My mom’s house still has it’s original 1950s bathroom. The floor is blue-gray rectangle and square tile with occasional pink squares. The walls are pink 3″ square tiles up to about 4′ high. She has a very deep cast iron tub with a tiled surround (pink) and the sink surround is also tiled. There is also a chrome-framed mirror with fluorescent sidelights. If you’d like, I can send you some pictures…

Good luck!

Comment by DL — March 9, 2006 @ 9:15 pm

That would be great! I’d love to see pictures. I also just found this link: MODA. I like the “Refreshing Charm” example, although I don’t like the colors. But, I do like the arched recessed mirror. I need ideas. I’m trying to figure out how to have a “flavor” of 50’s without totally going 50’s (for example I do not like any of the color schemes in the link I just posted)

Comment by Administrator — March 9, 2006 @ 9:27 pm

My house had a pink 1950’s bathroom.
I don’t know if you would call it high end….all of the tiles on the walls were plastic and held on by this sticky, stinky brown glue.
I still have the medicine cabinet in the garage if you want it! And I had a HUGE built-in vanity..complete with a lazy-susan. That bathroom had so much storage space it was scary.
Flickr brought up this bathroom:
black fixtures and lime green tiles…mmm.
Or this bathroom

more pink

I like this one too.
You could check out the whole page of 1950’s decor print ads.
hope that helps. Looks like the trend back then was tile, tile, TILE! everywhere!

Comment by Jenne — March 10, 2006 @ 6:59 am

Go to a local fleamarket and look for some of the magazines from the 60’s. They have some great illustrations and ads that will give you some ideas.

Comment by Marty52 — March 10, 2006 @ 8:07 am

Jenne, I’m happy to note that it appears pedestal sinks were very common! I’m frightened by all the pink. Haha. Thanks for the links, they’re great!

Comment by Administrator — March 10, 2006 @ 8:40 am

We have a 1951 ranch, and pink was definitely the color of 50’s era bathrooms. Ours has 4x4 pepto pink tiles up to about 4 feet, with a burgandy trim tile at both the top and bottom. The tile surround around the tub goes to about 6 ft. The floor tiles are burgandy and two shades of pink (pepto pink to match the wall tile and then the other is what my grandma would’ve called “titty pink”…a lighter shade). The floor tiles are 2.5″ squares that are formed by four tiles (two small rectangles,one small square and one medium square). I’ve seen this floor pattern in a lot of bathrooms of this era. If I get my html code right you should be able to see a not-so-good picture of it here

Comment by H_Mac — March 14, 2006 @ 12:07 pm

Thanks for the information and picture of your bathroom. I think where we’re going to run into problems is that I’m not terribly fond of the colors folks used in their bathrooms in the 50’s. I like 50’s kitchen colors - they’re fun. However, I’m not sure I like the idea of fun colors in a bathroom. Haha. I’m partial to tranquil in a bathroom. I do like the floor tiles in your bathroom, interesting pattern! I also like the dark cap on top of lighter tiles…perhaps we could do a lighter tile with a darker cap - but with colors that are more suited to the current decade. I wouldn’t say this if I hadn’t checked out your blog and read that you aren’t so fond of your pink tiles. There was a definite love of pink in the 50’s!

Comment by Administrator — March 14, 2006 @ 8:30 pm

I pulled some pictures out of my 1950’s decorating book for you. Personally (and I LOVE 50’s design) I’d maybe go in my own direction here…unless you’re VERY VERY brave!
http://mbatr.blogspot.com/2006/03/1950s-bathroom-inspiration.html

Comment by Mary-Frances Main — March 14, 2006 @ 8:34 pm

Mary-Frances, thanks for posting the pictures. All I can say is HOLY CRAP! Those are some ugly bathrooms. Although I do like the wallpaper too…not that it would go well in my bathroom.

Comment by Administrator — March 14, 2006 @ 9:01 pm

Aren’t they garish and horrid? Fun tho…if you want more pictures of other rooms…just ask…you should see the “traditional rooms” - they’re awful!

Comment by Mary-Frances Main — March 15, 2006 @ 7:11 am

My grandmother’s house was built in the 1940’s. Very nice house for the day. When I clicked on the link I was very pleasantly surprised as it had that look to it - her colors however were quite different - they were pink and blue, but the size and the designs were quite similar. I recall that she had a large pedestal(sp?) sink in white and used a vanity in her room for getting ready (I have the vanity now!)
Amy

Comment by Amy — March 16, 2006 @ 6:52 pm

I think an important detail to fifties bathroom is the mud cap. The tiled portions of the wall should be out about a half inch out from the walls with a mud cap on top. Quarter rounds on the outside corner are good too, but it’s hard to dothem right.

Our original bath has pink everything with blue wall tile and burgundy trim. The two new bathrooms will have all white fixtures. One with blue and green tiles. The other with black and white.

Comment by David E. — March 20, 2006 @ 9:55 pm

David, I think the mudcap is key! I can’t wait to see pictures of your final bathroom. I don’t know what colors I’d use in the bathroom for tiles and a mudcap. Right now I’m leaning toward white tiles, black mudcap, and sky blue paint above. However, if I could find some light blue subway tiles, maybe I would go with those instead.

Comment by Administrator — March 22, 2006 @ 7:12 pm