A Step Back in Time
This Retro 1950's Bath Gets a Budget Facelift

by Joetta Moulden
photos by Hal Lott

When I first saw this outdated 1950s bathroom, I was appalled by how outdated it was. When the owners said they could not afford to remodel it , I quickly began thinking outside the box. When life gives you lemons as the saying goes, make lemonade.

Rather than trying to make the bath look like this decade, I decided instead to embrace it's '50s style. A new white light fixture replaced the dreadful fluorescent tube over mirror. The hooks that were drilled into the upper right and left corners of the tile mirror frame were removed and after a search, contact paper was found to match the yellow tile and triangles were cut to cover the "holes" drilled into the tile.

A new sink and tub faucet and tub refinishing by a porcelain refinisher made the room look new again.

Solid yellow towels brightened the end of the room and hid most of the white plastic towel bar that came with the room. A simple window treatment made from a remnant softened the window and hid the dated metallic mini blinds which could be pulled up and hid under it. New contemporary artwork was added to flank the new window treatment, unified by light wood frames.

A whimsical "fish" shower curtain was found at K-Mart to tie all the colors together, and an authentic l950's chrome chair covered in bark cloth nestles to the side of the original vanity counter. More 1950's accessories were added to the countertop to add color and retro personality.

So the next time you buy an older home, don't automatically assume that the dated bathroom must go!

Embrace the 1950s if you so desire.

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TRADE SECRETS:

• Think outside the box. Add your personality to the bath with l950's accessories, a chair, and a vintage-inspired shower curtain.
• A simple hobbled Roman shade can dress a plain aluminum window.
• Think "green" – existing bath cabinets can be painted and new hardware added instead of buying new -- which keeps cabinets out of the landfill and saves money, too.
• Paint consistently gives the most "bang for your buck". Sometimes the most effective strategy is not to gut your bathroom, but to first rethink the cabinets and fixtures that are already paid for.