I know it’s not going to be many people’s favourite thing, but I love a cool Mid Century bathroom / washroom. Pink, blue, green sinks / tubs whatever colour there is I love it. I also think 1920’s & 1930’s bathrooms with their cool Art deco style are just the best. So fancy!
For today’s post we are going to look back on vintage ads from the 1920’s – 1950’s as a source of inspiration for maybe a bathroom reno or just enjoyment.
Let’s begin!
Vintage 1920’s Art Deco “Standard Plumbing Fixtures” Advertisement – Source
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Vintage Bathroom’s 1920’s – 1950’s
The Vintage Advertising:
“Start with a colour in the fixtures” 1928 ad for Kohler.
1927 – Capitalizing on a technological breakthrough, Kohler Co. offers cast-iron and vitreous china plumbing products in matching pastel colors (Source).
Source: Kohler
1954 American-Standard fixtures advertisement featuring a Pink, Blue or Yellow bathroom with Grey bathroom fixtures (coloured sink, tub & toilet).
“American-Standard bathrooms in color make it easy to change your color scheme as often as you like!” “All you have to do is change your bath accessories to match the grey fixtures”
Source: Etsy – AmericanCenturyShop
1924 ad for ‘Fairfacts Fixtures’. “Complete Satisfaction in bathroom luxury”. I’m a big fan of that black & white checkered flooring.
Source: Pinterest
1930’s Crane Bathroom Fixtures original vintage advertisement. Fitted for today’s needs, are Crane valves, spouts, handles, and wastes that answer every modern tenet, charm and convenience.
Look at the floor! Fantastic!
Source: Pinterest
1945 Sears Wish Book Catalog page featuring a 1940’s bathroom and the different Shower Curtain Sets you could purchase to tie your look all together.
I think I would go green or maybe the yellow? What would you chose?
Source: Wishbookweb.com
Not enough colour in your bathroom? Don’t worry! FACTO-TILE has you covered! 1955 Ad.
Source: Pinterest
“The background of your day..Your Bathroom”. 1929 ad for Wolff Plumbing.
I’m a big fan of the green tub in the middle of the room. Nice touch!
Source: Pinterest
1931 Crane Bathroom Fixures ad. “How to plan a charming bathroom”. Charming indeed! And look at that Linoleum flooring? DROOL!
Further Reading: The Beautiful World of 1940s Linoleum Flooring
Source: Etsy – AmericanCenturyShop
Eljer Plumbing Fixtures, 1948 ad featuring a yellow and green bathroom. It seems to work!
Source: Pinterest
“The World’s finest Bathroom Fixtures-Universal Rundle!” – 1951 ad.
Source: Etsy- KristensVintagePaper
Beautiful 1930’s Art Deco Bathroom. WOW! That Floor! 1937 Johns Manville building materials ad.
Source: Etsy – RetroReveries
When I first saw this 1950’s ad for Armstrong flooring I thought it was a kitchen, but NOPE! It’s a huge 1950’s bathroom. Huge! I kind of oddly like it. How about you?
Source: Pinterest
That was a fun post to put together (I loved all the flooring to be honest)! There is so much content out there that I might have to do a part two at some point (so stay tuned!).
Question Time: What are your thoughts on coloured bathrooms, like the ones above? What was your favourite time period for bathrooms? Share in the comments section below.
FURTHER READING:
- Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)
- The Beautiful World of 1940s Linoleum Flooring
- Formica-For the Vintage Styled Home
- Vintage Home Decor – Archive of Blog Posts
Thanks for stopping by!
Liz
I love colored bathrooms! It comes from having spent the majority of my childhood at my grandparents’ late 1920s house in Pittsburgh PA. Their bathroom had burgundy tile walls with light blue trim as well as pale blue fixtures. The other upstairs bathroom had Nile green tiles with pale pink trim and pale pink fixtures. To complete the look, my grandmother had matching pastel kleenex, toilet paper, soap, and towels. The downstairs powder room had pink tile and burgundy fixtures. The coolest thing is that I looked up the house on Zillow, and the bathrooms are exactly the same as I remember them!!!
OMG WOW!!! That sounds incredible! And I’m so happy that the bathrooms have remained the same! That hardly happens these days.
Thank you so much for sharing that.
Liz