Week Eight | May 24 | Mid Modern Bathrooms Two Ways
For the Spring 2023 One Room Challenge we are working on TWO bathrooms: finishing our Guest/Studio Bathroom and then tackling our Primary Family Bath.
Be sure to check in on all of the other ORC projects on the ORC blog here.
Some before photos as well as some images of the inspiration for this project.
The Studio/Guest Bath
And here we are… the Big Reveal! This reveal is a LONG time in coming. If you are just joining me, I started this bathroom for the Fall 2022 ORC, but after an unreliable contractor AND Poop-a-palooza derailed the entire project, we are finally at the end. Huzzah!
So just a quick reminder of how this project began: we had a flood from the upstairs bathroom into our downstairs bath. This is the downstairs bath, and at some point we will talk about the upstairs, but for now we will give the Guest/Studio Bath its day in the sun!
When we bought this house, the bathroom was a hodgepodge of leftover tile and the cheapest of fittings. The bathtub had been “refinished” but was peeling within a year — revealing a gorgeous 1958 “Ming green” American Standard bathtub.
Before the flood: nondescript, boring, and cheap. The cheapest of the cheap.
After the flood and the demolition. Ready to get pretty!
I spent two weeks stripping the white finish off the tub — eventually getting to the point that I was scrubbing with a toothbrush. But it came clean at last, and I absolutely LOVE this bathtub! It is gorgeous!
My glamorous bathtub emerged from the ashes like a phoenix. I love her!
The bathtub was the starting point for this room. I did some research finding images from a 1958 American Standard catalogue. Our home is not a museum, but I wanted this bathroom to be rooted in the era in which the home was built with modern sensibilities — vintage style, not vintage values.
Oh, and I needed some flamingo-flair without being too kitchy. So here it is… my Flamingo-Chic Bathroom!
Flamingo-Chic
First things first: flamingos. I wanted to use flamingos in here, but I wasn’t ready to go Florida-kitch which would have been very easy. So I chose carefully.
In my fabric stash I had a fat quarter of Tula Pink’s flamingo print, Pretty in Pink, from her Daydreamer collection in each of two colorways. They are perfect for this bathroom, so I used both colorways to make a tissue box cover, a tieback for the shower curtain, and a bin to hold essentials on the back of the toilet.
I also framed some flamingo art — photographs I took on a recent trip to the Denver Zoo as well as a vintage book plate from a French book and a print from an Etsy shop.
And while the towels are technically called “coral” that color is absolutely the color of flamingo feathers.
Tile & Wallpaper
Taking inspiration from the gorgeous tub, I looked for tile that would give that period-appropriate monochromatic look but with a modern twist. I went back to one of my favorite tile sources: Modwalls. Modwalls specializes in retro and Mid Century tiles, and I have loved them for years.
The shower surround is their Lush Glass Subway Tile in Surf (4”x12”). I actually used a smaller version of this tile in our kitchen in The 1948 Subdivision Sweetheart, and I loved it so much I used it again here. It’s the perfect color — but the larger glass tiles give it a more modern look.
The floor tile is also from Modwalls — it’s their PopDotz penny round tile in the Spearmint colorway. There are so many lovely shades mixed in this tile. It was an easy choice!
And let’s talk about that wallpaper! A-Street Prints’ Alfresco Green Palm Leaf print is so cheerful with all the retro vibes you could ever want. Even on the gloomiest, snowiest days, this room is a Palm Springs getaway that cheers this Master Gardener’s heart! It has so many shades of green and blue in it, too, which made the flamingos and pops of coral work beautifully.
The Sink & Shower
Since this room functions as our guest bathroom, the bathroom by my office, and the laundry sink, I chose a deep kitchen sink. That seems like a strange choice in this tiny room, but it is SOOO functional! It’s deep enough for soaking and handwashing linens and delicates. It’s perfect for washing out paint brushes. And it’s a pretty porcelain sink, too.
In order to accommodate such a big sink, I had to have a wall-mounted faucet, and the Proper High Rise Wall Mount Faucet looks just like many of the hardware samples in the 1958 American Standard catalogue. I love its pivoting neck, too! It’s such a good function when handwashing here.
The mirror was a bargain find on FBMP, but it’s from Rejuvenation. I will tell you, however, it was very difficult to hang. You need to plan to have blocking inside the wall or to have your studs located in exactly the right place. So be warned!
Lura Hand Towel Bar: Speakman
And after the plumbing disasters in this bathroom, I needed a shower that was beautiful, functional, AND allowed me to wash the dogs here. Again, Speakman answered the call with a gorgeous set of chrome plumbing fittings.
Lighting
This bathroom needed better lighting as it used to be dark and dreary. The light above the mirror is from another sponsor, Kichler. It is almost an exact match to one of the fixtures in the vintage catalogue — and it’s just an elegant touch.
I love the vintage feel of Kichler’s Traverso LED Vanity Light.
In the center of the room, I used a vintage bubble light that I bought several years ago for a song on Etsy. It is unmarked, but I think it was designed by Helena Tynell, a Finnish designer, for the German glassmaker, Glashütte Limburg, in the early 1960s. All I had to do was rewire it, and I have another one for the upstairs bathroom, too.
Kichler also sent me the Phix Sconce from their new Modern Collection for just outside the bathroom in the laundry area. I can’t tell you what a difference this lovely light makes! It was nearly impossible to do laundry after dark down here before, and now with proper lighting, I can do laundry all night long. I don’t. But I could.
Accessories
Finishing touches are critical to a lovely space — particularly when every inch counts. In this room, those finishing details largely came in the form of beautiful chrome accessories which sparkle and lend a little retro glam while also being completely functional. The glass shelf and towel rack are fantastic storage for my guests. The hooks are solid and beautiful — I even used one for the tieback on the shower curtain. Personally, I hate towel racks — they are inefficient in a small space. So I have hooks for four towels inside the bathroom, and two more hooks in the laundry area outside, too. With glass knobs from Emtek and yummy lotion and soap from Malie, this bathroom feels like a spa.
A few more photos…
I was supposed to have two completed bathrooms for this ORC. That didn’t happen, so I hope you’ll stick around for the second project coming soon!
A HUGE thank you to my sponsors for this project:
I am thankful for your support and wholeheartedly recommend the products I used in this bathroom!
To Linda Weinstein, the creator of the One Room Challenge, I offer my most sincere thanks. Thank you for offering this kind of opportunity and for opening it up to anyone. And to Apartment Therapy, the ORC media sponsor: thank you for making this possible! And to all of the other ORC participants: I’ll be sure to stop by to admire your work! It is always fun to do this together!
Be sure to follow along on Instagram for updates as the seasons change. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to my newsletter below so the weekly updates will pop right into your inbox.
Here’s to another great project and all of the DIY energy that the ORC inspires!
Cheers!
Angela
Thanks to my sponsors for this project!
Interested in being a sponsor for a future project? Let me know!
Don’t miss a single update!
Sign up and each installment of the One Room Challenge will come directly to your email on Thursdays! And be sure to stop by the One Room Challenge Blog to check out the other creative renovations happening across the country. You can also follow #oneroomchallenge and #orcat on Instagram for more inspiration! Be sure to follow me as well!
