By Judith Nasatir
(ARA) - In design, as in life, what goes around comes around. Every style
follows a cycle: in, out and in again. Designs are revised, refined and updated
with the latest technology.
As each generation discovers the pleasures of the past, what's old becomes
new again. Bathroom design is no exception to this rule. Minimalism and
eclecticism are popular. But the vintage look is also "in" for bathrooms, taking
its style cues from the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s.
The Treasure Hunt: Creating Vintage Bathrooms
Creating period-style bathrooms poses its own set of challenges. Whether the
bath of your dreams is Art Deco or another style, you must first find
appropriate vintage fittings and fixtures, or those that look like the
originals.
Consider this first phase as the treasure hunt because you'll be poking
through salvage yards and searching the Internet for original elements such as
tubs, sinks, mirrors and hardware. Once you've found them, most vintage fittings
must be retrofitted to meet today's codes and standards. In addition, you'll
probably want to refinish many of these pieces. Some signs of time's passage may
be appealing, but chipped enamel or yellowing porcelain is not.
New Fixtures, Vintage Look
Luckily, today's homeowners have many options if they don't want to spend the
time and effort pursuing and upgrading vintage fixtures. Some companies have
resurrected models first introduced in the 1920s and 1930s.
Others, such as Porcher, offer designs that feature up-to-the-minute
functional features wrapped in period-style packages. Porcher's Calla II Suite
features refined shapes and beveled edges recalling themes from the Art Deco
style of the 1930s. Adding modern conveniences, the Calla 6-foot oval whirlpool
features StayClean technology that helps reduce the time needed to clean and
increases the time spent enjoying the relaxing experience.
A Splash of Art Deco Color
American bathrooms of the 1920s and 1930s reflected our growing obsession with
cleanliness. Until late in the 1920s, bathroom walls were tiled with
subway-style rectangular tiles in bright, glossy white. With the emergence of
Art Deco, color flooded the bath. Square, smooth porcelain tiles with a
high-gloss glaze in bright white, soft pink or a shade of green generally lined
the walls, along with lavender, plum and everything in between. Black trim
pieces added a thin accent line usually about halfway up the wall.
Floor tiles, often featuring a black-and-white mosaic border or checkerboard
pattern, were often hexagonal or octagonal rather than square. You'll have no
trouble finding tiles to meet your needs, and you can use more than the
above-mentioned colors just like the Art Deco decorators. Just remember: Crisp
corners and white grout are period-appropriate musts.
Fittings, Finishings and Furniture: The Final Touch
Beyond finding the right fixtures, colors and tiles, fittings are another
important element in recreating an Art Deco bathroom. The common, garden variety
of this era sported four arms; the fashionable, fancy version featured a
five-pronged "star." These styles remain popular, and models with updated inner
workings are widely available in many finishes including chrome, porcelain and
enamel.
Built-ins, such as storage and medicine chests, are another distinctive
characteristic of the vintage bath, as are towel bars attached to the sink and
ornamental ceiling fixtures and sconces in frosted glass or metals. Restored
lighting fixtures and frosted glass reproductions provide many choices. And
don't forget light dimmers, which allow you to convert your everyday bath into a
romantic retreat.
Bathroom furniture was created as early as the 18th century to help consumers
hide the unmentionables in high style. If you're working on a bath with an Art
Deco feel, you might consider one or all of the pieces in Porcher's Calla II
Suite, which puts a modern spin on vintage furniture with a pedestal sink top
built into a cherry-finish cabinet with pull-out drawer and shelf space.
Whether you're restoring an old house or building a new home, any period styles
provide a wonderful source of inspiration for designing the bath. If you want to
create an authentic look, you can research, find and restore vintage pieces. You
also can find vintage styles in new, at-the-ready bathroom fixtures. The
resources are endless, and the rules are flexible.
Either way, you won't have a problem making what's old new again in your
bath.
Courtesy of ARA Content
Homebuilding Tips 
