Has the 1950s Pink Bathroom Taken a Powder?

  |  August 12, 2019
pink bathroom

Certainly not! Land a pink bathroom of your own from these on-the-market listings.

During the 1950s and 60s, Midcentury home design included a distinctive feature that seems to making a come-back these days: The pink bathroom. Popularized by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower’s chosen White House powder room scheme, the pink bathroom was a fixture in American homes, many of which have been replaced by newer bathrooms over the past few decades.

pink bathroom

Mamie Eisenhower

Tommy Webber of T.Webber Plumbing Heating Air and Electric based in Putnam County, NY knows a thing or three about pink bathrooms. Since 1987, T.Webber has been updating and replacing bathrooms, and Tommy suggests you ask yourself some important questions before you go tinkering with one:  “Are [you] looking to change the structure or functionality of the space?  Replace fixtures to newer, more efficient pieces? Or looking to simply swap out accessories, paint colors or wallpaper to modernize the look? Updating the vanity, mirror, paint or lightning can really make a huge difference. If you are looking to make larger changes, it can be challenging to find exact match fixtures or tiles as most vintage colorways are more difficult to source.”

Don’t have a pink bathroom of your own or the resources to make one? We found some authentic pink bathrooms among the real estate listings, looking as fine and dandy as the day they were made…mostly.

Pretty in Pink (and Grey)

1663 Route 32, Saugerties, NY

pink bathroom

1663 Route 32, Saugerties, NY: $249,000

Here’s a sturdy brick Ranch home in the Ulster County town of Saugerties, built in 1961. The 1,608-square foot, four-bedroom home includes not one, but two pink bathrooms, one of which is accentuated by grey wall tiling and tri-tone pink floor tiling.

Tommy Webber warns pink-bathroom-owners that finding a replacements for original fixtures might be tough, and getting to the plumbing means opening walls. “When vintage tile is cut and removed for access,” he explained, “it can be difficult to find identical replacement. With that said, we’re finding many homeowners who are working to restore and maintain vintage inspired spaces and are willing to search for pieces that fit in the time period.”

For more information on 1663 Route 32, Saugerties, visit the listing at Murphy Realty Group.

pink bathroom

1663 Route 32, Saugerties, NY

Blushing Bathroom Shower

51 Ridge Road, Poughkeepsie, NY

pink bathroom

This c.1954 Ranch is in Poughkeepsie, NY and comes with a similar pink/grey color scheme but reversed. In addition to the 1,668-square-foot home’s two bedrooms, the Ranch also comes with a potential mother-in-law apartment. We can’t help but wonder what the original sink in this pink bathroom looked like. Listed for $239,000.

Hoping to find a retro sink and vanity to match this tiling? “If the tub, sink, and toilet are all a pale pink and the toilet is broken beyond repair,” said Webber, “it may be challenging to find a piece that matches. Of course, if matchy-matchy isn’t what the homeowner is looking for, then it doesn’t matter.”

Visit the listing at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Everything and the Pink Sink

689 Lucas Avenue Ext., Hurley, NY

pink bathroom

689 Lucas Avenue Ext., Hurley, NY: $234,000

Perhaps the original sink in the listing above looked a little like this pink sink, situated within this pink bathroom within a c.1956 Ranch in Hurley, NY. The soap dishes, floor tiling, and bathtub all sport the same hue. With a bit of fixing up, this bathroom could be even more pink-tastic.

Find out more at Win Morrison Realty.

A Wealth of Retro Details

5 Roberto Avenue, Highland, NY

So much potential exists within this c.1956 Ranch that, in many ways, hasn’t changed much over the years. Right down to the shag-carpeted basement (bar included) and the wood-paneled walls, the 2,286-square-foot interior is a true period piece and comes with a powder-pink powder room with some cool vintage cabinetry thrown in for good measure. Listed for $242K.

Thanks to the magic of the Internet, there’s never been a better time to try and recreate that powder-pink look. “If you have the patience to source the material,” said Webber, anything is possible. “Midcentury décor has had a renaissance recently amongst millennials and replica materials of the era are being produced more frequently now.”

See more at K Fortuna Realty.

Pristine Pink and a Bonus Blue

435 Pearl Street, Kingston, NY

pink bathroom

435 Pearl Street, Kingston, NY: $395,000

It’s hard to choose a favorite from these pretty pink powder rooms, but this Kingston, NY brick-and-stone Ranch from 1956 might be it. The 2,748-square-foot interior comes with two distinctive bathrooms: A vintage pink with textured glass window, and a baby-blue master bath with original tiling and cabinetry in tact. Delightful! The rest of the house is pretty great, too.

See the full spread at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

435 Pearl Street, Kingston, NY

Making Mamie Proud

155 Route 44 55, Clintondale, NY

1544 Route 44 55, Clintondale, NY: $222,500

Finally, this brick Ranch in Clintondale, NY features an updated interior and, along with it, a contemporary spin on the classic Mamie-pink powder room. Its cotton-candy walls and sleek modern sink more than make up for its modest size.

Visit the listing at Keller Williams.

Green and Blue are Good, Too

15 Jefferson Avenue, Kingston

We’re considering these two pastel powder rooms in 15 Jefferson Street, Kingston, NY honorary Pink Bathrooms, although, according to Webber, a pink powder room lends your mirror reflection a youthful glow…and who couldn’t use a good youthful glow on a Monday morning?

pink bathroom

 

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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