Retrostyle is a trend in interior design that was relevant in the 60-70s of the last century. When choosing retro-style bathroom furniture, you need to remember that it is interesting, varied, but quite complex. All elements of this room must be selected flawlessly. Even a minor inaccuracy can easily disrupt the harmony of the plan.
Retro-style bathroom includes antique finishes and vintage furniture
Claw-foot bathtub or shower
The bathtub as the main piece of furniture should clearly represent the chosen style. For a vintage atmosphere, you should not choose modern sanitary ware with a minimalist look - a bathtub with graceful low legs, which will bring its appearance closer to the ancient one, is ideal here.
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Gemy acrylic bathtubs with legs
And if there is not enough space for a full bath, use the same shower stall with legs.
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Choosing a bathtub and retro plumbing fixtures
The main feature of the room is the bathtub. All interior items are subject to it. The best option is an antique bathtub. It is she who will be able to emphasize the spirit of antiquity. But this pleasure is expensive, and it will be problematic to connect such a bathtub to communications.
A classic bathtub is elongated or oval, has rounded edges, and stands on massive legs. It can be made of bronze, wood, white ceramics or with a coating that imitates brass, gold plated, bronze. It should stand in the center or near a window, if there is one in the room. It is more advisable to choose a modern bathtub, but stylized in a retro style. It may even have a hydromassage or jacuzzi function, the main thing in this case is to comply with the requirements that create the necessary visual effect.
For a retro-style bathroom interior, choose an antique oval and deep claw-foot bathtub
A brass bathtub is great for creating a retro interior
In order for the design to fully correspond to the chosen style, you need to competently approach the choice of plumbing fixtures. It should be in harmony with the bathroom. You should stick to oval shapes, but not rectangular ones. The sink will look elegant when placed on a cabinet, pedestal or small table with curved legs. They are often made from wood, metal or ceramics.
Metal sinks and retro style faucets on the cabinet
A retro-style toilet can be floor-mounted; the tank is mounted on a short or long pipe. Attached and hanging plumbing is acceptable. Faucets for bathtubs and sinks are always only round, drop-shaped or cross-shaped; they must have a two-valve control system, be unusual and elegant. Lever mechanisms are not suitable for retro style. Handles should not be plastic - only metal or ceramic.
Sanitary unit in retro style
Aged furniture and fixtures
The rest of the bathroom furniture should also correspond to the vintage style: have an aged, rare appearance. In a vintage bathroom, it is better to avoid obviously modern appliances, handleless cabinets and minimalism in general. The more furniture, the better. A textile chair, a forged or carved wooden chair, and even a false fireplace with stucco will look great next to the sink or shower.
Photo: goodnewsarchitecture.com
Create a unique style in your bathroom with antique furniture, lamps, accessories and fittings. Do you want your bathroom to not become a template, like everyone else? Try to give it a slight antique touch. Just one element is enough. It’s not at all necessary to buy a toilet with a high cistern and cover the wall with newspapers, like in vintage restaurants. Take note and use as many vintage pieces as you like. It all depends on how strong an antique effect you want to achieve.
| 1. Color palette. Available in black, white and mint green, the tiles are nostalgic and full of charm. Inspired by the past, it also looks fresh and modern. |
| 2. Claw-foot bathtub. Although there are many new beautiful models on the market today, true seekers will definitely find the original bathtubs, based on the example of which modern variations are created. To find an antique clawfoot bathtub, check out antique stores. An old bathtub can be restored and it will look as good as new. |
This category also includes antique washbasins. You can restore an old pedestal or wall-mounted sink to add a vintage touch to your bathroom. Plumbing designers are also taking inspiration from the past and reproducing vintage styles in their new designs.
| 3. Vanity cabinet. Repurpose a bureau, chest of drawers, vanity table or other vintage piece of furniture for use as a vanity cabinet. I love this vanity because it has a vintage look, yet the dark color and lack of peeling paint gives it a modern feel. Tip: Pay attention to the height. Normally, it should be 73-90 cm. If children will use the bathroom, give preference to low cabinets. |
| 4. Antique mirror. To put it more precisely, “an aged mirror.” The patinated edges make this mirror look elegant and antique. |
| 5. Vintage towel rack. This item holds a special place in my heart because my mom and grandma's house always had this decrepit wooden counter. This is an excellent solution for those homes where many people share the same bathroom. In coastal cottages, towel racks are usually located in the bedroom. This allows all the towels to dry and prevents a mess in the bathroom. |
| 6. Antique door. It doesn’t matter if it’s the front door, cabinet doors, or if it just sits against the wall like a giant writing board. This detail will make the style of the room unique. |
7. Lamps stylized as outdoor lamps. Although these sconces are new, they look like antique lanterns. Take a look at our favorite stylized lamps.
| 8. More furniture from the past. The cabinet on the right in the photo adds character to the room and creates additional storage space. This candle rack looks very unexpected in the bathroom and makes it feel like a living room. |
| 9. Vintage signs, botanical illustrations, postcards, portraits, silhouette drawings or photographs. This list is not exhaustive, but your ideas should be implemented in a consistent style that will add vintage charm to the interior. The wall in this image is replete with elements from the past, one of which is a “no vacancy” sign. Also, notice how the designer used jadeite accessories to add an antique feel to this bathroom. |
10. Small details. Don't forget to design small elements like the glass door handles in this photo. The same applies to furniture fittings, shower curtain fastenings, and faucet valves. Treat small details as an opportunity to add your own unique style to the interior.
Author: / Translation © RIKSHOPE When using materials, a direct text link to www.rikshop.ru is required.
Retro-style faucets
When decorating a room in vintage style, it is important to pay attention to details, even the smallest and most insignificant. Therefore, faucets, shower hoses and fittings must have a suitable appearance: elegant, with a worn or gilded surface. Avoid modern solutions like installations - full-size faucets on the sink are much more suitable and will also play the role of decorating the room.
Photo: pobudova.in.ua
Bathroom lighting
To give the atmosphere peace and comfort, the light is slightly dimmed or diffused. You can use:
- wall sconces;
- lamps;
- floor lamps;
- vintage chandeliers.
In a retro-style bathroom you can choose a vintage chandelier
Warm lighting is suitable for a retro-style bathroom
Zoning the room will add mystery to the bathroom. You can make the lighting intense and visually expand the room with the help of several mirrors. They must also be designed in the appropriate style, otherwise its integrity may be violated. It is necessary to provide for the placement of sockets and switches. They should be located not only taking into account convenience, but also safety measures.
Advice! If the lighting device is placed opposite a mirror, then the light, reflected from the mirror surface, will spread throughout the room. If the walls are decorated with ceramic tiles, then the streams of light rays will be well reflected from the glass elements.
Vintage decor
Speaking of decor: vintage-style decorations need to be given a lot of attention. Despite the fact that the decorative function is performed by the furniture and plumbing itself, it is better to complement the bathroom interior with landscape paintings or various rare objects. Old things “from the attic” will do, such as a shabby suitcase or flower vase, flower arrangements, herbariums, and various textile decorations: chair cushions, rugs, knitted bedside table covers or old towels. In the vintage style there are no clear requirements for decor - the older and more rare it is, the better.
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Bathroom finishing and retro color
The floor is finished with expensive ceramic tiles, stylized as antique. Black and white squares laid out in a checkerboard pattern are perfect. And for the decoration of the walls - brown-beige.
Black and white tiles in a retro style bathroom
The walls can also be decorated with wood panels, tiles or moisture-resistant wallpaper. The ceiling can be stretched, matte and plain will do. A glossy canvas in such a room will look ridiculous. You can put a decorative convex strip (molding) or cornice around the perimeter.
Retro-style bathroom walls can be decorated with moisture-resistant wallpaper
Floral tiles are perfect for a retro-style bathroom
A retro-style bathroom requires calm shades. It is acceptable to use white, olive, gray-green, pink, beige-coffee, light brown. Dark purple color will also look harmonious, but only in certain versions. Aggressive colors and contrasting shades are not allowed.
In a retro-style bathroom you can combine wallpaper and wood panels
Open storage systems
Since the decor can be anything, you need to make sure that the decorations are always in sight and not hidden behind the doors of closed cabinets. In a vintage bathroom, you can hang open shelves or glass cabinets, on which cosmetics in antique bottles or a set of vintage aromatic soaps will flaunt. At the same time, the shelves themselves can also be decorated decoratively by hanging on the wall not classic wooden boards, but, for example, forged structures or beautiful wicker baskets with elegant sides.
Photo: lazienkowy.pl
What is retro style?
It is difficult to explain what retro style is in a couple of phrases, because it has a very wide interpretation and variety. This definition covers everything that was fashionable more than 20-30 years ago. That is, we can say that Soviet interiors are already becoming retro, but more often designers take the vintage fashion of the 50-70s of the last century with its playfulness, elegance, and some naivety as a role model. Retro interiors are often confused with classic ones, but they differ significantly in less strict symmetry and severity.
The retro theme is akin to nostalgia for the old days, more romantic, soulful and beautiful; it is devoid of the magnificent severity and excessive ostentation inherent in the classical style. Furniture of this era is already acquiring the features of modernism and constructivism, so it looks original and fresh, but is not devoid of convenience. What we now call retro was created by the founders of modern design.
Interestingly, designers now have enormous opportunities to bring retro style to life, as they can combine its elegant, sophisticated forms with the practicality and durability of modern finishing materials.
Mirror in a luxurious frame
And don’t forget about one of the main attributes of the bathroom - we are talking about the mirror. It, like all other objects, performs both functional and aesthetic tasks. Therefore, it must be dressed in an impressive, beautiful frame: carved, elegant, wooden or gilded.
Photo: choisirsabaignoire.com
For a vintage bathroom, you can choose an old large mirror if space allows. A mirror with beautiful legs for placing on the floor is also suitable.
