1920's -30's bath tile

er1998

10 years ago

Just curious - I am in the process of remodeling bathrooms in a late 20's colonial. I chose 4x4 porcelain tile for the walls, which is what is getting pulled out, because it is in really poor shape.

Anyway, my contractor seemed to think that subway would be more period appropriate. Personally, I know subway is an historic tile and was used then, but I have NEVER seen it in an old home here, in the mid-south. Is that a regional thing?

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Linda

10 years ago

My 1931 house has 4x4 wall tile in the upstairs bath with subway tile in the powder room and kitchen. All the tile work is original to the house...we even have some spare subway tile from the kitchen wrapped in a 1934 newspaper on a basement shelf.

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Comments (10)

lucy132
10 years ago
I toured a historic mansion here in Virginia that was built in the 1890s and had one of the first indoor bathrooms. Original walls were small white subway tile.
er1998 thanked lucy132
kats737
10 years ago
It's definitely going to be region specific. Most people think of white subways, but that's not always the right choice. And as you move past the early 20's Sanitary Era you start to see a lot of colored bathrooms with 4x4 tiles.

There is nothing wrong with using 4x4 at all, especially if comparable houses have them. Here are some images.
er1998 thanked kats737
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User
10 years ago
Our house, too, was built in 1920 and had the 4 x 4 tile. I replaced with 4 x 4 tile.
er1998 thanked User
Pyewacket
10 years ago
Whether or not its "historically accurate", I find it unattractive. Put the tile you like in.
er1998 thanked Pyewacket
amanda99999
10 years ago
Seems to me that both 4"x4" and 3"x6" subway are late 1920s period correct, at least here in Eastern Mass.: my 1928 house has the 4x4 tile in all 2.5 bathrooms (or, did before we renovated); my neighbor has the 3x6 subway in her 1927 home's original 2.5 bathrooms. Same builder, and our homes are otherwise identical inside.

Oh- and the "pinwheel" mosaic pattern is the tile for the shower floors in both our (original 1927/1928) master showers.

All of it ceramic tile, fyi. All white or off-white. Some black trim. Some tan in the pinwheel mosaic floor tile.
er1998 thanked amanda99999
cpartist
10 years ago
My first house built in 1927 had white subway, but my friend's house built during the same era had colored 4 x 4 tile in her bathroom.
er1998 thanked cpartist
ratherhaverain
10 years ago
Check out Jane Powell's "Bungalow Bathrooms" for ideas. She covers more than bungalow style--IIRC some of the 1920-30s had spectacular color and not much subway. She also talks about degrees of accuracy in restoration that may help you in your decision.
er1998 thanked ratherhaverain
writersblock (9b/10a)
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Yeah, Bungalow Bathrooms is definitely slanted towards CA architecture, but it has some of the coolest bathrooms you'll ever see. It's a great reference.

ETA Antiquehomestyle.com has some splendid 1920s bathrooms in their gallery:

http://antiquehomestyle.com/inside/bathrooms/index.htm
er1998 thanked writersblock (9b/10a)
er1998
Original Author
10 years ago
I had Bungalow Bathrooms from the library recently - admittedly, I just ogled the pretty pictures and did not read much of it. Seems it needs a revisit - thanks!