If you live in a home built before 1950, the nostalgic charm of your bathroom was likely legit, flat-out, 100% destroyed many years ago.
Sometime around 1970, people decided to get rid of their pedestal sinks and pink toilets, causing the rest of us a few headaches and the (expensive) urge to renovate our bathrooms back to their original glory.
When I bought my 1920s bungalow, it was pretty obvious that the bathroom had been renovated a few times. Did it look horrible? Meh. Was it fixable without spending a fortune? Yes! It just needed a little love.
The tile floor isn't bad. It's not original to the house, but I don't mind it. I'm not sure why they put it on the vanity or didn't use any grout, but it's fine.
This 1970s bathroom only needed a few tweaks to be a happier space:
The wallpaper needed to be removed
The wood vanity needed a coat of white paint
The room needed a BIG dose of color
I was fortunate to be able to hire someone to remove the wallpaper and paint the walls white before moving in, so I can't take credit for that part.
A couple of months after I moved in, I tackled the vanity. Paint can transform a space like pure magic, which did not disappoint in this scenario. It helped so much!
Sweet, sweet progress. The last step was to add A LOT of color, which is one of my favorite things to do while decorating.
I will say that having a large vanity is nice from a decor and storage standpoint. My brain wants a 1920s pedestal sink in here, but I get why it's not the first choice for people anymore.
I found my mirrored tray at a flea market a few years ago. I often come across them, but I had never seen one like this. The colors were my starting point when decorating the bathroom.
From there, I added a framed piece of embroidered fabric, floating shelves, and a bunch of knickknacks.
The bathroom is pretty tiny, so I didn't have room to add a cabinet or table. I thought about an over-the-toilet cabinet but opted for white shelves instead. And they were extra fun to decorate.
I've been slowly adding to my vintage medicine and toiletry collection. Two of my latest additions are the cough drops (still in the box!) and a bottle of cough syrup with chloroform in it.
Nobody truly understands how exciting these things are to me. Lol.
Speaking of shelves, it took me almost a year, but I finally put some in the shower. These are the stick-on kind and very sturdy.
Oh, and I'm not afraid to show off my Navage. This thing has changed my sinuses for the better, and I will continue to use it twice a day forever.
Other links: Honest Face Cleanser / Dae Signature Shampoo
The Shining is one of my favorite movies, and the bathroom scene will permanently be embedded in my brain. If you know, you know.
I found this art print on Etsy, and it's perfect.
I hear that clear orange shower curtains make you happier.
Actually, I didn't hear that, but I can confirm they help.
Other links: Shower Curtain Rod / Clear Hooks / Vintage Mustard Dispenser (perfect for hand soap) / Similar Mirror / Orange Toilet Paper (lol)
Hi, Norman.
I hope this post is a good reminder that you can be happy with what you have without spending a lot of money.
I have an old pedestal sink waiting for me in the basement, but I'm not in a hurry to put it in here anymore.
xoxo, Jacki
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