Last week, we took a look inside the glamorous black-tiled 1948 master bathroom at Mary and Duane’s house, and now, let’s examine the upstairs bathroom. It, too, has an unusual color combination that we don’t see often in postwar bathrooms — brown wall tiles and yellow fixtures. And it, too, is in spectacular, high-quality, time-capsule shape, as if it had been built yesterday.
The house was in one family all these years, so some stories came with it. Word is, the upstairs in this little Cape Cod house was finished out by dad, a plumbing contractor, for a daughter in the family was either living at home while she went to school or had just started her first job after finishing school. Oops, I forget.
So, upstairs, there is a living area… a second, small kitchen… a bedroom, and various closets.
Remember: In 1948, many folks — including where I live, in Massachusetts — had the “Cape Cod” style in their sites as their “dream home.” The Cape Cod style was broadly publicized — and popularized nationwide — by Massachusetts’ own and my favorite architect Royal Barry Wills. It’s a is classic Colonial look… it’s a charming livable style… and folks could “grow” into it by initially only completing the downstairs, then, when their family grew in size, finish the upstairs. More photos to come of the rest of the house (I’m milkin’ it), but you can bet: There’s knotty pine involved in this house, too! No pink bathrooms, though! These homeowners were fashion-forward, going against the (pink) grain!
Now, all the lovely details:
So there you go: A love letter to a little 1948 brown-and-yellow bathroom, right down to the original Crane shower rod escutcheon.
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Pam Kueber says
I took a break from working on a task on the Lounge, thought maybe this one: https://hannahstreasures.com/collections/1940s-1950s-botanical/products/1950s-botanical-vintage-wallpaper-ht481
The house is most definitely midcentury modest, that supercalifragilisticexpealidocious (sp?) black deco bathroom notwithstanding. Very high quality midcentury modest.
Beth says
My favorite of the wallpapers so far. Very light and fresh.
la573 says
The 1964 house I grew up in had what looked like the exact brown tiles as this one. The official name of the color was – I kid you not – “Rusty Nail”. But the tiles look way cooler in this bathroom because they wrap onto the ceiling over the bath tub.
The Dreyfuss sink is awesome too – love how the spout is built into the sink rather than the faucet, and the elegant towel bars on the sides.
Jay says
I laughed because when I saw the close up of the sink, I saw a face – knobs = eyes, integrated spout = nose and overflow = mouth. Anyway I like the milk chocolate brown field tile with yellow trim. No tile floor but the shower tile goes full height to ceiling and across the ceiling, you don’t see that too often. I like how the tile was carried up and around the medicine cabinet.
mary buckley says
Is the floor faux terrazzo? I can’t believe the impeccable condition of these bathrooms! I am drooling!
Pam Kueber says
No, it’s some form of vinyl sheet.
ineffablespace says
These, but they predate 1948 and are a bit to sophisticated for a modest cape bath:
http://www.bradbury.com/vtw_420_old-gold.html
http://www.bradbury.com/volute_sable.html
http://www.bradbury.com/znw_740_bronze.html
Peggy99 says
I have the same colour of fixtures, and had the same linoleum on the floor. I modernized somewhat – pale yellow walls, white ceramic tile, white linoleum with a yellow rose motif.
I love my yellow fixtures… I just wish I could still find a low-flush toilet to match.
Felicia Alexander says
The sink with its faucet hardware is a Streamline Moderne masterpiece! And look at that beautiful deep tub. I remember that style of sheet vinyl floor, as well.
Between the floor, the tile work, and the lines of the sink, I think there’s plenty to keep the eye happy. If this were my bathroom, I would probably forgo wallpapering unless the wallpaper were something Really Special with a complementary Streamline Moderne pattern.
Pam Kueber says
This one may be among those done by Henry Dreyfuss; I need to check my history.
Pam Kueber says
Oh I did this story, not sure where video went: https://retrorenovation.com/2012/09/20/henry-dreyfuss-designed-crane-sinks-how-to-tell-if-yours-was-made-before-or-after-world-war-ii/
Felicia Alexander says
Thank you, Pam! As always, your breadth and depth of knowledge about these things amazes me.
ineffablespace says
Regarding the wallpaper, I would say if this was a large Deco Streamline tour-de-force bathroom, with art deco light fixtures, and mirror, and an etched sylph on the shower door and so forth, I would only use a deco-style paper. But in a modest house and a small bathroom of this sort, the overall style of which could really be any postwar year up to about 1960, I think most people would have been more mainstream and eclectic in their choices.
Beth says
That grout is in miraculous shape!
rebecca prichard says
Brown and yellow. PERFECT. I LOVE brown. I love Autumnal colors. Just beautiful.
Retroski says
Not my top favorite color combo but I love the coziness of it. Comforting bathroom! Great tile detail, too. Classic!
You could just put some nice art and a cloth shower curtain in and maybe not even need the wallpaper. Nice simplicity.
KStace says
Amazing, again! I saw that exact lighted medicine cabinet last weekend at a flea market outside of Cleveland. Was in great shape and they claimed it worked. $30. Problem is that I live in Dallas, and have absolutely no need for it. Regardless it would have gone home with me if it wasn’t over 1,000 miles away! (like the glitter-formica topped dinette I also found, which I put on a greyhound bus, lol!!)