Pipdog! I love this bathroom! This is what I was looking for! I really love those tiny mosaics. Do you have a link for the pic or tiles?

Maybe mix some in randomly with solid same size tiles

It's really pretty, I think it would look great in your space. It's understated enough that it wouldn't compete with your feature wall but yet still interesting and period appropriate. Here's the link and a source:

Downtown Savannah Loft · More Info

and a few more of Sicis 1x1s in MCMs. We are using some in our house, and on our pool:

Raven - I like that idea. I think it would be really cool in one of the guest baths. They are awesome tiles and I love the colors.

Pip- I like that tile next to the marble. Do you think that is a flat tile or a glassy one? I dont want a glassy one. I'm trying to find some pics of the Oceanside ones because they are similar, but bigger. I think the blue would be too much? An 8x8x8 foot wall of it?

So I think I'm down to either a 4x4 Pratt and Larson or non-irredescent tiles for the shower.

Or maybe these walker zanger fake marble tiles?

My vote is for the 4x4 roarah posted, or the smaller mosaics. I know you're reluctant to go with avocado but it would look fantastic with the walnut imo. Blue as well. I'm not feeling the faux marble tiles either.

wow. i love these mosaics-and this bathroom with an owl..white, walnut, the owl..oh my..i can't think straight anymore. staring at that owl. see, with birds you know right away. lol

I love that one with the owl too.

I don't think the marble-look is right for your house. If a white box house like yours had a marble bath it was because the inside had been done in Regency style (which yours may have been at one time?)

Even this isn't marble, it's terrazzo and pink lacquer

looking at Pratt and Larson gallery..as per mayflowers' suggestion..i like P62

http://prattandlarson.com/colors/glazes/parchment-matte/

but then i used a very similar color in my house..in one of the rooms..so i'm probably very partial to it

it's called "Serene thought" in its paint version..I kinda agree with that name..:)

it will look very cool with walnut. on the other hand-what doesn't?..

Rockybird, I messaged you.

I liked this 2 x 2 tile from P & L and its placement on the shower wall with large format tile. Seems updated MCM to me. It's not quite as utilitarian as the 1 x 1 mosaics in a solid color.

There are some gorgeous tiles on this thread. Not that I know anything, but I love the 4" square green tiles. To my eyes, it refers to the period, but the color and way they are used in a modern glass shower are current and reflective of the time of the addition. That said, those Italian mosaic tiles are scrumptious, as are the tiles mayflowers just posted.

Rocky, I just used faux marble in my addition to my 1920 house so I like the tile apparently but I love the green square and wanted to use it in my shower when I saw it but it did not fit. I think I want to trade houses with you so I can use an avacado square tile and you can use some of the more transitional leaning towards traditional ones in your ;). I also love the smaller blue squares in pip dogs pics too that would be a compromise between being true to your house while using something more mainstream too.

Fantastic tiles. All of them really. I do like the 2nd one Rocky posted. To me the shape is mid century. Though I wonder what it looks like with a month of soap scum an d hard water stains on it. Who cleans all you guys bathrooms anyways?

My parents had 3-shade blue 1x1's massed on the floors, sunken tub, and 3 walls. Very light blue (almost white), aqua, and sky. They had a South Pacific inspired 1969 home. I wish I had a photo of that bath. When they tore it out in the 80s for beige and rust I almost had a stroke. So I am partial to pipdogs updated selections with the blues.

Good luck!

You guys are the best! I am going to go to the tile shop this AM and look at the Pratt and Larson tiles. I just cant bring myself to do avocado. Maybe if I can see the color in person, I might change my mind. Mayflowers, that circle tile is awesome. I will definitely ask about that. I guess I will return the flower petal tile.

Jn3344- there were a lot of 1x1 tiles in this house also (1958 build) so I am definitely keeping that tile in mind. I'm hopeful the tile shop I am going to will carry it, because I am too embarrassed to call Ann Sacks and ask them to ship yet another sample.

LOL roarah you ar funny! I am giving up on the fake marble for now.

I was also just think of doing a basic white 3x9" Heath tile, with white floor, white counters, and dark walnut. Any thoughts on this? I think there is some variation in tiles, which might add a little character.

Tile next to walnut and the floor sample (which I broke):

The other samples from Heath (I do love the yellow on top of the dark blue and the green next to it):

Palimpsest - good god that is an ugly room! This house had been so bastardized when I bought it that it's hard to know what the original design was, but I believe it was pretty period mcm. One bathroom was yellow square tile, yellow sink, yellow toilet (but a pleasant yellow) with a wall of gold spray painted mirror. The other bath was all light blue, and the other two baths were redone (horribly). Also, when we started tearing things out, we found a lot of turquoise blue and a panel of avocado.

mabeldingdine and aprilneverends - I am hopeful the tile shop has that color so I can look at it in person. :)

rockybird - let's talk conceptual. What do you want to get out of the bathroom?

* peaceful?

* emphasises the views?

* wow factor?

* colorful?

* striking?

* period appropriate?

I was wondering if it would be harmonious to do a colorful rectangular tile in a layout that mimics your block wall:

I love those green tiles roarah posted, both the 4" square and the rectangles (which I think would look great in your 8' shower). I also loved the herringbone look the palm shape gives when installed. I didn't look at those close up but really like that look for a big shower wall. Anything coordinating with the larger tiles in a small format would work as well for a pattern around the sink I'd think if you didn't want the larger format (& lots of grout) there.

rockybird,

I actually like the pink bathroom in it's own way--like something you'd see in a museum. I think there is (or was) a fairly high proportion of Palm Springs glass boxes decorated in this fashion. I seem to run across them in the listings.

In my 1965 house. I am doing or have done 2x2 porcelain in a blue much like the owl picture, (all over, walls and floor); 2x2 white porcelain, with a medium grey 2x2 hex floor; 4-4 grey ceramic with a charcoal grey 2x2 hex floor also with matching grey fixtures. (and no vanity, teak vanity, and probably straight grained oak vanity.)

No accents, variety, no trim other than bullnose and cove, because in my experience, that's what modernist bathrooms in houses of the period looked like. In traditional builds, it may have been a bit different. I know I push for authenticity a lot, which is not always necessary and a bit revisionist because you're almost pretending it is original...but my rationale is that making it look original (or original-ish--its unavoidable that there will be stylistic clues that it isn't) is because it will never look wrong. Not that you are picking anything wrong per se, but if you don't pick something obvious that was only available in 2017 and not in 1965, --you won't looke back in 2027 and say...oh that ____ is so 2017.

One of my bathrooms here (because it was spec'd by the builder, not the architect) was white tile with gold flecks and a black and mustard yellow porcelain floor. I could have completely reproduced it with Daltile, but I could not quite commit to that. And I don't think it is what the architect would have wanted anyway, looking at his more custom projects.

Robo - you are right but the problem is that I cant get a vision of the bathroom. I think I would like to emphasize views or do some subtle color. I would like updated modern, not old school midcentury. I love your block examples. The tile design is very clever. I think those are the heath tiles? I love it.

Thanks pal. Your baths sound beautiful! I am definitely considering similar tiles, as they were consistent with the original architecture. The one thing I know I dont want is a busy looking wall space.

I just cannot seem to get a visual of what I want in this bathroom. Maybe once they start building it will strike me what I need. So far, the area is only mapped out. I go out there and stand, and still cant see the bathroom.

Heres the samples of Larson Pratt from today:

Wow, those are pretty colors. I like the green that's second from the top in the middle group. I call that spring green.

Have you looked at Fireclay's and Sonoma TileMaker's websites for ideas? Encore Ceramics has gorgeous and unique tile. Ask for help in Kitchens too. Eam, oldbat, and romy are very knowledgeable about tile.

I don't know if they are beautiful, they are probably too utilitarian for that, I think they are more along the lines of this, which is the "civilian" version of a Checker cab, sold during the period they made the cabs: relatively expensive, sturdy, made to run hundreds of thousands of miles for long hours every day, but homely.

How thick are some of these tiles? One of the reasons that I rejected Ann Sacks is that they just looked "too big" for the bathrooms, scale wise. Even their small tiles are very thick, and since I was doing wainscot high tile in both upstairs bathrooms I did not want something so apparently "thick" looking. This is probably a weird thing to worry about, and if you are doing full height tile, it doesn't matter.

I love the spring green, but I could also fall in love with the pale aqua, second from top on the right.

Oh man can I redo my bathroom after only 18 months or is that crazy talk??

If you have not explored the wonderful fireclay tiles definitely do that. Here's a take off on your first one. Hydrangea color is still my favorite.

https://www.fireclaytile.com/gallery/detail/eclectic-glass-backsplash/

Fireclay has a page with MCM bathrooms.

https://www.fireclaytile.com/blog/full/tile-by-style-mod-about-midcentury-bathrooms/

Did you know they have a free design service staffed with interior designers? They are very helpful and will send you free samples. I set up an Ideabook with photos of my kitchen and Houzz inspiration photos. I wrote a paragraph about each photo. I sent the designer the link to my Ideabook.

After seeing the pictures, I remain the fan of matte grayish green. Even though deeper, more emerald one -I love it too.

While usually I don't like accents-I can see interspersing a bit different shades of green...or blue if you're a blue fan

(I love putty one as well but not sure that's what you're after)

Glossy seems a bit wrong(can't really explain it) as does mosaic-well that's my star and cross pattern!! but I have a space that's, like, 180 degrees from yours..and one small(small, really) box of this star and cross was 500 or something. The whole wall I'm afraid to imagine.

The second pattern is more "yours".

(Ann Sacks has a free design service..well limited to products of course..we were very pleased

and the family store chain around here which I describe as tile heaven (http://www.missiontilewest.com/..but the website is not that great and doesn't give you a real idea of what this store is..you can spend there hours just staring and touching,.they carry local boutique lines nobody even heard about-yet so so unique and beautiful)

in short this store also does and they're incredible..the bathroom didn't exist yet, only in the blueprints-and the lady there was sitting and drawing it, three-dimensional, while I was awkwardly describing it...it was a kind of a magic..that was actually the first time I saw my own, non existing bath yet..and we were the ones who designed it yet we didn't imagine it in our heads as clearly as she did, just hearing me try to word it...magical.

every great store does have similar service. there are not so many great stores though)

While that Fireclay tile is pretty, I agree with jmarino and others about keeping things soft so as to not upstage the colors outside. That is the real star of your home. Your walnut vanities will bring in some warmth.

You guys are so helpful!!! I called fireclay and ordered a bunch of samples, including the glass tiles and also just a pretty white called tusk. I really like this shower in tusk:

this Tusk is beautiful

I have a sample of Tusk. It's a bit creamier than the pic. I don't think that's their whitest color.

Thanks for the heads up mayflower! That is disappointing. The tusk is 50% off and I was entertaining using larger pieces for the closet and shower floor. If I go whiter, at $30/sq foot, I'm looking at 22k for the shower and floor. A creamy white might not look good with my white quartz counters.

Your house is one of the less is definitely more kind ... The gaudier patterned "MCM" tiles would be a screaming diva in what is a cool jazz ensemble. The plain, squares or the small mosaics feel better to me.

If the counters are white quartz, you need clear colors, not muted/dirty ones. that bottom tile in the row of greens, as one wall in a white shower, could be good.

How big is your shower? 22K translates to over 700 square feet?

I don't have any financial interest in Daltile, but if you are going to go with a matte white or off white, you could bring the budget down a lot by not going with an expensive tile. Once the tile is up and you are not comparing various qualities side to side of the tile, you often can't tell much difference when using subtler colors. In either case a good quality installation is key. I've seen the appearance of very expensive tile diminished by a mediocre installation.

This this may be a bit boring for you but how about a penny type tile for a subtle texture.

When I looked at Fireclay a year ago, they had about ten colors in their Foundations group at $15/sq ft. I thought a whiter one was included in Foundations. I don't see that on their website now but maybe they have frequent promotions.

I Second pal' advice on the use of the least expensive white tile. The reason the fireclay tile stands out so much is that the squares are payed in a brick staggered pattern not a running bond so it looks"fresher" than the usual white square tile.

I am so glad you are posting about finding tile the same time I am looking. :) I just realized I would have to be insane to go with small white tiles in my shower! Hmm now what do I do? maybe really large ones, but still - white grout. The thought of all that white grout is just not a happy thought> of course I have well water, and had a bad experience with well water and white tile/grout in my last house.

it does look lovely though, and I can't wait to see what you end up with :)

How how about Pals inexpensive white tile with white penny tile applied where the decorative tile is in this photo? That would be nice.

Pretend this is white tile with white penny tile where the decorative tiles are.

That could work. I'd use penny tile sparingly in a shower though. I'd prefer large format tiles too.

With Pratt and Larson, she could have those colored circles in any of their glazes. There's a closeup of it in their bathroom gallery on their website. I really like that photo and I've looked at tons of tile photos on Houzz and in person at Portland's tile showrooms. Haven't been to P & L though.

I love keeping up with your house, let me be another vote for simple MCM tile look. Understated bathrooms are my thing.

I agree with pal about using Daltile over Fireclay if you are going white/neutral. When we picked out our tile, we compared the plain white Daltile stuff to the higher end stuff from Ann Sacks, Porcelanosa and Fireclay. The difference is slight.

This white tile in the matte finish might be a similar alternative. Also, the Modern Dimensions line is great, as is their Keystone line which has some period appropriate matte tiles in white and fun colors in 1x1 and 2x2 and hex shapes.

Thanks everyone for your help!!! You are the best!!!

Thanks Lazy gardens. I really like that green. That is a very good point about using a less muted color with the white quartz.

clt3-the 700 sq feet is actually the dimensions of the bathroom floor, walk in closet floor, and shower. But I could use a cheaper tile for the floor. I have a sample of porcelanosa in white that could work, depending on the shower tile.

Pal, pipdog, roarah - the reason I like the fireclay. pj and heath is that their not perfect and have subtle variations in the color. Is dal more perfectly cut?

Hi Terri-I love the penny round, but this shower is so huge, I'm worried it'll be too busy. But I am thinking of using it in at least one guest bath. It is so pretty and cute.

Mayflowers - Fireclay is sending another foundation white out. Thanks for the heads up on that. I have a ton of samples coming. I am also thinking about their brick tiles on the fireplace.

Localeater - is that photo Pratt and Larson?

Rockybird, I see this thread is a year old... what did you end up going with?

Artemis-believe it or not I am not finished with the addition! But I do have all the tiles and fixtures at my house, waiting for installation:

- fireclay dark dark blue stacked custom tiles for shower and wc walls

- fireclay white tiles stacked for other walls

-4' x 4' white terrazzo tiles for floor

-Floating walnut cabinets with white quartz countertop

- kallista chrome fixtures

- Bathtub by Norm architects.

I cant post pics right now, but I can later if you want.