How to update a 70's Bathroom

Are you tormented by dated wallpaper, fake wood paneling, chained lights, glitter popcorn ceilings and brass?  You must be stuck in the 70's!  You need a quick and easy update to make your bath bearable to walk into without thinking you are in an episode of Three's Company? (I know, I just dated myself)  Here's some ways to update that will be easy on the budget...

Typical Examples of the 70's Bathrooms

Typical 70's wood paneling and wallpaper

Crazy Wallpaper

This bathroom is fairly calm but the hanging
lights give it's age away

This is what your bathroom could look like!

Elegant and Classy!

Here's some great ways to update:

1 - Remove or cover that ugly fake wood paneling!!  It is the worst invention ever.  There are several DIY sites that say to fill in the cracks with drywall mud and paint it but I am a firm believer that this doesn't work.  It takes a lot of effort to do this process and eventually the mud will crack and fall out.  It's better to cover it or remove it.

DON'T DO IT! (Example of filling the cracks in wood paneling)

A - Wood Paneling is a great option if you just want to cover it.   

Beaded Board Wainscot (Love the green walls!)

Beadboard comes in sheets so you can nail and glue it right over.  Add base and chair rail trim.  An 8'ft long section is $50.

Example of Board & Batten type paneling

 Just attached a 4'x8'x1/4" sheet of plywood and attached 1x2 or 1x4s any spacing you want just make sure to cover the seams.  A paint grade plywood sheet is $13.

Classic

Paneling doesn't have to be white

Paneling doesn't have to be traditional

Remove the fake wood paneling and add sheetrock.  Finish and paint or wallpaper.

Use a chair rail to cover any wall depth differences

Or put green board (backer board for tile) up and tile!

Love a subway tile wainscot!

2 & B -  Usually the 70's floor were sheet vinyl.  Remove it or if it is stuck pretty good and not peeling up then put down self stick floor tiles over it.  They are fast and easy to install and only $1 a square foot.  Obviously a better option is to have new tile floors installed, so if you can afford it ...go for it!

3 & E -  70's cabinets...Oh boy, where do I start.  They cheaped out.  Most likely if you have 70's cabinets they are veneer or plastic over particle wood.  Paint them or replace the doors with new ones!

Think color, not just white!  

Still keep that 70's glam with a modern take on cabinets.  

4 & D -  Replace those plastic laminate countertops with stone, or if you want to splurge buy a vanity sink unit.  I love a Carrara marble (shown in picture above) but you can get any stone.  Look for remnants if you have a small vanity.

Here's some vanities you can replace that old cabinet with....

Stone & Chrome Sink Vanity

Restoration Hardware Gramercy $2,195

Modern Vanity & Eclectic Mix

5 & G - Dress up those walls!  Remove the wild and most likely flocked or metallic 70's paper and either paint or put up some new wallpaper.

Great example of a simple & traditional bathroom (minus the fern)

There are so many fun wallpapers!  Paint a stencil or use removable wallpaper.  

Sexy Hexy by Chasing Paper

6, C & F - Update with new hardware.  This is the easiest update. Currently, gold is all the rage in finishes but if you aren't that trendy or it doesn't fit your style, stick with nickel, brass, stainless, or oil rubbed bronze. A satin finish is best because polished shows everything and scratches more easily.  The least expense is chrome (which is a classic look)!

Kohler Vibrant Modern Brushed Gold... Ohhh...Ahhh...Looove!

7 - Replace that chained pendant that hangs from a ceiling hook with a wall sconce.  

Horchow Edison-Type Wall Sconce $195

George Kovaks Rectangular Bronze Wall Sconce (comes in chrome and brass too!) $117

8 - A new mirror.  This is the most important change because it is what you see the most, besides yourself of course!  There are so many mirror fun mirrors, don't be afraid to try something new.  You can even spray paint the one you have to breathe new life into it.  Try layering mirrors especially if you have a plain plate mirror now.  Hang another mirror in front of it using fishing line from the ceiling.

The decorative mirror dresses up this plain plate mirror

Layer two framed mirrors

H - Add some life to those counters with new accessories.  Your toothbrush will thank you!

Horchow Waylande Gregory Porcelain and Gold (sorry these are expensive but I couldn't help myself)

9 - Under no circumstances should you have a toilet lid cover nor a rug that wraps around the toilet; it's just unsanitary.

Do you have any additional ideas? email me your 70's updated bathroom pictures ~ brandy@twineinteriors.com

Update a Mid-Century Bathroom

Here are some examples of typical Mid-Century bathrooms that many homes have.  Usually they have colored tile, toilets, bathtubs and sinks, which makes updating difficult without having to rip it all out.  Sometimes you just need to work with what you have until it's time to gut or maybe you love the look, so here are some ideas of how to update, without tearing everything out!

Here's what you're starting with....

But, your bath could look more like this ...

Another typical pink bathroom....

Or Shazam and it looks like this ......

Here are some inexpensive ways to update that old bathroom without ripping it to shreds:

A - Paint the walls with a neutral, like cream, white or grey maybe even soft colors that will coordinate with your color of tile.  A fresh coat of paint will go a long way in making your bathroom seem more up-to-date.

Or Wallpaper

Ferm Living, Half Moon

B - Paint the door and trim in the room. This will help to make the space feel fresh and bright.

C - Add large art to create a distraction from all that tile!

Art Space: Isca Greenfield-Sanders

Art.com: A Good Read  

Cozmia, Wild Herringbone

D - Change the sink with a new above counter sink that is large enough to cover the hole of the existing sink.  This way you don't have to disrupt the tile countertop.  White sinks are generally the least expensive finish.  

Kohler Purist Sink

Kohler Memoirs Sink

1 - Add a new sink faucet to modernize a little bit.

Polished Chrome is also the least expensive finish for faucets and towel bars.

Kohler Purist Faucet

Kohler Bancroft Faucet

2 - Change out the tub faucet if you can get to the plumbing from the backside of the wall.  Usually there will be a vent or door to access the plumbing.  If it's sheetrock you can cut it and patch.  If it's tile then you will have to live with the faucet until you are ready to remove tile!

Plumbing Access

E & 3 - Add a towel bar above the built-in soap alcove so that way the hanging towel will hide it.

F - Dress up the window with a grasscloth or fabric roman shade

The Shade Store

4 - If the tub is dingy, then have it refinished (painted).  It cost approximately $500.

5 - Remove towel rings (they are in a weird place), fill holes with grout and paint the grout to match the tile.  Clean the grout in the entire bathroom by using elbow grease or hire someone to steam clean.  You can always have the tile painted as well.  If professionally done it will last longer, though still subject to scratching.

G -A large tray on the counter can hide the tile countertop and give you a neutral base.

Jonathan Alder Lacquer Hexagon Tray

West Elm Leah Durner Tray

H - Use a few decorative accessories to bring your color scheme together.


I - Add a shower curtain to soften the tile walls.  You can embrace the color of the tile or you could go with a neutral to calm the color.  Also, by using art, wallpaper, rugs, shower curtains, you can introduce another color into the scheme.

Crate & Barrel Marimekko Unikko Red

West Elm Border Shower Curtain

Serena & Lily Feather Shower Curtain

J - A rug can cover a not so attractive floor tile, a runner may give you the most coverage since generally these bathrooms are long and narrow.

Surya, Fallon

Surya Frontier

There are so many options and styles that you can adapt this mid-century design to.  Send me some of your updates at brandy@twineinteriors.com

~brandy