Get that retro look in your bathroom… without taking a step back in time

Having nearly finished my retro-inspired makeover of my living, I am now looking at the other rooms in my home to see which needs attention next, and my out-dated bathroom is definitely near the top of the list! I was discussing this with fellow blogger and my twitter friend Helen Davies, and she immediately came up with this article on using retro design inspirations in modern bathrooms. I am very grateful for her advice and expert knowledge, and I wanted to share it with you all so you can get ideas for your own bathroom makeover this spring:

If, like me, you’re a fan of retro style, then you’ll already know that to perfect a vintage vibe you sometimes have to sacrifice just a little bit of the comfort and convenience that modern life has brought us. But bathrooms are practical spaces: you need your bathroom to perform a vital function. Can retro style really work in a 21st century bathroom?

I think so. By taking a period (or an eclectic mix of complementary styles from different periods) as your inspiration, rather than sticking rigidly to the use of 100% vintage materials, you can create a look that’s truly unique, that pays homage to your favourite design style, and that allows you to have some design fun. Because that’s what it’s all about – having fun!

And all of this means that you can use a modern bathroom suite in your retro bathroom without losing any style points. Which is a relief, because while an authentic vintage bathroom suite, reclaimed and rejuvenated, can set you back a huge amount of money considering someone else used it half to death before you bought it, contemporary bathroom suites can be sourced relatively cheaply and in a range of sizes to suit any space.

For me, building a new look in a room is all about the silhouette. If you do a quick image search, you’ll see what I mean. You only have to look at the first few results for ‘art nouveau mirror’ to realise that those Gaudi-esque curves and swirls are central to the style.

So when you’re looking to create your retro bathroom, your starting point should be a modern bathroom suite that has all the up-to-the-minute features you need – but that also has a silhouette (be that curvy, boxy, slim or angular) that echoes the designs you adore. Once you’ve installed your basic suite, you can use accessories (vintage originals or modern copies – use whatever works for you) and gorgeous decor to bring your room to life.

This month I’m loving a glamorous 1930s feel: floor to ceiling white metro tiles with slim black grout lines for a striking effect, and a huge art deco mirror above an angular basin. Add a cool monochrome chandelier (who said you can’t have fabulous lighting in a bathroom?), a luxurious cast iron bath with some modern, minimalist, wall mounted brassware for contrast, and the look is complete!

Helen Davies is a content writer for Better Bathrooms, who sell good looking contemporary and traditional bathrooms at realistic prices.

Related retro interiors articles from Cassiefairy

• Inspirations for a retro living room: wall coverings
• Interior design inspirations for a retro home: Office space (cassiefairy.com)
• Have you ever seen anything more retro than this? My new record case
• Inspirations for a retro living room: Soft Furnishings (cassiefairy.com)
• Interior design inspirations: Finn Juhl

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