These Gorgeous Bathrooms Embrace Vintage Tiles & Retro Fixtures — No Demo Needed!
There are a number of reasons why a full bathroom renovation might not be in the cards for you right now. If you rent, replacing vintage tiles, fixtures, or cabinetry simply may not be an option. Even if you own your home, you might not have the time, energy, or budget a complete remodel can require. But what if you’re faced with a bathroom filled with vintage tiles, fixtures, and finishes that don’t necessarily align with your personal aesthetic? The good news is that there are creative and renter-friendly ways you can embrace, enhance, or refresh a vintage-style bathroom without a total reno.
When it comes to vintage bathrooms, homeowners and renters tend to fall into one of two camps: those who want to tear everything dated out for a full refresh, and those who appreciate the retro charm that vintage tiles and fixtures bring. Whether you find yourself longing for a modernized look or are eager to celebrate the vintage character of your space, the reality is that vintage bathrooms — often featuring bold tile colors, intricate patterns, and unique fixtures — can present a design challenge. However, with the right approach, these bathrooms — even small bathrooms with storage challenges — can be transformed into stylish, personality-filled retreats that blend old and new elements seamlessly.
Luckily, many stylish homeowners and renters have already tackled the vintage bathroom design dilemma, and their creative solutions offer plenty of inspiration for your own bathroom refresh. Thoughtful updates such as incorporating colorful accessories, giving your grout a good cleaning, adding modern textiles, installing patterns, and introducing fresh color palettes can go a long way to personalize your dated bathroom.
A textured shower curtain, a cool piece of art, or even removable wallpaper can soften the look of an outdated space while respecting its original charm. Whether you want to embrace the nostalgia or give your bathroom a bit of a fresh update, there are countless ways to make a vintage bathroom feel like your own — all without demoing.
1. Keep it in the (color) family
The bathrooms weren’t just old and dated in Laura Bindloss’ three-bedroom cottage in Bellport, New York; all the cabinetry was falling apart. “The floors were linoleum; the countertops were plastic. It felt like a time warp,” Laura described in the house tour. But Laura also said there were lots of charming vintage details to love, including the bathroom’s lavender Rheem-brand vintage tub, sink, and toilet. By keeping the lavender fixtures, Laura was able to preserve a lot of retro charm, which complements by introducing some more pastel hues through a cheery wallpaper pattern and peachy paint color.
2. Connect with one color
Incredible DIYer and content creator Imani Keal’s Washington D.C. rental apartment came with a small bathroom with striking vintage blue tiles. While she’s not afraid to renovate a rental (particularly when there’s a mouse infestation in the kitchen), Imani decided to work with the retro charm in her bathroom, toning down the blue bathroom by adding a deep maroon paint color on the trim and the cabinets (Sherwin-Williams’s Borscht (SW 7578) and tying them both together with a gorgeous wallpaper pattern that includes the maroon hue and the blue color.
The “Drunken Chevron” in rose from the Otto Studio x Imani At Home collection perfectly complements the blue tiles, and yes Imani did design it! But even if you don’t have your own wallpaper line, you can still use her trick for making vintage tiles look chic.
3. Match the art
The peach and mint tile color palette seen in this Austin home looks like an intentional design choice, rather than just something the renters were stuck with, thanks to a cool modern art print that contains the colors found in the tile. The renters got pretty lucky when they stumbled on an art piece that matched their bathroom so perfectly, but you could always DIY a piece of art if you can’t find something to buy.
4. Embrace an undertone
Jillian’s rental apartment came with “these ’70s/’80s pink marbled tile with pink flower details” and the original plan was to cover with peel-and-stick tile.” But, as explained in her house tour, “they grew on me as I stayed in the space and I opted instead to color match the pinks and paint the walls.” Jillian then complements the paint color and the wall tiles with some art prints that tie the look together.
5. Treat it like the star of the show
As soon as Camille walked into this rental — a 1,100-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment in a building from 1929 — it was a fit. “The stained glass bay window, large bedrooms, in-unit laundry room, and, of course, the original tile bathroom are what sealed the deal for me,” Camille wrote in her house tour. The green tiles in the bathroom are vintage and original to the apartment, which means they’re about 96 years old. Worthy of a starring role in the bathroom, Camille lets the tile shine by a subtle collection of vintage trinkets throughout.
6. Make it minimal
While your instinct may be to fill your bathroom with vintage tile and fixtures with a dizzying array of elements to take your eye away from the retro vibes, you could also take the alternate route. This Loz Feliz apartment came with a bathroom with an incredible baby pink and light blue tile color combo. Instead of overwhelming the retro palette, the renters instead went with a simple art piece in the same (but bolder) colors. The whole room looks like a chic contemporary art installation.
7. Let it be a time capsule
While Timothy Sheehan’s house in New Orleans was built as a single story structure in 1868, it was moved to an adjacent lot — its current location — and raised to accommodate a first floor in 1924. A lot of history has happened in this structure over the years, and it shows all over the exterior and interior of this house, which has been modernized for daily living. But plenty of the vintage charm remains, including the bathrooms with original tilework and fixtures from the 1920s. Why fight classic design? Timothy’s black and pink bathroom tile combo looks lovely and functions beautifully.
8. Take a cue from the existing palette
It might sound a bit simple, but you can make vintage tiles and fixtures look intentional by simply taking a cue from their own colors. I’ve seen this work particularly well when those colors are just black and white, but I’ve also seen it with other color combos, as well. In this Queens apartment, a “truly vintage NYC bathroom” is enhanced by elegant black and white wallpaper that goes perfectly with the oldest items in the home: wall and floor tiles, cast-iron bathtub, pedestal sink, and towel holder.
9. Outshine with color, pattern (or both at the same time)
As gorgeous as some vintage tiles and fixtures can be, they’re not all charming. Some older bathrooms are just old and tired. If you’re renting a home with that kind of bathroom (instead of the delightful retro lavender bathtub variety), you might find success with the outshine method. In other words, add design elements into the space that will literally outshine the existing elements, like the renter did in this Philadelphia loft bathroom with bold and patterned wallpaper from Spoonflower.
10. Highlight with color and pattern
Although they were originally looking for an apartment with vintage 1920s details like their previous one, Patrick and Carrie fell in love with this Los Angeles home. For Carrie, it was the original 1950 turquoise tile in the bathroom that was the star of the space. To highlight the gorgeous bathroom tiles, the couple went with really bold wallpaper: Schumacher’s “Chiang Mai Dragon” in Aquamarine.
11. Push renter-friendly limits
When Mitch moved into their 978-square-foot Philly rowhome, “Most rooms could be improved with some scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint, but the bathroom was in need of the most help by far,” they wrote. The room had off-white 1980s tile, rusty light fixtures, mismatched hardware (a mixture of brass, chrome, wood, and plastic), and, of course, a blue 1950s tub that is really the centerpiece of the space. To make the space feel cohesive, Mitch added a strong color — orange — into the accessories, and pushed the limits of renter-friendly updates by adding orange vinyl stickers on the floor found on Etsy.
12. Accessories can add soul
Danielle Kelling’s Brooklyn home is an old loft, and the ceilings are “very odd and industrial looking.” Danielle also says that the space came with a “very basic dull kitchen and bathroom that lacked a soul.” To bring in soul, Danielle painted the walls with Benjamin Moore’s Damask Yellow and an elegant shower curtain from Anthropologie marries all the colors together.
13. Layer in earthy tones
This Los Angeles rental home’s bathroom has vintage peach and burgundy tilework, and the renter made them feel personal and eclectic by layering in earthy tones like wood accents. The carved wooden chair with a rich red cushion adds to the layering. The gallery wall is filled with warm artwork and sepia photography, which ties the color scheme together. By working with the existing palette instead of against it, this bathroom celebrates its vintage charm.