Finding affordable, pastel colored tiles for a mid century bathroom now seems easier than ever: I just spotted Daltile 4 x 4 inch (ish) tiles in several colors at Home Depot, available for as little at 3.09 per s.f. This includes delivery free to your local store.
Looks like the color availability is shifting over time: When I first wrote this story, colors that we loved like Spa and Aqua Glow were available. As of May 2021, not. But, right now there are some other options that sound retro-interesting, like Cool Mint and Tide Blue.
- For the Daltile at Home Depot, try this link for Daltile 4×4 size in the Daltile section of Home Depot’s website.
Ryan says
Here is the thing about Daltile’s ‘Almond’ – it is not really Almond, it is actually Bone. Daltile will tell you they no longer make ‘Bone’; however, they really no longer make Almond. They make ‘Bone’ that they call ‘Almond’.
Jenya says
Pam, I really love your blue bathroom. I’m just curious as to which of the Daltile blues you think comes closest to the Heron blue in your bathroom–is it waterfall or spa? Both colors are quite beautiful!
Pam Kueber says
Hmmm… looking also at Lynne’s Spa Blue bathroom, I’d say the Spa: https://retrorenovation.com/2016/10/10/midcentury-modern-blue-bathroom-remodel/
Jenya says
Thanks!
Donald Lombardo says
Just found your website and am plotzing from happiness! I love my mid century rottage (half cottageish and half ranchish, I LOVE the Dal tile! I will be returning to your site often. Please continue and great success to you!
Dan O. says
Dal Tile makes an excellent product and I have a pile of matte finish Desert Grey from one of their other lineups that’s waiting to be transformed into a bathroom. Unfortunately they have this odd habit of not calling their glossy finishes “gloss” but rather “brite” or confusingly “semi-gloss”, I guess gloss doesn’t translate directly into tile-speak for some reason. The other thing is some colors/lines may have a wider selection of trim pieces, so make sure before you get you heart set on a particular color.
ineffablespace says
I have one bath in allover Waterfall 2×2 porcelain and one bath in Ice Grey tiles, bathtub, sink and toilet and a Taboret faucet.
Debra says
Could not live without Retro Renovation!
My challenge is finding mid century bull-nose tile.
Any advice?
Mid-Mod Fan says
Daltile makes Carnation Pink Q095 in two sizes and two finishes Whether or not you can get it via Home Depot I don’t know.
https://www.daltile.com/product/Semi-Gloss-and-Matte?color=Carnation-Pink
Barbara says
I’ve just redone a bathroom (previous bad, flipper remodel) in Daltile Carnation Pink. I really love it, but it’s not a faithful repro of midcentury Mamie pink – this new color is more like “Dentyne” pink, with a deeper rose hue. I’ve accepted that my bathroom is a call-back to 1957, rather than a replication.
Martha OBrian says
The best part of this line? It will work with numerous baths, kitchens, and laundry spaces well beyond the midcentury/retro look because the colors are soft.
Vintigchik says
I have my heart set on a mint green. Nemo tile is expensive at over $6 sq ft. Hoping I can find something reasonable and not settle.
Lynne says
Lynne, from the above mentioned “Lynne and Bob’s New Blue Bathroom” here. Still loving the Spa Blue bathroom. Absolutely no regrets. (Well, except for that shower wall niche)
We used the Daltile Grey in our master bath remodel last year. It’s been done as a cousin to the blue. The originals were kind of matching, so we repeated that to stay in keeping with what the house called for.
While I love the grey, and the remodel came out very well, the cheeriness of the Spa Blue is far superior.
Pam Kueber says
Thanks for the update, Lynne. I’d love to see your gray bathroom too!
Carol says
Lynne, your bathroom is my inspiration bathroom! I seriously have photos of it on my desk and just showed them to someone within the last hour. I love everything about it – especially the tile you used. It’s a perfect color! I’m so happy it will be easy to find now!
Lynne says
Wow, that is quite flattering! Thank you very much!
Allen says
What happened to your shower wall niche? I just put one in.
Lynne says
Allen, I think the problem was mostly MY doing, because I didn’t know WHAT I was doing at the time. It wasn’t placed well, and when showering, the water just sprays right into it. It doesn’t drain off, the water just sits puddling on the bottom. This was starting to affect the grout and the corners were getting grungy, very quickly. It immediately became a cleaning issue, especially when shampoo bottles and such sat there. We don’t use it for its intended purpose anymore, but still has to be wiped out after every shower to keep it from getting yucky. (And, yes, the exhaust fan is new, and right inside the tub/shower) I know most people love them, but I’ll never have another one. I now use a suction cup wire holder to hold our bath products.