Bathroom Design
10 Reasons to Love a Pink Bathroom
Blush bathrooms, popular in the 1950s, are enjoying a revival. Are you in?
Pink bathrooms are having a bit of a moment: Some of the most stylish restaurant powder rooms are taking to candy-colored tiles (which look great with brass faucets), but pink bathrooms are also a bit of a throwback, most notably to the midcentury era.
Rose-tinted bathrooms in the U.S. have been credited to former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, whose love of all things pink — from her outfits to her daily flower deliveries to the allover blush bathroom at the Eisenhowers’ Pennsylvania residence — spawned a 1950s craze for the hue. Houzz readers often decry the removal of vintage pink bathroom fixtures, and there’s even a fan website dedicated to the preservation of the look. In similar celebration, here are some of the best pink bathrooms on Houzz. Will you be inspired?
Rose-tinted bathrooms in the U.S. have been credited to former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, whose love of all things pink — from her outfits to her daily flower deliveries to the allover blush bathroom at the Eisenhowers’ Pennsylvania residence — spawned a 1950s craze for the hue. Houzz readers often decry the removal of vintage pink bathroom fixtures, and there’s even a fan website dedicated to the preservation of the look. In similar celebration, here are some of the best pink bathrooms on Houzz. Will you be inspired?
Update period styling. This elegant bathroom has a distinctly period aesthetic, from the claw-foot tub and telephone-style mixer faucet to the grand marble sink and characterful paneled walls.
The pastel color scheme and chrome detailing nevertheless have a strong contemporary feel. And, unlike with tiling, this approach makes things easier to change should you want a different look in the future. The exterior of a free-standing tub like this can easily be painted; good prep and priming are key for a pro finish, and there are plenty of guides online to help you get it right.
The pastel color scheme and chrome detailing nevertheless have a strong contemporary feel. And, unlike with tiling, this approach makes things easier to change should you want a different look in the future. The exterior of a free-standing tub like this can easily be painted; good prep and priming are key for a pro finish, and there are plenty of guides online to help you get it right.
Embrace Art Deco. Millions of us live in 1920s and ’30s houses, and our homes’ original bathrooms may well have looked something like this.
If you want to make a (bold) nod to authenticity in a house from this era, your bathroom could be the place to start. Very few of these houses still have their original bathrooms, but the look is easy to re-create. With strong color a key feature of Art Deco, this kind of hot-pink-meets-powder-pink tiling (almost always with black trim) works very well.
Art Deco is a style that’s nudging its way back into more and more homes — could it (whisper) be the “new” midcentury modern? — and it works with many house styles, particularly in adding character to architecturally plain or boxy modern homes.
If you want to make a (bold) nod to authenticity in a house from this era, your bathroom could be the place to start. Very few of these houses still have their original bathrooms, but the look is easy to re-create. With strong color a key feature of Art Deco, this kind of hot-pink-meets-powder-pink tiling (almost always with black trim) works very well.
Art Deco is a style that’s nudging its way back into more and more homes — could it (whisper) be the “new” midcentury modern? — and it works with many house styles, particularly in adding character to architecturally plain or boxy modern homes.
Limit it to one feature. Tiles or wall color are a prominent way to showcase a bit of blush in your bathroom. For something more discreet, consider having just one detail in pink. Here, the sink’s exterior does the job in this otherwise clean, white space.
If your bathroom is already in place, try a small sink backsplash instead — perhaps two or three patterned encaustic tiles with a hint of pink, or a solid-color trio.
Choosing a warm neutral as a bridge color will add depth and soften the look. Note also how beautifully brass or gold works with soft pinks. Expect to see a lot of this combination in the coming months.
If your bathroom is already in place, try a small sink backsplash instead — perhaps two or three patterned encaustic tiles with a hint of pink, or a solid-color trio.
Choosing a warm neutral as a bridge color will add depth and soften the look. Note also how beautifully brass or gold works with soft pinks. Expect to see a lot of this combination in the coming months.
Go for graduation. The earthy, almost terra-cotta hue of these tiles means they look really good in a matte finish with a cement-colored grout, while the gentle gradation of color adds an extra level of interest.
The strong contrasting marble and gleaming gold hardware are evidence that confident styling — and a commitment to pushing design boundaries — go a long way.
If you’re nervous about doing a look this bold, you could emulate it in a smaller space such as a powder room rather than the family bathroom.
The strong contrasting marble and gleaming gold hardware are evidence that confident styling — and a commitment to pushing design boundaries — go a long way.
If you’re nervous about doing a look this bold, you could emulate it in a smaller space such as a powder room rather than the family bathroom.
Narrow it down. A strip of rose can be all you need to channel the trend. In this edgy bathroom of contrasting geometrics, the effect is a little bit 1980s — in a good way.
This is also a commitment-free way to dabble with pink. You can also go for a feature wall or simply a collection of coordinated accessories, such as towels, bathmat, soap dispenser or vase, for even less commitment.
This is also a commitment-free way to dabble with pink. You can also go for a feature wall or simply a collection of coordinated accessories, such as towels, bathmat, soap dispenser or vase, for even less commitment.
Don’t hold back. Like pale pink? Don’t apologize. Cover every surface in your bathroom with the hue.
To create visual interest in a one-color design, vary your patterns and textures. Here, a grid of pink pearlescent tiles forms a faint pattern of squares on the walls, while the floor is also subtly different.
To create visual interest in a one-color design, vary your patterns and textures. Here, a grid of pink pearlescent tiles forms a faint pattern of squares on the walls, while the floor is also subtly different.
Up your accessories. Here’s a perfect example of accessories leading the way. The warm, marble-look wall tiles aren’t quite pink, but teamed with pale blush flowers, towels, boxes and other small details, that’s the undertone that stands out. Swap these accessories for another color — brown or lavender, perhaps — and that will be what’s picked out from the walls and become the dominant shade.
Look down. It’s perhaps the least obvious place to bring a soft putty shade into your bathroom, but doesn’t this pink vinyl floor look luscious? The gleaming mirrored and white backdrop conjures up a little bit of 1950s glamour, which you could easily ramp up further with a couple of vintage accessories or some gold cabinet knobs.
Pick it out with pattern. Solid color may be the more obvious way to introduce this on-trend shade, but making pink the feature color in patterned tiles, whether on the floor or walls, is another nice way to go, and it creates a totally different feel.
Here, there’s no trace of the vintage vibe that powder pink can add to a bath space, so consider this look if your style leans to a more contemporary feel.
More
In the Pink: Falling in Love With Romantic Blush
When to Use Pink in the Bath Do’s and Don’ts for Peach in the Bedroom
Houzzers: Tickled Pink in the Bathroom
Here, there’s no trace of the vintage vibe that powder pink can add to a bath space, so consider this look if your style leans to a more contemporary feel.
More
In the Pink: Falling in Love With Romantic Blush
When to Use Pink in the Bath Do’s and Don’ts for Peach in the Bedroom
Houzzers: Tickled Pink in the Bathroom
Gray veined marble and blush are natural bedfellows, as illustrated beautifully in this subway tile and vanity combination. If a stone-topped vanity isn’t on your wish list, consider tiling an adjoining wall or shower cubicle with large marble-look porcelain tiles for similar compatibility.