My house has two vintage bathrooms with claw foot tubs – one with a shower, one without. Although spa-like bathrooms are favored for their modern conveniences, I’ll always have a soft spot for an old-fashioned bathroom. Here’s a collection of seven old-school bathrooms I think you’ll enjoy.
A charming farmhouse style bathroom has a built-in medicine chest, shiplap walls, and a rustic wood vanity. I even like the little soap dish in this cute bathroom.
Photo by In Residence – Kitchen, Bathroom, Hardware
One of my childhood friends had a tiny bathroom similar to this one. Her family called it the necessary room. I thought it was the cutest bathroom ever!
Vintage bathrooms often show a claw foot tub in the middle of the room, as opposed to against the wall. An ornate mirror and chandelier give the room an elegant aura.
One thing a lot of vintage bathrooms have in common is that part of the plumbing is exposed. Often times, it’s part of the bathroom’s beauty and charm.
Photo by Chelsea Design Company
An old-style bathroom in an arts and crafts home features green subway tile on the wall and a checkerboard floor. Lead glass windows add a special touch.
Reclaimed features like old windows are used in this vintage bathroom with a pretty claw foot tub. Wide plank wood floors add warmth richness to the space.
Photo by Susan Teare, Professional Photographer
What type of bathroom person are you – vintage or modern?
I used to live in an old Victorian house in upstate N.Y with a huge downstairs bathroom with a claw foot tub. I was much younger than but it was still a challenge to get in and out of this and bathing my little ones quite a back breaker. Romantic yes but practice no. I much prefer the soaking tub I have in my newly renovated bath. It has a wide ledge to sit on making access much more comfortable.Also lots of places to put bath toiletries ect.
I love vintage bathrooms for style, modern for ease of keeping clean. I admit to being a slob in the bathroom, with makeup, hairspray, after-bath body powder, lotions, etc causing most of my mess. I obviously need surfaces easy to clean. In a perfect world, I would have a seldom used vintage guest bath and a daily use modern en suite for myself.
I have a bathtub with plumbing inside the wall–never again!
Vintage! I’d love a claw foot tub!!!
We recently built a new master bed and bath onto our house, with a beautiful new bathroom, just a bit rustic – but still new. I miss the old bathroom on the other side of the house. The one with the claw foot tub. The room that used to be the original dining room back in the ’30s. The room that as a dining room had a door to what is now a walk in pantry, that was the original tiny kitchen for the home. It was redesigned for the home back in the ’40s. In an old ranch house that not even the county knows when the original part was built. That as this bathroom was ‘modernized’ through the ’40s and ”50s that has plumbing fit together piece by piece as they could buy it, not knowing what is in the walls or under the weekend-warrior installed shower. And that beautiful claw foot tub! It will always be my favorite.