While many people have different definitions of what they consider to be vintage. Vintage and retro home décor has been favoured for quite some time now. When considering a bathroom renovation project, it may be rarer for people to consider decorating this room to have a vintage feel, especially when the colour in question is one some choose to remove. Pink bathroom tile was often seen in homes from the 1940s and 1950s. Now, that pink-tiled bathroom is a hot retro shade that can be inspiration for chic bathroom décor.
Looking to liven up your home with a retro renovation? Opt for a vintage bathroom with pink tiles!
Where Pink Bathrooms Got Their Start
If done right, pink tile can provide a classy, vintage feel. As this tile was once quintessential in mid-century homes, there’s now a movement to save it. In fact, Save the Pink Bathrooms is on a quest to “preserve vintage Mamie pink bathrooms.”
Mamie Eisenhower is the creator of the iconic decorating “Mamie pink” or “First Lady Pink” colour of the 50s. According to the organization, “the mid-century trend to pink seems to have come directly and irrefutably from Mamie Eisenhower, first lady from 1953 to 1961". As you can guess, Mamie’s favourite colour was pink.
The first lady from 1953 to 1961, Mamie Eisenhower not only had a rose-toned bathroom in Gettysburg, where everything was pink down to the cotton balls, but she also re-decorated the private quarters in the White House in pink, the organization says.
How to Play Up Pink Tiles in the Bathroom
Many design experts say pink tile is "timeless." This means if you choose this bathroom décor route, it will last for years to come. Consider these retro bathroom design tips when using pink tiles:
1. Add Contrast
There are many ways to play up pink tiles in a bathroom. Adding black accents to contrast with the lighter pink tile makes for a pretty pattern—pink and white tile works in the same way as well.
If you are installing tile yourself, you can speak with a design professional to determine what kinds of tile are ideal, and where the black and pink or pink and white patterns should go.
2. Paint the Walls
Apartment Therapy presented bathroom décor options for vintage bathrooms and pink tiles. Adding different colours of paint to the walls can complement the tile and retro look. Then, use accents like plants or pictures will enable the room to feel complete.
One couple chose to match the bathroom wall paint to the tub, and opted for a pastel grey shade. You could also use blue or aqua shades to complement the pink. The "interesting contrast makes visual sense," according to Apartment Therapy.
3. Add Maroon or Burgundy
Pink and maroon or pink and burgundy tile bathrooms are another option for a retro bathroom. While there may not be many pink and maroon bathrooms being installed these days, there are a plentiful amount of vintage bathrooms making use of pink and maroon.
4. Tile the Shower
If you are adding pink tiles to your bathroom especially in the shower area, the DIY Network website offers up some helpful tips. When the demolition is complete, first lay out and measure tile to be certain that it will fit the space properly. Then, when installing, be sure to use a starter board—particularly with vertical tile—to ensure that the tile has a straight edge.
Finish the shower floor last after the walls have been completed.
Pink Maax bathtub, available from Kitchen & Bath Classics
5. Put in Pink Plumbing Fixtures
Why not go all out with your vintage bathroom? Those who have a shower over their bathtub will likely not be tiling the tub, but there's always the option to find and select a new pink tub, to complement the pink tiles. Additionally, consider replacing your boring standard toilet with a pink upgrade!
6. Go Geometric
Elegant geometry can enhance many bathrooms, including those with pink tile. Include a sophisticated vintage wallpaper with geometric shapes in your bathroom. Then, pair it with a simple white shower curtain and solid coloured towels, such as pink or whatever additional colour you’ve paired the pink theme with in your bathroom.
Pink took over millions of bathrooms in the 1950s, and they may be making a comeback. Pam Kueber, the creator of the Save the Pink Bathroom movement notes that rosy bathrooms have and continue to serve a point. “Our grandparents were not wrong about their design and colour choices,” Kueber told HGTV. “They were just different, influenced by different marketing and the different fashions of different eras.”
Looking for more bathroom inspiration? Visit a Kitchen & Bath Classics showroom to take a look at fixtures, faucets, tubs and much more.
