Would you like a neutral trimless medicine cabinet, walls solid color to match the bath tile instead of the wallpaper, period sconces instead of globes? Do you like more detail or less? Which is your favorite color in this room? Is this a primary or guest bath?

Wow, I love it the way it is! I can't believe the shape of the original tile, it's great!

I would just change out the sink & faucet, something new but in a period appropriate style. A great deco style mirror and put in a couple of sconces, also in a deco style.

Or you can start from scratch. But do you want to?

"Would you like a neutral trimless medicine cabinet, walls solid color to match the bath tile instead of the wallpaper, period sconces instead of globes?"

That sounds something like what I'd like.

"Do you like more detail or less?"

I'd say less, especially if we keep the floor as is. (What do you think of the floor, btw?)

"Which is your favorite color in this room?"

I think the gray is prettier than the maroon.

"Is this a primary or guest bath?"

Both. We do have a small master bath plus a utility bath with shower in the basement, but this is our only bath with a tub.

I'm thinking maybe take the wallpaper down and paint the wall gray and replace the medicine cabinet or paint it black.

Laurie

I don't really want to start from scratch. I like the vintage look, and it goes with the house.

How about that wallpaper, though? If we change the cabinet we'll need to replace it. It's definitely getting a bit worn. I keep thinking maybe we should just paint the walls a light gray that coordinates with the tile.

I absolutely LOVE the floor.

I would lose the lacy curtain topper... and go for geometric everywhere. The medicine cabinet should probably either be black, or match the wood of the window. The wallpaper is a bit fussy for my taste.

What is the style you'd LIKE to have?

You could paint the walls grey and put up a bunch of wonderful framed black and white photographs.

Or, if you want wallpaper, how about a nice black/white/grey toile?
{{!gwi}}

Or something even more fun:

I don't have suggestions one way or another, it just reminds me so much of the bathroom in the home I grew up in I had to chime in. Same grey/burgandy tile combo that it made me a little nostalgic. (Although I grew up in a family of 7 kids...2 adults...and one bathroom!) I digress! I think its great you want to keep it since it is in such good condition. Nice you appreciate the vintage look.

I like the vintage too and the oak feels out of place to me. If the cabinet is fine I'd keep it and change the oak to a neutral to blend in, like grey, silver leaf, or dark to match the marroon. The reason I suggested the marroon first, is sometimes with more, it dissappears and the eye goes to the grey and lighter accents making the marroon recide and the grey stand out. I think the grey would be beautiful too,which ever you like best. Another trick if you like more grey and less marroon, to curtain the window down to the grey tile and then have it drop to the floor for the shower curtain. Is the blind sometimes up, and the room sunny, or is it a privacy window most of the time. I ask because you can make that window a focal point or blend it in. I think the floor is great and period perfect pattern too. Is there good space for some sconces you love instead of the globes?
Fabulous to have period tile in perfect condition and you truely do have options for different looks, just a matter of clarifing what you love!

I agree, the oak does not look right. The cabinet is nothing special, except that it provides good storage. If I want to change the lighting, the cabinet will have to go because the lights are part of it:

I have thought about just painting it white, to match the vanity (talk about a vintage piece! but not up to the quality of the tile). The "brass" trim on the lights is flaking off, but I guess I could paint that, too.

Love your bathroom! We just spent a fortune remodeling one of the same era but not the same original workmanship! Find a beautiful beveled medicine chest and side sconses. Paint with a grey that is one tone lighter than your tile. Our new bathroom is a warm gray, very soothing.

Oh please don't tear it out! The tile is wonderful. Lose the medicine cabinet, lace, and wallpaper and it will look great.

I love the floor tile. Definitely get rid of the wallpaper and paint the walls gray. Period style sconces would be great, as would a pedestal sink if you can live without the storage a vanity provides. being a hall bath, maybe you can...? A recessed mirror will give the whole space a cleaner look.

Definitely change out the medicine cabinet. It's too top heavy. You need more contemporary lighting, also. If that's not doable, paint the cabinet to match the window trim. Get different globes or see if you can't find a different type of light fixture that could work with what you have. What is there is just not right.

If you could change out the vanity, that would be good, if that's not an option, could you create a screen to hide the cat box?

I'd put up a roman shade, prefer matching the window trim. And no wallpaper...what about a paint shade in between the maroon and the grey? In the same family, to tie it together?

Love the floor!

You are so lucky to have a vintage bathroom in such great shape. I'm guessing the vanity was a custom built years after the original sink was installed. I've lived in a couple homes (when I was a kid/teen) that had sinks with legs and side towel bars. That's the way I picture this once was by what I can see. If it were mine I'd look into removing the vanity and adding a skirt to hide the kitty litter box. I'd paint the walls a pale gray like you mentioned, find a vintage or vintage looking medicine cabinet and light fixture. I'm sure you'll love the rest once these things are changed.
May I ask what that is just left of the mirror in the second picture?
~Becky

I think the medicine cabinet and the wallpaper are the first project. Is the cabinet mounted 'on' the wall or do we see the exterior, yet when open, it is deeper, fitting back into the wall between studs? Hopefully it is a standard size and replacing will be reasonable. Beveled mirror was my first thought also, but look for your preferences. Think about if you want a different style light above the cabinet, or if you would rather have the lighting on each side. Also do you want the window to be a contrast focal point or neutral blending in? I would attack the wallpaper first, and find out how the wall is under, do the sheet rock prep for the paint. Then decide on the electrical and cabinet combo you most like. The sink/vanity can be done later when you are positive about the look you want. You may see it in a new way just without the wallpaper pattern. Have fun and be passionate about your project so you will really love the result!

Lots of good ideas here -- thank you.

Becky, that is a small mirror that I hung there for decoration because I couldn't find another place for it. The sink looks to me like an original -- actually pretty unusual, with the sloped surface for the faucet and the wide counter areas on either side. It doesn't have legs -- just rests on the vanity.

Bodica, I think the original medicine cab was one of those small ones fitted into the wall (identical to the one in the master bath directly behind that wall), so that's why the current cabinet is mounted on the wall. The depth you see there is the depth inside. I looked into finding a new cabinet for the master bath when we had it painted, but there wasn't anything the right size that was good quality. All I could find were cheapy plastic ones. The problem in there was there was no space for a bigger one, which is not a problem in the hall bath. I ended up just painting the old one. It is solid metal, with thick glass shelves.

Master bath:

Closer view of old cab, repainted. Note that it has a slot for old razor blades: