Tile surround in bathroom that isn't dated and isn't all white?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I am redoing my 1920's bathroom and am trying to stay somewhat true to the style of the time. I currently plan on having a white shaker style vanity with msi calacatta laza, white kohler tub/sink/toilet, white hexagon floors with black around the edge (and potentially black circles in the middle), with the walls painted either BM Revere Pewter or Edgecomb gray. Initially I wanted to do a large white subway tile bathtub surround but it seems like a lot of white. I was thinking of adding a black bar mosaic that has nickel shimmer in the tile as a strip 3/4 of the way up the tub but am concerned that the bar mosaic is a fad and will look out dated soon. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do? We don't want to do marble due to the upkeep of it and we want to use epoxy grout which I don't believe you can use with stone.

Featured Answer

writersblock (9b/10a)

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Bathroom design in most of the country changed a LOT during the 20s. The white subway, hex tile bathroom is typical of the year 1920 and it stayed popular in NYC, but in most of the country color was a Very Big Thing by the late 20s. Some examples:

People are doing these kinds of baths today in old houses where they are appropriate, too. A couple of new baths that look original:

However, you are looking at fairly big bucks to do something like that. I would also take a look at the bath section at antiquehomestyle.com, which has many pictures of 20s bathrooms in ads of the time.

If you are on a budget I would do the white subway with possibly a black or other contrasting color in bullnose and a pencil liner, not the mosaic. White bathrooms continued to be built throughout the 20s, but they were the low-budget choice in most locations. But just having a bathroom was a trendy luxury in many areas, even if you had to go with a clawfoot tub and white tile. Black and white is still a nice look, and probably the most popular way to go these days.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Certainly no mosaic accent it if you are trying to stay true to age of house . I also would just do a hexagon tile for the floor withthe black dots and then white subway tile for the shower and add your accents with accessories that can change when ever you want.
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Carol M
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thank you everyone for your help and pictures! I think I am going to do the white subway tile with a black pencil liner near the top and bottom and a black curved near the bottom of the floor with a white bullnose, kind of like this:

Chicago Bungalow Bathroom Near Montrose and California · More Info

We will do the white hexagon floor with just a black border.
L thomas
7 years ago
Great choice, Carol. Perfect nod to the historical. When it comes time to look for tile, the curved piece along the bottom is called a cove base :)
Carol M thanked L thomas
artemis_ma
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Carol, I really like this choice. Bathrooms can handle white subway, and I love the wall color. And it fits to the 1920's atmosphere of your place, with the pencil and curved portion.
writersblock (9b/10a)
7 years ago
Yes, I agree. A great way to freshen it up while keeping the spirit of the house.
PRO
Ziebart Construction
7 years ago
Great choice in maintaining the integrity, the era, and the spirit of the home!
cpartist
7 years ago
Carol what I did was use www.heritagetile.com for my hexagon floor tile because it's a true flat tile like they had back in the 20's. (Daltile and most of the other brands tend to have a pillowed top that is not correct). However I cheaped out on the wall tile by using Daltile to save money. I went with the daisy pattern instead of the black dot but either is appropriate.

Please do NOT do that black bar mosaic. Not only is it not appropriate to the period, but it's already had its heyday about 5 years ago. It's a trend that's come and gone.

Heritage tile floor. Note how flat the surface is? Additionally the spacing between tiles is correct for the period.
Looking towards the shower. Tiles along the floor are 6" x 6" and are coved to meet the floor.

Toilet is the Kohler Memoirs but the sink is one by DXV. Forgot the name but i felt the look was more "authentic" than the Memoirs.

My house was a brand new build that I tried to pay homage to craftsman homes of the late teens/early 20's of the last century.
Carol M
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
cpartist - did you use the k101 from datile? How close would you day the subway tile/the toilet white matches to the white in the floor?

Edit: also, what brand was the bullnose and pencil tile?