Elizabeth wants our help: Which tile should she choose for the floor for her 1963 blue bathroom Retro Renovation? And fun: The renowned architects of the house built the Austin, Texas, airport, and Elizabeth is taking the color of the still-standing control tower for her color cues.
Elizabeth writes:
Hi Pam! I’ve been enjoying your stories, as usual. I mentioned to you recently that my husband has bought a 1963 house in Austin that has nine bathrooms. I’m ready to beg for your and your readers’ assistance on the first one.
Be forewarned, there is nothing original in this house. We did get the original floor plans from the Austin History Center, because the architects are locally reknown. (There were only two bathrooms originally!).
Here is the powder bathroom of the foyer. Many of the bathrooms will have to stay as is, because we do want to move in sometime this decade. But this, the only public restroom on the main floor, is going back in time to 1963.
Our architects (Fehr & Granger) built our house in 1963. In 1961 they built the Austin airport, which is now gone except for the control tower. We are using the control tower colors as our theme for the house, which we named Sky Crest.
Here are the givens: new Dresden Blue toilet and sink from Peerless Pottery*; I think the sink that drops into a floating vanity. We definitely want the Blue field tile from Gardena, Calif., through Clay Squared. The sticky decision is the floors:
* Pam added link to Amazon, the blog earns a small commission for purchases completed.
#1 — shown above — Do we go with the Merola Crystalline Square Blue [See this tile in Pistachio on Kate’s floor] or …
#2 — above — American Olean in a Pinwheel or Windmill pattern, using Glacier, Ice White, and Ocean Tide?
Thanks!!
Elizabeth
Thank you, Elizabeth, we love to decorate vicariously! And I LOVE that you are using the Austin airport control tower for color and pattern inspiration. Brilliant!
I have my own ideas, but I’ll let readers comment first.
Karin says
I vote for the Merola splatter. Splatter is what I’ve seen most often in
50s/60s bathrooms. These are all great color choices. Oh my, that’s a lot of bathrooms.
Tess says
#1 gets my vote. At least on my screen, it’s the better color match. It also is the one that looks like the 1960s to me (spoken as a child of the Sixties.)
The pinwheel is pretty, but the shades seem a bit off next to the wall tile. At least I’ve learned the name of the pattern in my late 1930s bathroom, here! 😉
ineffablespace says
I think #1.
Cynthia says
Another vote for Merola #1. And yes, would love to hear how 2 bathrooms became 9… Can you start a B & B & B & B &BBBBB….?
Elizabeth from Texas says
The house was built for a doctor & his wife and their four sons in 1963. It was a raised one-story, the lower floor being only mechanical (carport, air conditioners and such). Upstairs the main floor had a master bath, and the boys had kind of a double bath. Decades later, someone bought the house and took out the master bedroom, the boys’ four bedrooms, their playroom, Mom’s sewing room, and turned it all into TWO BEDROOMS. (Master is really big–about 1400sf with two bathrooms.) Then they added in the bottom floor–three new bedroom/bathroom suites and a new playroom and den and powder. So the house doubled in size. We’re planning a B&B for our five little grandkids!
lynda says
I also like # 1. I think the colors are timeless and I think the tile might look a little cleaner longer. Sometimes the solid colors show every speck of lint or hair. Both are great choices. Must be some house with nine baths!
Heather says
Merola (#1). I LOVE pinwheel, but I think you’ve found the perfect match with #1. Congrats! Lovely
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thank you! I feel the same way–LOVE pinwheel, but the Merola sure is a good match…
Bobbie says
I vote pinwheel!
Dan says
When I think 60’s bathroom, the more random spatter tile comes to mind. A pattern tile floor has more of a 30’s/40’s look to me.
NINE bathrooms? Not that it’s my business, but ……..why?
Elizabeth from Texas says
Dan, I agree–nine bathrooms was more than we were looking for (by a factor of three!) But we had to move to central Austin to be close to health care and my husband’s job, and this house was what we ended up with. We are excited about the house’s 1963 roots, and hope to take it back there as much as possible.
Rick G says
I would have to say #1 . It will add that little extra character
Tracy says
pinwheel. Nine bathrooms! How many bedrooms?
Elizabeth from Texas says
Five bedrooms. Master has two baths, every other bedroom has a bath, plus a powder room on each of the two floors and an outdoor pool bathroom.
Tracy says
glad I don’t have to clean them! 🙂