The Surprising Vintage Bathroom Decor Trend That's Making A Comeback

Just when you thought patterned wallpapers and velvet draperies were the last trends in retro revivals, another blast from the past is stepping into the spotlight. Pink bathroom tile, a beloved staple of mid-century interior design, is one of the retro design trends that are making a comeback in 2025. Once synonymous with outdated grandma style, this vintage hue is being reimagined and incorporated into today's bathrooms. It's a fun, nostalgic, and playful way to bring a pop of color into your home.

We're not talking about bright Barbie pink tiles, though. What's trending today is a more dusty and light pink, typically paired with white grout and a black trim. Back in the day, these pink tiles were paired with cool paint colors and blue or green ceramic toilets, tubs, and sinks. These styling choices made bathrooms look so dated that homeowners would often replace them completely. Today, more and more people who inherit these old-school bathrooms are instead looking for ways to bring a vintage-tiled bathroom up-to-date with some easy fixes, like painting over the exposed walls and swapping vintage fixtures for modern ones. 

And some people even choose to install brand new pink tiles from scratch to add retro styling to a cookie-cutter bathroom. If you're still not sold on the idea, take a look at some examples online. You'll see that by pairing these pink tiles with the right furniture and fixtures (no heart-shaped pink tub, please), your bathroom won't end up looking like a 1950s motel powder room. 

Before you grab a trowel and start re-tiling your bathroom, take a second to plan out your project. The pink trend isn't about floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling. Instead, homeowners are covering the bottom section of the walls (half to two-thirds) with tile, and painting the remainder with a neutral paint color to add contrast. In between the pink tile and the paint, some people choose to add a thin dark trim made of smaller tiles. You can also use pink tile in a specific section, such as your shower surround.

To make sure your bathroom doesn't look dated and dark, it's important to pick the right colors for all sections: the pink tiles, the paint, and bathroom decor. When it comes to choosing the perfect pink tiles, lean towards softer blushes rather than bolder pinks. You can use all one shade, or mix together multiple pink tiles for a mosaic-style look. Secure your tile with white grout to keep things looking bright and clean. For the exposed walls, look for paint colors that help mute your pink tiles, such as beige, creamy white, or warm gray.

Once your walls are set, it's time to style the rest. Linens and towels in green-blues work beautifully with pink tile, adding that nice touch of contrast that makes the tiles pop. For fixtures, you can lean into the retro vibe and look for vintage pink ceramic details like toilet paper holders, soap dishes, or towel hangers. For something a bit more elevated and modern, look for golden accents instead. When it comes to fixtures like your sink and tub, a simple white is all you need to blend vintage with modern for an elegant design.