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10 Vintage Touches for Your Bathroom

Add unique style to your loo with antique furniture, fixtures, accessories and hardware

Becky Harris January 28, 2012

Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.

Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More

Comment15

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Are you looking to keep your bathroom from looking like a cookie-cutter copy of every other one you see? Try adding some vintage flair.

All this takes is one element. You don't need the full-on T.G.I.-Friday's pull-chain toilet and old-newspaper wallpaper to go vintage. (As a 12-year-old, however, the pull-chain was my favorite thing about that joint besides the potato skins. Actually, now I'm thinking it was Wendy's that had the old newspaper printed stalls. Whatever.)

Pick and use as many of these as you'd like. It all depends on just how vintage you want to go.

Tim Barber Architects

1. Color palette. Black, white and light mint-green tiles are a nostalgic choice full of charm. While vintage-inspired, they have a fresh updated look.

Ken Levenson Architect P.C.

2. Claw-foot tub. Although some lovely new models are available on the market today, good scavengers can find the originals the new models emulate. Check antique stores and architectural salvage yards for antique claw-foot tubs. You can then send them to the glazer to have them fixed up good as new.

Vintage sinks fall under this category as well. Pedestal and wall-mount sinks also can be refurbished to add vintage appeal to your bathroom. Fixture designers have been looking back and reproducing the styles for new models.

3. Vanity. Repurpose a bureau, washstand, cupboard or other vintage piece into a vanity. I love this piece because it shows some age, but its dark color and lack of chipped paint give it an updated look.

Tip: Check the height. Standard height is about 29 to 36 inches. You'll want to go toward the low end of the range if the bathroom will be used by children.

Check out more repurposed pieces enjoying a second life as a vanity.

Olga Adler

4. Antique mirror. Perhaps that should read "Antiqued Mirror." The lovely edges around this mirror give it an elegantly aged look. For a more cottage-like look, check out a mirror that's made from reclaimed boat wood.

Learn more about antiqued mirrors.

Hoedemaker Pfeiffer

5. Vintage towel stand. I have a special spot in my heart for this, as my mother and grandmother always had rickety wooden towel racks around.

They are a great solution for a home where a lot of people share a bathroom. In a coastal cottage it's common for towel racks to be in the bedrooms. That allows all towels a shot at drying and prevents them from getting mixed up in the bathroom.

Birdhouse Design Studio

6. Vintage door. Whether you use it as the main door, a cabinet door or propped against the wall as a giant chalkboard, a piece like this adds unique style to the room.

ZeroEnergy Design

7. Barn lighting. While these sconces are new, they have a vintage barn look. They also pick up on the galvanized tin bucket underneath the vanity.

Browse some of our favorite barn light fixtures.

KitchenLab Interiors

8. Extra piece of antique furniture. The cabinet on the right side of the photo adds scads of character as well as more storage and surface space.

Check out this vintage upper cabinet.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

This charming candle stand adds an unexpected touch to the bathroom, making it feel more like any other room in the house.

9. Vintage signs, botanical prints, portraits, postcards, silhouettes or photographs. You aren't limited to this list, but it should give you an idea of the type of decor that adds vintage charm. One piece on the wall can really pack a vintage punch, such as this fun "No Vacancy" sign.

On another note, notice the way this designer used jade accessories to give the bath a vintage feel. The images on the right are framed vintage postcards.

See the full Houzz Tour of this home

Brennan + Company Architects

10. Small details. Don't overlook small design opportunities, such as these glass doorknobs. The same rule applies to cabinet hardware, shower curtain rings, the "Hot" and "Cold" atop your faucets and more. Focus your eyes on the little things for opportunities to add your personal style.

More:
15 Elements of Today's Vintage-Inspired Baths
Console Sinks for a Vintage Style Bath
A Furniture Look for Your Bathroom Vanity

Comment15

George Kovacs P5042-077, Saber, 2-Light Bath

$130

Solbi 3-Light Chrome Finish Bath Vanity Wall Fixture White Alabaster Glass 24"

$105

Delta Trinsic Tissue Holder, Matte Black

$69

8"x8" Alhambra Handmade Cement Tile, Navy Blue/Purple, Set of 12

$106.47

3-Light Bath Bar, Natural Brass

$118

Giza Shower, Spa, Door Mat, Solid Teak Wood and Oiled Finish

$121

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formoso

the vintage touch was presented not that interactive or no interaction of new and old, it must have that interaction of old and new with out contradiction of each other. you can do it by its color , texture , age , lines etc. (arch. formoso's opinion) tnx. but still nice !

Like February 2, 2012 at 5:46AM