Why you should think twice before gutting your Pre-War bath
A vintage jadeite towel bar adds a colorful accent to a neutral bath. Design: Time & Place Interiors
Many people stuck with colorful tile and old plumbing fixtures, commonly found in New York apartments, bemoan the dated look. I understand. But hear me out: before you take a sledge hammer to your vintage bath, consider that its Pre-War charm may represent an architectural heritage that could be integral to the historical era of your home, especially if it dates to the 1920s - 1940s. Pre-War bathrooms often have glorious Art Deco details like cast iron tubs, classic pedestal sinks, and detailed tile work — designs worth celebrating.
The key to making a Pre-War bath look fresh and modern is to embrace it and liven it up with coordinating accents. Don’t fight the constraints. Instead, consider saving the shapely plumbing fixtures, and possibly updating the tiles, if needed. Show off the Art Deco design by installing authentic vintage accents like a milk glass vanity light (or a Mid Century sconce, for balance), an etched glass mirror, or bent-glass towel bars. Hang art to intentionally accentuate the style. This gentler approach will be not only easier on the Earth’s landfills, but will also celebrate the unique heritage of your home.
In fact, if you’re outfitting a new bath in a historic home, perhaps in a classic Pre-War New York City apartment or a Brooklyn brownstone, you can introduce vintage plumbing fixtures into the space, bringing back character wiped out by less sensitive past renovations. The juxtaposition of an original sink or tub against contemporary minimal tile can look stunning.
As proof that an original Art Deco Pre-War bath can look fabulously fresh, enjoy the selection of original bath designs below. You’ll notice the payoff of gorgeous authentic style that transcends beyond basic humdrum of most typical bathroom renovations these days.
It would have been a shame to destroy the original blue bath in this historic 1935 home. Instead, the homeowner rechromed the fixtures and employed skilled plumbers to update the older pipes. Notice the Art Deco vanity light, towel bar, and etched triptych mirror. Design: Jamie Kidson / Photo: Mimi Giboin
This Mid Century bath in a 1930s space in the Hudson Valley dates to a couple of decades Post-War, but evokes the freshness of colorful vintage fixtures and tile updated with clean, minimal accessories like modern lighting and contemporary towels. Design: Woodhouse Lodge c/o Megan Pflug / Photo: Genevieve Garruppo
This fresh new bath in a Brooklyn brownstone got a load of funk with an original cast iron vintage sink juxtaposed against contemporary tile. Design: Elizabeth Roberts Architecture & Design / Photo: Dustin Askland
They don’t make them like this anymore. I advised my clients to keep their shapely original cast iron tub and reglaze it in clean white, in the renovation of their Manhattan Art Deco bath. Then I styled it with vintage and modern accents. Styling: Time & Place Interiors
A swoon-worthy vintage plumbing suite in mint green looks striking against the backdrop of minimalist white tiles. Design & Photo: Toby Scott
A coat of fresh paint, bright white towels hung on nameplate hooks, and a lamp in matching polished chrome finish completely transformed this Pre-War pink bath with its antique pedestal sink. Design & Photo: Oh Happy Day
This interior designer wanted to avoid a gut renovation of his 1930s Spanish-style duplex. Instead, he accentuated the yellow tile and curvaceous tub with gallery-style artworks, Missoni towels, and chic pottery. Design: Jeff Andres / Photo: Stephen Busken
An AD100 designer’s clients chose to send out their original faucets and handles for refurbishment and to preserve their glorious green tiles, sink, and tub of their Art Deco bath. The modern textiles and wallpaper play up the rich color. Design: Sheila Bridges / Photo: Frank Frances
The creative director who designed this serene Pre-War bathroom meticulously sourced antique fixtures from eBay to preserve the historic charm of his 1920s New York apartment. Design: Matthew Axe / Photo: Eric Piasecki
Do you need help refreshing your Pre-War bath?
Time & Place Interiors founder Ksenya Malina helps homeowners preserve and celebrate the heritage of their historic spaces, updating them for modern living. Use the link below to schedule a virtual design consultation with Ksenya to review your space, outline a plan for improvements, and prepare a product list:
