Do you have a retro bathroom in your house? What the heck do you even do with it? I remember when we did the walkthrough of our current house, I was shown the upstairs bathroom with a glorious jet tub. Not only was there a jet tub but this bathroom was filled with original tile on the walls. I did really like this bathroom in all it’s retro glory but I did wrestle with what to do with it. Should I keep the old tiles or get a whole new bathroom?
Spoiler Alert: I decided to keep the vintage tile in tact, buttt still did a bathroom makeover!
Come along as I show you how I did my own vintage tile bathroom makeover and what I did. I added some other cool bathroom makeovers with original tile for some inspiration as well!
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My Pink and Maroon Tile Bathroom (The Before)
Older homes like mine will sometimes come with bathrooms that rock some old bathroom tiles. There are plenty of different powder rooms that have that vintage feel with different tile colors.
There are blue tile bathrooms, green vintage tile, and of course pink tile in these bathrooms and some find it hard to work around them. They might decide to keep them because they are in pretty good shape, or because it appeals to them. Whatever the reason, there are ways to do a bathroom makeover without ripping everything out and doing a major overhaul.
It is possible!
This is my main bathroom as we bought it. It’s in good shape and I wanted to keep these old tiles and just design around them. I wanted something that would go well with the tiles as they were.
This is my main bathroom as we bought it.
It’s in good shape and i wanted to keep these old tiles and just design around them.
I wanted something that would go well with the tiles as they were.
What Was Done/The Makeover Process
Like I mentioned earlier, I didn’t want to do a complete major overhaul to this bathroom but I did do some things to spruce it up. I wanted something that would accomplish this but still keep that vintage feel.
Here are things we did to do our vintage bathroom makeover:
Wallpaper Feature Wall
Peel and stick wallpaper makes a debut once again!
I wanted a wallpaper for an accent wall above the jet tub that would go okay with the pink and maroon tile.
That and something with a vintage vibe of course.
There aren’t a ton of options I liked that meshed well with the old tile unfortunately. But I did decide on this cool woodland animal peel and stick from Amazon:
If you are new to peel and stick wallpaper and need a hand giving it a go yourself, I wrote a post explaining how to install it, DIY style.
It was pretty easy to throw up on the wall and I loved the end result.
Since it’s just the wallpaper on the one wall, it’s definitely the focal point of the room.
Click the photos below to shop:
Rub n Buff: The Magic
Ever heard of this stuff before?
I’ve never used it before this bathroom makeover and I’m so glad I did!
This is a wax paste in a tube that you can apply onto things like these metal chrome towel bars and change the color.
This bathroom needed some gold hardware so instead of going out and buying all new ones, I used this instead.
You apply it to the surface and literally just buff it to create a shiny new metallic color. Easy peasy!
Here are some things you can use Rub n’ Buff on:
- Metal
- Plastic
- Wood
- Glass
- Ceramic
- Painted surfaces
Click the photos below to shop:
Good ‘Ol Paint
The rest of the vertical walls got painted. You could use all wallpaper but I wanted to keep it to an accent wall for this project.
The great thing about paint is there are literally so many different kinds and colors, so get creative.
My tip would be if you’re working with wallpaper in the room as well, pick out a color from that wallpaper and get paint similar to that color to paint the rest of the space.
The funny thing is that I got this paint while I was browsing the home improvement aisle at Walmart. I thought I could use it somewhere eventually.
This is one of a bunch of paints that are premixed; you literally open and paint!
I would normally recommend choosing a color from the color cards at the paint section but hey, sometimes the stars just line up and you already have what you need.
Goodbye white walls!
Ceiling Wallpaper Tiles—Real or Faux?
Speaking of already having what you need, I had just the thing for my “fifth wall” or ceiling.
Before the ceiling had anything done to it, it looked like it was missing something.
Que, more wallpaper.
I originally found this wallpaper that looked like vintage bathroom tiles and loved it. There are several places in my home that have this exact wallpaper, actually.
It gave that vintage look that was needed, but boy, wallpapering the ceiling is no easy task.
You have been warned.
Mirror, Mirror
This builder grade mirror was never a favorite. It had it go.
It was replaced by this wood mirror that was scooped up on the side of the road with a sign that said “FREE”.
And wouldn’t you know it, it fit! There’s always something exciting about decorating your space with free items.
It’s not the most glamorous mirror or anything, but it sure does make a difference.
And for 0 “doll hairs” it’s a win.
Click the photos below to shop:
Antique Light Fixture
I knew I wanted a cool antique light fixture for this bathroom to really have it be the “cherry on top”. It took me awhile but I found this antique light fixture for only $16 at my favorite antique shop.
I may or may not have let out a little yelp when I found it, especially at that price!
I love it and I think it really adds something magical to this bathroom. The sparkle it gives off when it’s lit is fantastic.
Click the photos to shop similar products:
…And Don’t Forget the Decor
Now for the fun part!
Time to add some bathroom décor like icing on a cake.
Most of what was added decor wise was either something that was already owned or from good ‘ol Hobby Lobby.
The idea for the powder room was vintage but with a modern look. It’s a smaller bathroom so it didn’t need much, just a few “sparkles” here and there.
The Result
This bathroom isn’t completely finished but it’s almost there! I loved this easy project and keeping the character of the old tile.
Is it perfect? Nah, but it sure is a difference and most in importantly, makes me smile.
And you’re home should too.
Other Vintage Tile Bathrooms: What Else Can You Do?
If you’ve seen some other vintage style bathrooms, you might notice some colorful tiles being used. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to know how to decorate around the existing tiles.
Especially if you’re just wanting to decorate the bathroom around the tiles and keep it’s original glory.
Here are some other vintage bathroom tile ideas for inspiration and some other ways you can decorate without doing a full bathroom renovation:
Fun Faucets
A Lot of times, if you’re dealing with a vintage-style bathroom, you might have an outdated faucet on your hands.
Not to worry!
Thankfully, changing out a faucet is a fairly easy job and there are some great faucet options.
A favorite of mine that I stumbled across recently was a bathroom from Lauree Stephens Design. She used a fabulous gold swan faucet and really brought that WOW factor to her bathroom.
Check out this swan faucet from Lauree Stephens on IG:
Rugs
Don’t be afraid to put a pretty rug in your vintage style bathroom. This blue bathroom paired with this rug definitely gives a calming and sophisticated feel.
We aren’t talking wall-to-wall carpet or anything, but a nice rug or runner can sometimes really pull a space together. Even a bathroom!
Shower Curtains
Shower curtains can definitely be fun too! If you’re finding that your bathroom is a bit bland in design, you can absolutely spice things up with a fun or gorgeous shower curtain to add some “eye candy”.
Look at how much beauty this shower curtain added to this vintage French-style bathroom:
Greenery
If you’re a plant lover, then bathroom plants are for you.
If you have good sunlight coming in through your bathroom, you should look into some hanging plants like this vintage pastel tile bathroom:
Light Fixtures
Light fixtures can really play a huge part in a bathroom makeover. It can be a focal point with lots of drama or it can quietly compliment the overall design.
These black vanity lights against the yellow tile was a great pop of contrast! What a perfect match!
Whichever way you decide to go with light fixtures, it can really turn your bathroom around!
Oh my lanta, would you just look at this vintage blue tile bathroom? There’s a lot of blue tile going on but it works!
Update the Flooring
The bathroom floor sometimes gets forgotten. But flooring makes a huge difference. Whether its floor tiles or floor paint, updating it can really bring its spark back.
This green tile bathroom is paired with a black and white checkered floor, how beautiful!
Changing Old Grout
Another thing that can get a bit outdated in a vintage bathroom is the grout.
Old grout can for sure make a bathroom as a whole look dirtier than it really is. No one wants to scrub their arms off trying to get their bathroom looking fresh just for it to be still looking gross.
Especially when it comes to showers, the grout in the shower tile might have seen better days. It has seen a lot of grime in its time and if scrubbing the grout lines with a toothbrush doesn’t do the trick, it might be time to replace.
So a good option if you find yourself in this kind of situation is to replace the grout.
Here is a great DIY tutorial of how to do this yourself from The Spruce.
I could go on and on but here are a couple more things you can do to spiff up an old tile vintage bathroom:
- Upgrade Your Vanity
- Painting Cabinets
- New Bathroom Fan/Exhaust Fan
- Spiff Up Your Windows
- Paint Your Shower Tile
Conclusion
Whether it’s your master bathroom or guest bathroom, sometimes our homes can come with vintage bathrooms with old tile. It’s not always in the budget to completely rip everything out and create a modern bathroom.
The good thing is that there are plenty of ways to update your vintage powder room while keeping these classic tiles.
Anything from a new light fixture to trying a new fun faucet—even smaller changes can make the biggest difference. It felt good to do a bathroom makeover all while making it better and staying within a lower budget.
Tell me in the comments, which of these bathroom upgrades would you try?
I love hearing what you think and read them all!