the Designer to create a floor for their doggie shower.
- Pam designs a pink-gray-cream mosaic tile floor using the Mosaic Designer, when we first discovered it.
And:
- Nicole pieced together a mosaic floor DIY — “the meaning of insanity or dedication,” she asked!
It’s the honorary Aunt Pam’s Vintage Pink Bathroom! #sohappy
Ack! I need to make some art for the bathroom to thank my brother and his family! xoxo family!
Rich says
Just found your article. My wife and I have a 1952 era Roman Brick rambler in West Seattle, with that exact pink toilet. I checked the lid and it is stamped F2005, the American Standard part number. BTW, also have the pink tub and sink, with the light aqua tile in the tub enclosure. Love it still. Our basement bath is 100% pink except the ceiling tile and shower floor. I could be talked into some changes in that room. The pink is a bit overwhelming LOL.
Laura says
I have that same commode in Blue – but it has a start white seat. Where can I find a matching blue toiled seat?
Pam Kueber says
https://retrorenovation.com/2008/09/23/toilet-seats-in-94-colors-for-your-retro-bathroom/
Lisa says
Are there any markings on the faucet and tub fixtures? I’m having a very hard time finding widespread faucets that don’t look too “industrial” but still have a retro feel for our master bath and these look great! Do you think they are original to the bathroom?
Pam Kueber says
I don’t know what they used. Have you checked out our research: https://retrorenovation.com/category/bathroom-categories/lav-faucets/
Anne says
l simply love your bathroom; however, I must say I am not green with envy because I too have a beautiful “Pink” (Persian Brown) bath and although I’ve seen the bathtub in several places on the web, I have not seen my toilet and face bowl. They are so unique and beautiful. The tub appears to be exactly like yours. The toilet is wall hung which makes it easy for me to clean up under and my face bowl is 35 ½ inches wide sitting in a 108” vanity with laminate counter tops on each side and the vanity itself is made with the same tile as the wall tile. A hug full length mirror (approx. 96” long) hangs over the vanity.
My son, who is a contractor, keep trying to get me to let him redo it with those cheap looking fixtures sitting at every home improvement store you enter and I keep telling him I’ll let him know if I ever decide to change it. My husband and I bought the house from the guy who built it for himself and he built it with love and I have no plans of changing it.
Thanks for letting me know I am not alone.
DN says
My house was built in 1965, and I have the same tile, tub and fixtures in my house. Even the medicine cabinet’s the same!
My floor is different, but I have that type of mosaic tile in a different bathroom that’s not pink.
mag says
Hubby and I had the flu when you posted this, Pam, and I’m finally catching up on missed posts. That toilet is glorious, and I don’t recall ever seeing one in person. Thank your brother & his family for me, okay? ????
Jean Case says
I have a 1963 home. I have the original fixtures. Pink and grey tile in one and green and white tile in second. I love my retro home!!!!
Dana says
Beautiful home, I’m green with envy
Douglas Camin says
I have that exact same toilet in a slightly different color in my upstairs bathroom (mine is not quite pink, they are more brownish-pink.) I also have the matching American Standard tub. Your photo shows a model that is slightly different than mine – mine has lines that echo the toilet. I also have twin sinks in the same color, set in hudee rings.
You can see some pictures (from when I put in a new bathroom floor – Armstrong Striations tile) here: http://www.houseonrynkushill.com/2014/08/30/mid-century-compatible-bathroom-floor/
Mary Elizabeth says
Doug, it looks like you have either American Standard “Peach Blossom” or “Bermuda Coral.” I use my color chips from the toilet lid order kit to identify original bath fixture colors.