Indulge in the Nostalgia of an Art Deco Bathroom

Have you ever sighed with nostalgia when you get to the bathroom scene in your favorite classic films? Many of us black and white movie buffs enjoy getting a glimpse of the Art Deco period as portrayed by the décor of these opulent bathrooms. Even comedies like The Marx Brothers and Abbott and Costello featured bathrooms that appeared posh, by today's standards. Many of us hanker after that vintage bathroom look.

Do you know that it's possible to recreate some of that nostalgia in your own home? There is a resurgence of the look that is modeled after bathrooms of the '20's and '30's. They are sometimes called "cottage bathrooms", as they were many times actually placed in cottages around the period.

Don't make the mistake of thinking these were exclusively situated in upper crust homes. They were also termed "farm house" bathrooms. Either term conveyed the simple, porcelain- and tile-based bathrooms that charmed so many of us-and still do.

So how do you set the stage of an Art Deco powder room of your own? You have to alter your mindset, from one of modern conveniences and gadgets to one of smooth efficiency and subtle elegance. The two major pieces that need to be changed are the bathtub and the basin. Other than that, you'll mostly be de-cluttering.

De-clutter for Deco

Be ruthless. Pack up anything that runs on electricity. (You want to be authentic, don't you?) Think 1920 and 1930. Were there hair dryers back then? How about electric toothbrushes? No, and no. Don't forget to remove any color photos. Goodbye, bath scale. (Smile!)

You'll have to call a handy person to take down your wall-to-wall mirror if it's not one of those that are made up of sectionals. The mirrors were laid flat against the wall and were not the type you open and store items in. They were also usually oval in shape. They did use medicine cabinets--these were artfully hidden, however.

Timeless Tile Adds Elegance