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.
Dolly M says
I’m with all who prefer #1 – spatter print. Lovely.
(Really do NOT like the juxtaposed blues in #2 – they seem off to me.) Two cents. Have fun!
Michele DeGroat says
#1 – tile too bright in second choice. robbins egg blue is nicer.
June says
The blue tile is what my mom still has in her bathroom. I like #1. It’s got a real pop to it
Debrah says
I would choose #2.
Leta says
I’m all about #1!!
Barbara Caldwell says
Love the splatter mosaic!
Dottie says
No. 1 … it reminds me of this gray mosaic bathroom tile in my mom’s 1958 ranch home. You can probably even still find this! Home Depot has something similar.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/7810999327958119/
Laura says
The splatter mosaic looks more period correct to my eye!
Karen Shoop says
I agree with Kate on all counts! Go with #1.
Kate says
#1 looks so much more retro with the speckles. The robin blue color is divine! The second option is just too modern trying to be retro. The blue color in number 2 is too bright and an ugly of a shade of baby blue.