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.
Nikki says
#1
Leigh Ann Azlin says
Definitely #2! Love the true blue!
Leigh Ann Azlin says
Definitely #2! L
Marilyn says
I went with #2 immediately, remembering how much I enjoyed gazing at the tiles like these in our 1959 house. The speckled tiles lack clarity to me.
Diane says
OMG! The Splatter! The Splatter!
Tom says
Definitely #2! Mosaic tile patterns were all the rage in Mid Century homes. Instead of 50/50 on the blue and off-white, I would come up with a pattern that is 75% white and only 25% blue. But whatever pattern you use, #2 is the answer.
Carol says
Definitely #1!
Carolyn says
I told DH that Pam will run an article of importance (ex: chrome vent rings) and we’ll look at it or find it when we’re researching. But have someone ask our opinion – whoo-hoo!!! Katie, bar the door! This forum is honest without being mean and sometimes you just get stuck trying to make a decision. Asking friends/family results in “_ _ _ ” well, we all know the usual reaction to MCM & m, so they are no help.
I just think it’s amusing that some articles “might” get A comment while others go on for pages!
Elizabeth from Texas says
I know! It’s so wonderful of all of y’all to help me. People who aren’t addicted to RetroRenovation.com don’t have the same sense of taste that we are gifted with, lol!! That’s why I knew if I asked y’all, I would get GREAT advice!!
Jim Lott says
I love the colors that the control tower has. Blues!
DJS says
My vote is for #1. It is very similar to our original 1960 master bath with original American Standard Dresden blue toilet and sinks. Good luck.
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thank you. How wonderful that you have originals!!