Why Southerners Will Always Treasure A Vintage Pink-Tiled Bathroom

We’ll always appreciate fresh takes on interiors. Whether the all-white kitchens of the past decade, the deep burgundy dining rooms of the 1990s, or 70s-era shag carpet, these trends have all had their season of appreciation. But, as with any fad, their time in the sun is destined to be short-lived, whether that means a few months, a year, or the better part of a decade. For design lovers, it can be difficult to resist the allure of these shiny and new flourishes unless you can decipher a treasure when you see it. What tops the list of design gems to hail from the last century? It’s a topic worthy of debate though few can rival the vintage pink tile bathroom.

The History Behind Pink Bathrooms

Pink-tiled bathrooms were a staple in American homes from the late 1940s to early 1960s. The color was popularized by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower who famously loved the soft shade so much that it began being dubbed Mamie pink. From fashion to interiors, mid-century women couldn’t get enough, even going so far as to deck their baths in the shade from ceiling to floor. And, my, are we glad they did. 

The Hallmarks of a Pink-Tiled Bath

Vintage pink tile, chrome fixtures, and maybe even a charming creak as the tap turns are all prized possessions that should be worn like a badge of honor for an arbiter of good taste. In the same era, soft shades of green and blue tile were also making a splash in baths across the nation. They too are equals in our admiration, though might not necessarily have taken quite the design confidence (or restraint) to leave intact.

While we’re on the topic of pink baths, we can’t neglect the pink porcelain sink. These original little beauties were often outfitted with chrome legs and exposed plumbing. They were smaller, shorter, and featured far less counter space than what we’ve come to expect in our modern primary baths but, heavens, do they set off a pink tiled bath like no other.

Pink Bathrooms In Southern Homes Today

Southerners are, by and large, a true blue people. We don’t think to keep up with the Joneses because each one of us is a Jones in our own right. There’s a confidence in our home choices that allows us to largely stay out of the fray of passing trends if we so choose. This fact may lead one to believe there are quite possibly more original pink-tiled bathrooms this side of the Mason-Dixon than just about anywhere else. (Let’s demand a count!)

It’s hard to imagine a world in which one would look at one of these time-honored relics of mid-century design and in the same breadth give the go-ahead to wipe it all out. Just know, that if your home features one of these beauties, you have our respect, admiration, and, if we were the type to covet thy neighbor’s goods, our envy.