Chosen by Pratt & Larson Tile for their “Designer of the Month” spotlight
Sometime in the 1970s, this 110-year-old house acquired a very poorly constructed bathroom. After living with its awkward angles, missing storage, and lack of charm for over a decade the owners were ready for a change. Learn how their love of exuberantly colored vintage tile baths led to a space that merges function with flair.
The brief: Remove all traces of the 1970s from a vintage home’s attic bath. Prioritize a comfortable tub. Create clever built-ins to maximize storage in the ~ 8’ x 7.5’ (63 sf) space. Soften the room’s innate angles. And skip the standard white subway tile to make every day a blue-sky day.
Working within the original angular space, House Vixen Design used fish scale tile, a rounded-corner tub, and vibrant color to create a relaxed, informal feeling. The tile's rhythmic pattern echoes the roof line and turns the 12-foot ceiling from a bug to a feature. Small choices contribute to the room’s casual air: while a clear jar pendant hangs from the vaulted ceiling, a nearly invisible cable does the job of a traditional shower ring.
Because the room’s existing skylight and fixed window fill the room with a cold gray light during winter, the designer’s initial color suggestions incorporated warmth in a variety of ways. The final choices evoke sunny coastal days whatever the actual weather.
The designer’s vision of a “playful, deconstructed Art Deco” bathroom incorporated era-appropriate colors. The new double alcove, curved-end tub bears a strong resemblance to a Standard model from 1930.
While an all-white bath was never under consideration, Standard’s 1930 catalog was surprisingly vehement about the topic!
“All too frequently white, simply because it denotes cleanliness, has been the only color in the bathroom — white fixtures, white walls, white ceiling. But white is too striking to be used without relief...remember that the function of the background is to provide the contrast which will bring out the beauty of the fixtures.”
Whether you consider their proclamation outdated spin from a plumbing manufacturer or wisdom for the ages, it’s true that even gentle contrast allows fixtures’ sculptural qualities to shine.
Source: Stanford Plumbing Fixtures for the Home (PDF)
Unless you’re bound by preservation restrictions or committed to a purist restoration, mixing eras can expand design choices. While this house predates the Art Deco movement, similar homes in the neighborhood sport fish scale shingles; fusing time periods served multiple project needs.
Handmade tile from Pratt & Larson plus a complex design called for a tile professional with an artistic eye as well as technical expertise.
Installation: Erik Klusman, Wolf Tile LLC
Details: handmade crackle tile (Pratt & Larson Large Fan in four watercolor glaze colors plus deep blue field and pencil liner); grout (Custom Building Fusion Pro in Driftwood).
Additional details: plumbing fixtures (Kingston Brass Metropolitan); pendant (Schoolhouse’s Union in polished nickel with clear jar shade); wall color (custom Miller Paint); and tub (Americh’s Bow).
In a smaller bath, between-the-studs and recessed storage maximizes space. You can enhance visual cohesion by repeating shapes within the room — or add rhythm with deliberating contrasting shapes. This bath’s double shower niches echo the strong vertical lines found throughout the room.
The bath’s more sedate elements take their inspiration from the Oregon coast’s billowing clouds, silvered driftwood, and deep shoreline. With the generous 5.5’ soaking tub adding visual weight to the room, House Vixen Design recommended a classic pedestal sink to create “breathing room” — but specified plenty of custom cabinetry to cover storage needs in the 91” x 99” room.
Sandy shades for the floor and walls create a soothing, envelope-like effect against the white wood, fixtures, lighting, and ceiling.
The dormer’s slanted ceilings mean some walls are 7’ while others rise 12’ up. To help ground the space, the designer established key horizontal lines that carry around the room.
This series of photos demonstrates how the tops of upper cabinetry, shower niches, artwork, and casement window align while the lower built-ins connect with the sink.
The partially recessed, six-inch deep linen cabinet has two roles: it mimics the fixed window above it but also relates to the blue-framed window and tub. A second towel rack (not pictured) extends the horizontal line to the doorway.
Details: custom cabinetry (double medicine cabinet, tilt-out bin, pullout drawer, and linen cabinet); pedestal sink (St Thomas Richmond); sconce (Pottery Barn Hayden); faucet (Kingston Brass Metropolitan); towel holder (vintage); Marmoleum floor (Donkey Island); wall color (custom Miller Paint); and custom metal print art (Adorampix).
Compiling a range of appealing images can aid design development. Colored tile baths of the 20s and 30s were the starting point for taking this room back in time...but not the only source of inspiration.
In addition to looking at vintage baths, the designer pulled from her personal photography to help flesh out the room’s bolder, textural side.
Illustration credits: 1930 Standard catalog (Royal Copenhagen Blue pedestal sink; Ming Green bath suite). 1928 Crane Plumbing Company catalog (Moroccan bath).
Photo credits: House Vixen Design
Whether actual, illustrated, or “inspired-by,” vintage color tile baths exude a lot of personality. If you’re drawn to more expressive rooms, consider how you can use color, texture, and shape to create the home that’s right for you.
A House Vixen Design Connect to Color Project. Guidance for this home included custom cabinetry specifications; tile, wall, and floor colors/materials; lighting; fixtures; and hardware.