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Our Little Pink Bathroom is Done!

We’re officially checking off the smallest bathroom in our Two Flat renovation! We salvaged the vintage pink bathroom fixtures and mixed new with old for the sweetest blend.

A small white bathroom with classic subway tile and a vintage pink bathtub | via Yellow Brick Home
toilet + black lid | shower trim kit + handle | copper shower curtain

Our Little Pink Bathroom Is Done!

I’m not sure I could love a vintage pink bathroom more – maybe even more than our own? (It’s safe to say, we have a think for pink.) But this one is extra sweet, because we were able to salvage the vintage bathtub and sink, with only minor repairs. In our 130-year-old Two Flat, we’re honored to preserve a small part of our home’s history in this extra-small footprint. This room has come a long way (baby), so allow me to remind you how she looked on a cold winter’s day, in 2019:

Little Pink Bath | Before

A before photo of the Two Flat | via Yellow Brick Home
A before photo of the Two Flat | via Yellow Brick Home

Little Pink Bath | Today!

A small white bathroom with classic subway tile and a vintage pink bathtub | via Yellow Brick Home
double-arm wall sconce | chrome hooks

The views above are taken from the same angle. If you’re confused, it’s because the placement of this bathroom was rotated from right to left! This entire niche is located off of Unit 1’s kitchen, but we nixed the broom closet for a stairway to the den(!), and we moved the location of the small (yet full) bath to the right of the former closet. Here’s a pulled back view, which may help with visualizing placement:

Wide View From Kitchen | Before

A before photo, view from the kitchen | via Yellow Brick Home

Wide View From Kitchen | Today

An in-progress photo of the pink bathroom, next to stairs that lead to the den | via Yellow Brick Home
stair railing will be added soon

Saving the Pink

You know by now that we were hellbent on saving the pink sink and bathtub (the toilet – with it’s huge hole in the tank! – not so much). I’m happy to report that Bar Keepers Friend worked it’s magic on the sink, and it looks brand new – certainly not a day over 70-years-old, ha! The bathtub required reglazing, and I’ll share more about that soon! But seriously, while we know that the pink fixtures most likely replaced something else, it would be safe to assume that they were installed after 1950.

A vintage pink sink, detail with chrome widespread faucet | via Yellow Brick Home
widespread faucet

We did have to replace the old chrome sink base with this console sink base, but we love it so much more than what was there before! And while I did everything in my power to clean up the chrome hardware, it was too far gone, pocked and gauged and covered in thick rust. It took me a while to admit defeat, but once I did, Scott ordered this widespread faucet, which I’m pretty happy with!

A detail of the bar soap on the pink sink | via Yellow Brick Home
widespread faucet | elderflower soap

About That Mirror

Let’s chat about this mirror for a second! I love. Love. It. It’s actually the same mirror that was hanging on the back of the old broom closet door, seen in the before photos. It’s perfectly speckled with age spots, and yes, it is a bit foggy with age. Some of you will love this, some of you won’t. I’m in the former camp, planted firmly with two feet.

A vintage mirror shows signs of age, and I love it! | via Yellow Brick Home

We had a local glass cutter cut about 12″ off of the bottom, which fit better with the scale of the bathroom. To give it a barely-there floating look, we first adhered a thick sheet of plywood to the wall using a combination of anchors and screws into studs. Then we used this ca-razy strong adhesive to attach the mirror to the plywood!

The vintage mirror floats away from the wall | via Yellow Brick Home
A detail of the bathroom, showing off the artwork in a brass frame, with pink sink in the background | via Yellow Brick Home
double-arm wall sconce | artwork + frame | bar soap

A Nod to the Traditional

While we considered going more bold with the tile, it just didn’t feel right. We wanted our pink sink and bathtub to be the stars, but we also knew that they’d need to be highlighted with the right tile and metal finishes. In addition, the placement of the tile was just as important! We carried the traditional 3″ x 6″ subway tile up the pitched ceiling of the shower, and we highlighted it with blank pencil, marble skirting and glossy white caps.

Tile pictured:  Hampton Niles marble mosaic 12″ x 12″ | Imperial Bianco gloss subway 3″ x 6″ | Black Marquina polished marble skirting | Black Marquina pencil tile | Imperial Bianco Barnes (cap) | charcoal grout

A small white bathroom with classic subway tile and a vintage pink bathtub | via Yellow Brick Home
A close up of marble mosaic floor tile | via Yellow Brick Home

When it came to our metal choice(s), we opted for chrome fixtures throughout. (Honestly, who’s surprised?) We think of polished chrome as forever classic, with its mirror-like shine and ability to play the perfect supporting role. We outfitted our pink tub with the Delta Cassidy shower trim kit, this shower head, and this adorable cross handle.

Delta shower fixtures in polished chrome | via Yellow Brick Home
Delta shower fixtures in polished chrome | via Yellow Brick Home
Delta shower fixtures in polished chrome | via Yellow Brick Home

The only exception to our chrome rule – aside from the brass frame for our artwork – is this polished nickel toilet paper holder! To be honest, that was an accident. I ordered it thinking it was polished chrome, but when it arrived, I didn’t mind the nickel one bit! Polished nickel has a warmer tone, but it was far enough away from all of the chrome finishes to prevent it from being a distraction.

Polished nickel toilet paper holder | via Yellow Brick Home
toilet paper holder

Small + Mighty

Who’s to say that small can’t be mighty? We’re head over heels for this tiny vintage pink bathroom, black toilet lid and all! (Ha!). But really, speaking of that black toilet lid, doesn’t it feel so right for this room? The compact size of this space benefits from the black accents, soft pink and restrained-everything-else.

A small white bathroom with classic subway tile and a vintage pink bathtub | via Yellow Brick Home
vintage sink + chrome stand | toilet + black lid

Do you know what this means? It means that the very first room in our Two Flat is done!

Vintage Pink Bathroom Sources:

Sherwin-Williams Heron Plume SW 6070 (walls) |  Hampton Niles marble mosaic 12″ x 12″ | Imperial Bianco gloss subway 3″ x 6″ | Black Marquina polished marble skirting | Black Marquina pencil tile | Imperial Bianco Barnes (cap) | charcoal grout | vintage sink + chrome stand | vintage bathtub | Sarasota toilet + black lid | vintage mirror (similar) | toilet paper holder | Delta Cassidy shower trim kit + headhandle | copper shower curtain | double-arm wall sconce | chrome hooks | artwork + frame | elderflower bar soap

PS: Here is the original mood board for this room, and this is how this space looked before! You can also view our progress in the home in this unit-by-unit post guide.

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  • Brenda8.18.20 - 7:17 AM

    Every detail shines! ReplyCancel

  • Rebecca8.18.20 - 7:39 AM

    Looks AMAZING!!!!! Love it so much! Thanks for showing you don’t have to throw everything away in a vintage bathroom!!ReplyCancel

  • Susan8.18.20 - 8:19 AM

    It’s beautiful. I love the tile and the bit of red accent you brought in with the shower curtain. Did I miss where a person would hang a towel? Are there hooks on the back of the door? A hand towel IN a sink would never work for me.ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 8:52 AM

      Yes, there are hooks on the back of the door! But we’ve been considering another hook for the hand towel. ;)ReplyCancel

      • Wilma8.19.20 - 3:06 PM

        One more wee hook for a hand towel would make the bathroom absolutely perfect.ReplyCancel

      • Sara8.21.20 - 1:11 PM

        May I ask where the hand towel is from? I didn’t see it linked in the post. Thanks!ReplyCancel

  • Andrea8.18.20 - 8:34 AM

    Looks so good!! Do you have storage solutions in mind? I’m curious where all the bathroom stuff goes. ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 8:52 AM

      There is a pantry for the kitchen right next to the bathroom. We think that some things (like a few towels and extra TP) could live in there. But the much larger bathroom with more storage is in the den! We’ll be working on that one soon, I hope!ReplyCancel

  • Alison8.18.20 - 8:57 AM

    Wow, this room looks incredible!! I am team old mirror. I love the history and for a small powder that you’re likely not using to get ready daily, there’s no reason it has to be brand new. Looking at before and afters like this, I really wish I had done the half wall of tile around my entire bathroom (also on the smaller side).
    The black toilet seat looks SO crisp and sharp with the black trim on the tile. That elevates this whole thing to the next level! Although, I never would have thought to swap that out… As a kid, when we’d go on roadtrips and end up in a travel stop bathroom with a black seat, I’d refuse to go – I thought they were dirty!!!. My dad had a fit every time my mom told him we had to go down the street to stop at another gas station because of this. :)ReplyCancel

  • Liz8.18.20 - 9:05 AM

    Incredible transformation! Updating faucets is always a good idea IMO. Newer ones are made of safer materials and they’re lower flow so they conserve more water than older ones.ReplyCancel

  • Cynthia8.18.20 - 9:22 AM

    Love it so much! The black toilet seat/lid is perfect!ReplyCancel

  • MB8.18.20 - 9:38 AM

    Looks great and I bet everyone is so relieved (pun intended) to have a working bathroom while working on other projects there!ReplyCancel

  • meredith8.18.20 - 9:47 AM

    So beautiful! Congratulations on this huge milestone!ReplyCancel

  • Roberta hooper8.18.20 - 10:01 AM

    Kim & Scott you’ve done an amazing job so far on the two flat…very inspirational…Thank you,❤ Robbie HooperReplyCancel

  • Nicole8.18.20 - 10:11 AM

    It’s perfect – timeless and updated while preserving what was good!ReplyCancel

  • Trish8.18.20 - 10:35 AM

    It is so beautiful! We gutted both our pink and baby blue bathrooms during our renovation, but if I had seen this first….
    Only question I have is about the asymmetrical position of the mirror in the space above the sink and toilet. Could everything not have squeezed slightly towards the centre, or is there going to be something on the wall to the right of the mirror? Maybe it is just my  eyes having trouble! XxReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 11:47 AM

      It’s centered over the sink, which had to be that way because of code distances between sinks and toilets. ????ReplyCancel

  • ML8.18.20 - 11:44 AM

    This is gorgeous, I love the pencil tile! A note for anyone considering reglazing: my house had a freshly reglazed tub when I toured & then bought it. The finish lasted about 5 years, then started cracking around the drain. Now, I can see peeks of original avocado porcelain. FWIW, that was from two adults using it daily as our only shower.
    I think reglazing was a valid and fair move from the prior owner, but not a forever solution. I haven’t looked into re-reglazing yet, or whether some processes are more durable than others, but would be interested to know if that was an option; also considering a full renovation to deal with cracked sink & tile & mild water damage.ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 11:46 AM

      Thank you for your feedback! This is so helpful. We’ll be sharing a post soon on our experience reglazing a pink tub. Stay tuned!ReplyCancel

  • Amanda8.18.20 - 11:52 AM

    Ugh, I LOVE it. I have been looking at a very similar sink in jadeite green for my vintage 40s bathroom, but the actual basin always looks so small. What are the dimensions of yours? Do you find it to be uncomfortable to actually use?ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 1:57 PM

      It IS small, but since this isn’t a main bathroom, it’s just fine. It might be more difficult to wash your face, but washing hands is no problem!ReplyCancel

  • Floranet8.18.20 - 12:32 PM

    Worth Appreciating. Great work.ReplyCancel

  • Emily8.18.20 - 12:54 PM

    WOW. Clearly, this was a lovingly considered renovation. I love it SO much that it has me entirely reconsidering my impending bathroom reno. I’m sold on the pastel vintage sink (installing a vintage sink I thought previously would be unnecessarily complicated, but the payoff is undeniable!) THANK YOU for being a true source of inspiration by creating unique and accessible content. Great job!ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 6:30 PM

      Oh no, hah! I’m sorry?! And thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Kayla8.18.20 - 1:22 PM

    Absolutely beautiful!!! That pink sink is the absolute cutest. I also love the clean tile look!ReplyCancel

  • Is8.18.20 - 2:37 PM

    This is a gorgeous renovation. This is like a little jewl of a bathroom. Stunning. ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 6:30 PM

      Thank you! It definitely is a little gem.ReplyCancel

  • Jenny8.18.20 - 6:45 PM

    Is the mirror removable if you want to replace it someday?  Or are the screws buried underneath the adhesive?ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.18.20 - 7:20 PM

      Screws are under the adhesive, so we’d need to carefully remove the mirror from the adhesive and then unscrew from the wall. It will be waaaaay less drywall damage this way!ReplyCancel

      • Thad8.19.20 - 7:32 AM

        Is the adhesive you used directly on the mirror silvering, or was there a backing of some sort on the mirror?
        If there was no backing, then when you try to remove the mirror from the plywood, the silvering is almost certainly going to stick with that adhesive and come off the glass.
        Liquid Nails brand makes a special mirror adhesive, LN-930, that’s designed to hold up a mirror without damaging the silvering. I used this stuff on a bathroom mirror project a few years ago and so far, so good.
        Love this little bathroom. Your rental’s bathroom is a heck of a lot nicer than the main bath in my 1929 house. The pale yellow tile and tub are the only original features left. One of these days….ReplyCancel

        • Kim8.19.20 - 9:53 AM

          Aw, pale yellow, how sweet!

          We looked at the Liquid Nails mirror adhesive first, but were hesitant based on so many bad reviews. My hope is that I won’t be removing this mirror anytime soon, so hopefully we won’t have much to worry about!ReplyCancel

  • Pich Muebles8.19.20 - 9:03 AM

    Love the bathroom! I love the pink color and combinations used. Thanks for sharing =)ReplyCancel

  • laura8.19.20 - 9:53 AM

    Great job re-using older things!!  Fantastic!ReplyCancel

  • franki parde8.19.20 - 9:54 AM

    My era…and you “done er proud!!!”  frankiReplyCancel

  • Mollie8.19.20 - 10:12 AM

    It looks AMAZING! You guys made great choices, and that mirror is really the cherry on top.ReplyCancel

  • Sue8.19.20 - 11:52 AM

    BRILLIANT! Everything old IS new again. I think the turquoise ones deserve a new life too.ReplyCancel

  • Jodi8.19.20 - 3:38 PM

    I just love that you guys mix up your metals! The chrome fixtures, the black sconce and a the gold frame. Perfection! ReplyCancel

  • Vanessa8.19.20 - 4:47 PM

    That is so beautiful you two!ReplyCancel

  • MJ8.20.20 - 12:37 AM

    SO GOOD. Perfect mix of vintage and modern.ReplyCancel

  • Thora8.20.20 - 10:34 AM

     I was firmly on the team of no black toilet seat, but consider me converted – it really does look so good in there! And I love that you managed to make a basically new bathroom location look so vintage, with both the vintage fixtures and with the tile.  It looks so great, and really is proof that the old pink bathrooms can be given new life.ReplyCancel

  • Julie Rossman8.20.20 - 2:06 PM

    It’s beautiful! I come to look at your bathroom because 1) I would never do anything like this, because 2) a black toilet seat was never in my mind, and because 3) as a landlord of many apartments, I’m jealous that this works in your rentals and would never fly in my rental market. Everything you put together was perfect – and I’m glad you spent the time overthinking it all!ReplyCancel

  • beks8.22.20 - 10:45 AM

    I have a black toilet seat and while it looks fantastic against my dark floors it shows every single cat footprint and blonde hair that wafts down.  Not worth the effort of polishing it daily!ReplyCancel

  • Donna8.24.20 - 12:30 PM

    Lovely job!  I see you used a marble shelf for your window. But what is used on the sides? More stone?ReplyCancel

  • Susan Devine8.24.20 - 1:40 PM

    I just love this bathroom!  I can’t stop looking at in and getting inspiration. Don’t know what we are going to do just yet, but I feel this is the start of the leap in our pink and green bathrooms.  
    Team Pink all the way.  The way you used the old mirror-brilliant and you mixed things to seamlessly we thought the black marble curb was original to the room.
    Susan D. ReplyCancel

  • Maggie8.24.20 - 5:42 PM

    Lovely bathroom—very well done. Im drooling over  your brand new subway tile which looks likes it’s been there forever. What width did you use for tile spacing? ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.24.20 - 7:49 PM

      No spacers! They’re right up against each other, because there’s a built-in easement to each tile, giving just the right amount of space for grout.ReplyCancel

  • Kathleen8.25.20 - 11:52 PM

    Absolutely gorgeous! The pink is really the accent in the bathroom! I have always been afraid to play with colors in my house because I’m afraid that it won’t go well with the rest of the house and I might waste money but seeing how you incorporated a bright color.. wow! I guess this is the time for me to stop being afraid and just go with it.ReplyCancel

  • Kristen zeis4.18.21 - 10:22 AM

    Hi! Did you ever write about your experience reglazing pink? I’m in the process of trying to do the same and curious to read more about your experience! ReplyCancel

  • Kristen4.18.21 - 10:24 AM

    Hi! I was wondering if you ever followed up writing a post about your guys’ reglazing experience. I’m considering reglazing a tub pink to match the era of my house and I’d love to know how the process went for you guys. ReplyCancel

  • […] Photo via Yellow Brick Home […]ReplyCancel

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We’re Kim + Scott, Chicago based content creators behind the Home + Lifestyle brand Yellow Brick Home.

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