Is the tile cream, white or yellow?

Welcome to Houzz!

I love the vintage bathrooms from the 30's! My house was built in 1931 and I have 1 1/2 baths but the colors are a bit wilder. My half bath has the same B/W basket weave floor tile but with light yellow wall tile and cobalt blue fixtures. When we first moved in the room had wallpaper so I took that down and tried painting the upper wall yellow to approximately match the wall tile. It looked horrible! I certainly suggest a nice contrasting color to the wall tile, but bright white might just be too white and make the other tile look muddy.

I would suggest buying or making a radiator cover. You could either do a classic slightly off-white or it might look really nice done in gloss black. I've made a couple covers and they really dress up the room. For my front hallway, I purchased a piece of marble about 9x40 from the local ReStore for $10. Then we built a box with a frame on the top and set the marble down into the wood frame. It wasn't complicated or expensive but made a huge visual impact in the room.

How much usage does this bath get? Does it function as a powder room or guest bath? If it is cream and black, I'd be so tempted to try the black, but I know it can eat up all the light in a bath.

Thanks for the feedback.....The tile is a yellow-cream, close to BM paint colour Goldtone OC-112.
I like the idea of redoing the radiator and will look for a white shower curtain with black trim.
The bathroom is a mainfloor bathroom for the house but the shower almost never gets used, except by guests.
I think I need some advice with paint colours as the current creamy off white just looks 'dingy' which is why I thought maybe bright white with a more grey undertone might be better or the contrasting charcoal. I had previously tried a test patch of what looked like a sage but it ended up looking minty against the yellow of the tile. From looking at it on the wall, I thinking adding the green as a new colour in the paint is a mistake. I was also wondering about painting the trim of the little display openings a glossy black instead of the same colour as the wall (there are two, one on the other side of the toilet)....
Maybe BM Mountain Peak White OC 121? or Wickham Gray HC 171?

The other thing that I am trying is some special tile floor coating (HG Satin Gloss Polish) that should add a bit of shine back to the black tile in the floor where it has been scratched over the years.

This bathroom is beautiful and looks in mint condition. I would keep the pedestal sink and update the faucet. Also, what is that behind the sink? It looks like a piece of plywood. I would do something with that. Since your fixtures are white, I would paint the walls and woodwork the same bright white.

Here are a couple of inspiration photos of vintage (or updated vintage) bathrooms on Houzz that remind me of yours. I love the idea of a gray on the walls. I'm not sure I'd go quite as dark as charcoal, though that could be a very striking effect.

Hi---Great bathroom... I suggest keeping within the muted gold/green hues for the upper walls. Check colors SW 6123 Baguette, SW 6130 Mannered Gold, and SW 6137 Burlap. Pics for inspiration---1st pic is Burlap and photos 2 and 3 is the Baguette... Good Luck!
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What is behind the pedestal? I prefer the spacious look of a pedestal. But I would update the hardware, it doesn't look original. Here is one bath with yellow tile: If you do decide to get a vanity, maybe a white vanity and black marble like this would look fresher.

Have you thought of using wallpaper? This is attractive: This wallpaper comes in yellow: See: http://www.sisterparishdesign.com/chou-chou-wallpaper/

Black and white paper: I really like this: It's by Osborne and LIttle http://www.wallpaperdirect.co.uk/products/osborne-little/lysander/25277 But apparently they won't ship to the U.S.

I just finished a 1930's remodel. See pictures below. I chose Rohl fixtures and love them. I too would keep the pedestal sink in your case. In my case, we had no storage so added that next to vanity.

Wonderful bath! And I'm so glad you're going to keep the vintage integrity of it intact. I would recommend a wall color that is a lighter version of the yellow-cream wall tiles. It'll provide tonal contrast as opposed to color contrast. I love the idea of a tailored white shower curtain with black trim!

I think I'd seriously consider painting the closet door black and adding an art-deco influenced door knob. As for the display niches on either side of the toilette, I'd paint them the same as the wall color. I think painting them black will end up looking choppy.

HI -- Great bathroom , it has personality. I think you could have a vanity , just allow for the door swing . I would paint the small storage closet and the shelf over the toilet ,- black to go with the other black trim . Paint the walls either the same color as the main yellow cream tiles or a clean white. Then have all the bathroom accent decor the white, towels , shower curtain . bath rug etc.

Thanks for all the feedback, I had thought of wallpaper but wanted to stay away from a pattern...had checked out a very pricey grey metallic grasscloth (Phillip Jefferies Glam Grass in colorway French Alps Chalet) but it is beyond my budget for the bathroom.

I like restoration hardware Vintage taps.. but that would be the only chrome in the room.

For the very observant people who asked...it is a piece of plywood behind the sink...covering what I think must be an old hole that the plumber put in the plaster/tile wall. I will have to take it off to look at either repairing the wall and trying to find replacement old tiles or just painting it to match the tile and be a bit less of an eyesore....The black vanity idea partly stemmed from wanting to cover that bit up. I was thinking of having just part of this vanity and drawers built...

This is grasscloth in a bathroom.... with a black and white tile floor, pedestal sink but no tile on the walls.

This bathroom is a classic that needs minimal updates! My mom just paid big bucks to turn a 1960's bathroom into a classic like your bathroom. Walls/Door/accent towels: Smokey Purple. Trim around door: Black. Keep all tile, sink, and mirrors with black trim. Accent with candles and floral decoration with some white. Try a dark brown, woven basket for trash or magazines. Can't wait to see your updated bathroom!

I think the white door should be painted the same cream or ivory as the tiles.

If you want your bathroom to remain vintage - leave the pedestal sink. A marble vanity will look very out of place.

That is sweet! I would paint the walls either soft warm grey, not dark, or buttery yellow looks great with black and is very vintage. Paint the trim around the linen door black and paint the door same as the walls. You could keep the sink but build a surround under it to hide the plywood or skirt the sink, or just remove the plywood and replace with a bead board panel painted to match the time. Keep mirror frame black, and you could change the globes on the lighting if you're not thrilled with them. Have fun!

Shiny chrome is the traditional '30s material for your Deco faucets and hardware; you could use it for the sink, tub and cabinet door plus anything else that needs new hardware. The light really should be chrome and milk glass, or Deco chrome/black too.

I have an original bathroom VERY similar of the same vintage. My floor is identical, but my tile is white instead of cream. In the past, I've had wallpaper but currently have it painted white. I'm going to change that in the near future to something else. I use black bathmats and have b/w prints on the wall. White shower curtain that needs something else==probably in the same fabric (maybe b/w toile) that I'll do the window.

My question is this: would you give me the measurements on the device that one picture has a comment that says it's for an extra roll of tp? A house of the same era nearby has something similar but doesn't seem big enough for an extra roll. I took photos and have been trying to find out what it is. It's above the tp roll holder.

I like the pedestal sink but if it's in a main bathroom, I agree with adding a vanity as pedestal sinks are not very functional outside of a guest bath. I'm not sure about marble with all the tile work. I would probably choose a vintage-looking tile instead.