Many people think of the mid-century décor style as old-fashioned, and this is just wrong. Sure, the style is from the ’50s and tends to bring back nostalgic memories, but that is the whole idea. You should think of it as being elegant and vintage.
Designing your bathroom in the mid-century style is chic and trendy. It must, however, match the concept of your house.
The mid-century design has recently become a popular choice for most homeowners because it perfectly mixes modern styles with a touch of the old.
If you are thinking of doing the same in your home, you will need to include industrial materials, simple lines, impeccable craftsmanship, and use color brilliantly.
[toc]Mid-century Modern Bathroom Ideas
Color in the mid-century times:
When it comes to color, the mid ’50s was known for saturated color combinations. There were plenty of neutrals also in use, and therefore you do not need to be drastic with your color palette. Here are a few wall options;
- Use a neutral mid-century designed wallpaper
- Use textured or non-textured paint.
- Rich yellows, pea greens, golds, browns, and oranges were extremely popular in the ’50s
Design features
The mid-century bathrooms had white ceramic tiles, or the classic black and white tiles. Pair the floors with flat panel cabinets of medium tones, and a modern white bathtub with a two-piece toilet. If you prefer to go thoroughly mid-century, then, you can add some gold fixtures on the sink, bathtub, and shower.
Keep in mind that this was a minimalistic era and therefore all shapes and contours must be kept to a minimum. Hanging ball lights over your vanity or using a wall-mounted tube light on each side of your bathroom walls will represent the mid-century era perfectly.
Cabinets
One thing you will realize with the mid-century modern era is minimalism when it comes to cabinets. You cannot even compare this to the modern designs that feature cutouts, intricately designed moldings, and elaborate hardware, because the mid-century cabinets featured simple and efficient designs with straightforward hardware.
The materials used range from high-quality hardwoods to metal and laminate.
For your mid-century modern bathroom, you can incorporate these sleek and simple cabinets with double or single vessel-style sinks, and you can go crazy with materials and colors such as bronze, copper, or even glass.
The bathtub
As mentioned above, you can seriously make use of color in your modern mid-century bathroom, and when it comes to the bathtub, go all out!
A large center-piece styled bathtub surrounded by boldly styled curved designs complements the angular styled cabinets.
You can also use faucets and handles to add curved designs to create even more visual interest to further emphasize the mid-century modern design in your bathroom.
The tiles
When it comes to tiles for your bathroom floor and countertops, homeowners in the mid-century era often incorporated a simple and straightforward design that featured flat, angular tiles on their walls. The subway tile was also quite popular in this era.
For the countertop surfaces, what most people liked was a flat, glossy or matte surface. For the floors, however, elegant hardwood, and high-quality tiles were often featured, and many were in neutral colors such as gray, white or black.
Use of Atomic Starbursts
It is virtually impossible not to include atomic starbursts in a mid-century modern design style. Lighting designers in this era adopted this style in their pendants, chandeliers, and flush mounts. This particular image shows a beautiful and stunning chandelier placed in the ceiling directly above the clawfoot tub.
This gives some retro glam with a perfect representation of the mid-century style.
Use some bold colors
As mentioned above, this is an era that embraced color and was not afraid to go all out. In this image, the white subway tiles are a neutral backdrop against the extra bright orange bathtub.
With the mid-century, just a little drop of color here and there represents the era perfectly. You could even opt for a more colorful wall and a neutral bathtub instead, all in a bid to contrast the two so as to bring out the chicness of the ’50s.
You must, however, be very careful not to overdo it here, as most people tend to get excited with color. There are some specific shades allowed from the mid-century, and these are the ones you should play around with. These are: Rich yellows, pea greens, golds, browns, and oranges.
Include some wood furniture in your bathroom
Wooden cabinets present you with the perfect opportunity for incorporating the mid-century vibe into your lovely modern bathroom.
Look for options that have simple lines, minimal ornamentation, and tapered legs. Also, ensure the surrounding environment is neutral. White will do great here as it does not clash with the wooden furniture; otherwise, you may end with a room that is too busy.
A plant here and there will complete the look of your bathroom and make it not only chic and mid-century, but also beautiful and inviting as well.
Use an asymmetrical shape
In the mid-century, there was an introduction of curvy and asymmetrical shapes that were associated with this design erabecause they became extremely popular.
The simple use of an organic silhouette in the mirror can perfectly help you represent the 50’s in your modern bathroom. The beauty of this is that it is minimal, simple, and elegant at the same time.
Use some industrial materials
The use of industrial materials such as steel, brass, grass, and concrete were very common in the mid-century era. The image is a great example of a way to incorporate them into your bathroom.
Bright colors such as the green shown above will also go a long way toward making your bathroom elegant and colorful. Remember, being bold with your colors is key with mid-century designs, and you could even substitute the green with a bright orange or yellow and the era will still be well represented.
Notice the tiles. When you go bold with color on the walls, you need to be neutral with the tiles on the floor. This blends perfectly and ensures your bathroom does not clash.
Use pendant lights with simple lines
One of the key rules to follow in a mid-century design is the use of simple straight lines. In the image above, the pendant lights are made of simple straight lines. I’m sure you’ll agree that the area above the mirror looks simple, elegant, and stylish.
This goes to show that simple can be quite chic. Also, using honest materials is a hallmark of the mid-century era. The dazzling glow of the vanity lights will provide you with a perfect backdrop to start your day like a star.
Use minimalistic designs only
We can’t really emphasize this enough, because the mid-century was characterized by minimalist design options. This meant minimal ornaments made of high-quality materials in unique shapes will be a big hit when trying to incorporate this era.
This style also gives you plenty of room to play around with many different materials. Bathroom fixtures such as the simple toilet paper above will perfectly capture the design theme that you are trying to create.
You can even use playful pop art
The pop art movement arose at the same time as mid-century design and it became quite an established style. This also allows you to bring in a little bit of color into your bathroom to make the style your own.
It will also allow you to pay homage to the artists from the ’50s while making your bathroom unique and classy.
Mix and match patterns in your bathroom
You may be afraid to try this one out but, if done correctly, it can come out great. Looking at the image above, the mixing of neutral colors makes for a beautiful scenery in your bathroom.
This example is however quite safe, and if you use some of the colors which are acceptable of the mid-century era, you can come up with something unique in your bathroom. For this style, color is key, so, do not be afraid to use bold colors.
Final thoughts:
The bathroom is one of those rooms you want to be most comfortable in. Incorporating a design theme that helps you achieve this is commendable.
What makes the mid-century perfect for your bathroom is the use of neutral colors that are very comforting and inviting, qualities that everyone looks for in a bathroom.
Remember to be bold, creative, and unafraid. At the same time, simplicity will make your bathroom look smart, chic, and elegant. Also, do not do too much in a small space; otherwise it will look crowded and too busy. Stick to the rules: simple, neutral, and classy, and you’ll be good to go.
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