You live in LA so you have lots of options right? Get a local graffiti artist who isn't too pricey and have him/her graffiti the whole thing. Against the white it will look really cool. Not boring. However, you haven't told us anything about your style.

You want manly, huh? Well, I would remove the scalloping under the sink and then just paint the walls - a dark brown or grey would do well against all the white. Also, even though you plan to redo in the near future, giving the grout a sanding and fresh layer does wonders for sprucing up a bathroom and isn't really that hard. A couple small details like new pulls or a less frilly light fixture could help too.

I would go nautical, with some inspiration from men's suiting.

Maybe a dark navy wall color, a pinstriped shower curtain, and an industrial style light fixture.

The scalloping has got to go.

Maybe a marine blue to go with the blue stripe on the tile. If $ allows, some removable window film + a more streamlined light fixture that could be used in your next bathroom. Good luck!

When you asked for "manly" decor suggestions, I immediately remembered this link http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/01/CMVE1KERK9.DTL
It was an answer to one of my own "manly" decor questions that I tweeted

I agree with removing the scallops. The glass shades on the light fixture can probably be changed out for something a little sleeker and manlier--that should be a simple fix.

Then paint the walls a darker shade of the blue tile trim. Add dark blue towels.

Love those windows. It's really not a bad bathroom, it just needs a bit of sprucing up.

Remove the frilly scallop trim. Then paint the walls dark grey.

I'd love to see the "after" pics.

It would break my heart to know that someone ripped out such an amazing bathroom in favor of something modern and boring. Sure, the trim isn't very manly but that can go without tearing out everything else! Don't do it!

Lucerne Blue by Benjamin Moore. There's enough white to counteract the depth of blue.

I agree with it needing some paint (or at the very least colorful accessories) but it's a darling bathroom. I guess it's not very masculine... but just promise not to totally change everything, ok? *puppy dog eyes*

I would go with grey or navy wall, which would make the white tile stand out. Rip out the scalloping under the sink and put a curtain to cover thatm make it match the shower curtain, say zebra stripes for both. Or put a woven Africa-inspired basket in the gap and have something in the theme on the tile bench. If it's not too tricky paint over the baby-blue stripe with perhaps a colour like the commentators' names are on this item (ha, that was lucky), and don't forget to put some contrasting colour on the inlays on the door at the left. Perhaps change the knob on the door, and the lamp fittings, too. Good luck, let us know how you go.

Why would you gut this wonderful bathroom?

I'm going to join the others suggesting navy or a deep blue. A simple white shower curtain with a navy border.

I'll also join the others in not wanting you to gut the bathroom. It probably needs a new water saving toilet and shower head, etc., but I think you can do a lot with what's already there. An interior design consultation is a lot cheaper than a gut job!!

Just paint - leave the rest as is! I would kill for that bathroom!!!

Love the window and mirror set up. I would stack a few pieces of trim to cover up the scallop detail and then give everything a good scrub and a fresh coat of white paint. Add some navy towels and a replace the light figure with something like this: http://www.houzz.com/photos/119633/Loft-Wall-Sconce-by-Jielde-modern-wall-sconces-other-metros and you're done

I like the white. What about a graphic shower curtain?

Gut away, Adam. The cabinetry is falling apart and those tiled countertops are just plain ugly.

Since it's only going to be for a year, I say go zany. I'm thinking vertical stripes like the ones featured here:

http://www.geoform.net/features/features_benjamin-1.html

a blue or gray. And if you want to gut it, gut it. The bathroom looks like it has been well used but it is time for an upgrade.

Silver Sage from Restoration Hardware. I forget what the Benjamin Moore color is called... But it's soothing and masculine at the same time.

I would pick up the blue from the tile stripe or use navy, as some others have suggested.

Love this bathroom - sad to hear you are remodeling! Paint the walls dark gray or navy but the white tile, windows, the scallops? So much character. Good luck!

I can understand wanting something new and sleek, but I have to throw in with the ones that are begging for simple updates instead of a total gut job. I'm so hoping that my next place has a bathroom like this one, but at the rate people are ripping them out, I rather doubt that will happen. Oh, if you do decide to get rid of that gorgeous crystal doorknob, would you please send it to me?? :-)

Light to medium blue grey (more grey than blue). Replace the light fixture with something simpler. I'd get the DKNY Urban Tide towels in the white/sky color way for nice white towels with light blue stripe detailing to tie into the tile accent.

I like your vintage bathroom and don't think you need to rip out the tile.

Midnight blue would look amazing, and a lovely crisp and clean feel for a bathroom (but yeah, get rid of that scalloped thingy)

I love this bathroom. I would just add whatever masculine touches or color and pattern with your bathroom accessories. I would be sad to see this gem of a vintage bathroom go...

Benjamin Moore's Raccoon Fur. It is a navy, almost black. I was inspired by Daniel over at Manhattan Nest to paint my bathroom this color, and I couldn't be happier. Here is a link to his bathroom on the blog:

http://manhattan-nest.com/category/bathroom/

If you're going to gut it in a few months anyway, I wouldn't bother going through all the work of painting it. I like kelleyk's idea about a graphic shower curtain, and maybe removing the scallop border and adding some manly towels.

I think you should gut it... this bathroom has seen better days. The windows are very cool, though.

I'm hearting this bathroom. I hope in your renovation you try to stay true to the style.

Anyway, i would KEEP the scallop, but that's just ME. But whether you keep it or get rid of it, you need to clean up/regrout.
That pipe under the sink looks rusted or something. I would replace it with a new one. Make sure it's metal. You need that shiny silver to go with a new silver light fixture. That and some cleaned up hardware on the cabinets and faucets (maybe) will be the bling that you need.
For the walls, I would go with either a matte Grey or a shiny navy blue. Since the bath looks small (to me, from this pic), I would use a clear shower curtain.
Is the window at eye level or higher up? You might want to consider some sort of coating for the windows, so that you can let the sun in, but nosey neighbors out. That way you won't have to have curtains (not crazy about that in a bathrom).
And whatever you do, PLEASE DO NOT use a curtain or any sort of fabric to cover the pipes. Clean shiny pipes can actually be a good thing.
Good luck!!

OH yeah.... The matte grey or dark blue is ONLY if you decided NOT to go with the color of blue that's in the trim.

LOL manly may be out of reach with those scallops and little windows and dainty blue trim, but changing out that light fixture will be a big help and is the first step. Even a simple globe-type fixture would be in keeping with the period of the rest and would be better and inexpensive.

Other than that, I would give the tiles a good scrub with a professional-grade tile cleaner (look on Amazon) to clean that nasty grout. Give the woodwork a fresh coat of white paint and then paint the rest of the room a soft grey-blue to pick up the stripe color but tone it down. Painting it a dark color will just make the rest of the bath more jarring. Add a plain white cloth shower curtain and some nice Turkish towels in natural and navy blue tones and some old brown apothecary jars on the counter and it won't be too bad. And get a plant, you've got great light in there. When you gut it try to keep the windows!

Oh my god DO NOT gut this bathroom is it one coat of paint and a good clean away from being vintage incredible!!!

Love the windows and mirror! I agree with most everyone else - a wall shade lighter than navy OR a dark blue-gray, change out the shades on your light, and remove, replace or cover up the scallop. A nice shower curtain, towels & rug to tie the colors in, and a little curtain for underneath the sink. A super-good Oxi cleaning and you are good to go!

Honestly if you are going to remodel it next year, I'd just freshen it up with some white paint - once you start getting into colors, then you have to worry about whether your towels and accessories match (learn from my experience) and if you are going to remodel next year, don't spend a bunch of $$ on that stuff now.

I like a man who can rock a light pink bathroom. Just sayin'.