26 Ways To Get That Vintage Bathroom Look (Even In A Modern Home)

Vintage bathrooms often have a distinct charm and sense of history that can make modern-day spaces feel sterile and cold. While many love the functionality of today's bathrooms in terms of space, fixtures, and modern conveniences, there are many ways to give even the newest bathroom some vintage style, whether you're craving the look of Victorian luxury or mid-century modern sleekness. Some of them are small, inexpensive elements to add to an existing space, while others involve more in-depth remodels. It can be as simple as adding a lace shower curtain or Persian-style rug, or as complex as retiling in subway tile or installing a new clawfoot tub.

Many of these vintage bathroom decor choices can be done in a bathroom of any size, including small powder rooms where you can only really take advantage of wallpaper or paneling to style a tiny space. Many vintage elements can be found inexpensively in thrift stores and flea markets or via modern retailers who make excellent vintage reproductions.

Wallpaper can be a beautiful way to give your bathroom a vintage feel, with many options, including luxurious fabric-like finishes, elaborate florals, and mod retro geometrics. While not all papers work well in a space that entails a lot of dampness without proper ventilation, wallpaper can still work in a bathroom space for an instant transformation that adds interest and texture to the walls.

Wainscoting, wood paneling, or shiplap is an easy way to help add interest to the wall and make a new space feel far older. You can assemble it with wooden planks that lock together (though make sure to line the wall with a liner to prevent moisture build up behind it) or add flat panels of wood that screw or nail directly into the wall studs. You could also add slender picture rail molding for a chic European apartment look.

For a vintage look, add vintage art to the walls in your bathroom. While modern bathrooms have a more streamlined look, adding oil paintings or watercolors to the bathroom can make it feel more charmingly Victorian. Look for interesting and ornate frames in gilt or wood to house subjects like florals, landscapes, and antique portraits. Or use vintage maps or botanical images as framed art for a vintage-style accent. 

While towel racks in newer bathrooms are usually pretty minimalist and bare bones, you can go more ornate to create a vintage vibe for this rather utilitarian object. Look for bars or racks with sculptural qualities and character in finishes like iron, brass, or antiqued silver. Or for a more rustic spin, use an old wooden ladder to hold your towels.

Vintage storage options for toiletries and other bathroom essentials are many, including apothecary jars, crystal decanters, amber glass bottles, porcelain soap dishes, and more. Don't overlook vintage glassware in general, whose selection often provides an abundance of decorative bowls, candy dishes, and other kinds of containers that are a great place to stash small items like cotton swabs or hair accessories.

While newer bathrooms tend to be rather uniform in their tile work, many retro bathroom designs employ decorative tiles in small or large doses. Use vintage star or floral patterns on flooring, in the shower, or add hand-painted tiles as a border around your shower floor or backsplash. Other options that immediately scream vintage style include charming Scandinavian-inspired designs, colorful florals, or mod geometric patterns.

A classic bathroom touch, black and white checked floors come in a variety of classic options, including black and white alternating square tiles or classic black-on-white diamond print. These floors can be an excellent neutral element to build from, allowing you flexibility in colors and fixtures and a decidedly vintage European flair. They also create a high contrast look that can add interest to the floor, which makes the space feel larger. 

Ditch your sliding glass doors for a romantic shower curtain, preferably in a chic woven terry cloth or fabric with a vinyl liner to prevent moisture damage and mildew. Great material options include lace, damask, and vintage bark cloth. The curtain should be hung high and drape almost to the floor for a romantic touch. You can even hold it open with some ornate and beautiful tie-back hardware fastened to the wall.

While not everyone has the time or patience for long candlelit baths, giving the illusion you do can be a fun way to introduce vintage glamor into your bathroom space. Place a collection of thrifted vintage candelabras, tapers, votives, or a pretty platter with pillar candles in your bathroom space around the tub to make it feel more luxurious. 

If your new home has uninspiring faucets, handles, or shower heads, switch them out for more antique-looking ones in a more subdued finish like brushed nickel, brass, or matte black that have soft curves and ornate touches that newer fixtures often lack. Think graceful long neck faucets, star-shaped handles, and antique-style shower heads. Many newer models offer a classic look with modern-day functionality like high-speed flow and detachable rain shower heads.

While this one involves a little more renovation than others, adding a freestanding tub can be an instant way to get a vintage look in your bathroom, whether it's a more streamlined, rounded design or a classic clawfoot tub. For an even more old European look, opt for a copper clawfoot tub that makes you feel like you're bathing in an old castle.

This popular tile, which comes in many different sizes, can easily work in classic vintage powder rooms or modern minimalist bathrooms in equal measure. For a high-contrast look, choose a white tile with a darker grout that adds another layer of texture to the room. It also looks amazing with antique fixtures in matt black or brass for a Victorian-style look.

While wood vanities are generally the norm, vanities that look like antique furniture are a great way to get a vintage feel. Many older pieces like bureaus, buffets, farmhouse tables, and low cabinets can be outfitted with a sink. For a rustic look, use lighter and distressed woods, or for a more Victorian style, employ dark and moody wood finishes accented with brass hardware.

Instead of builder grade large mirrors over a vanity, opt for smaller mirrors with ornate frames in materials like gold, matte black, brass, or nickel that have a more old-world feel to them. Instead of one large mirror over a double vanity, opt for two small ones on each side. Or switch out a generic full-length mirror on the back of the door for a luxe gilt long mirror on the wall.

For a more feminine and European touch, many manufacturers today offer sinks with floral and botanical details that make your bathroom feel like a chic hotel. You can find many basin-style sinks from retailers that have elaborate floral and patterned designs. Or, you can add your own floral and decorative details to a generic white sink using an epoxy paint that will withstand water. 

Mid-century bathrooms are often known for their pastel colored tiles that reflect the sleekness of the Art Deco era of design or the penchant for pastel pink "Mamie (Eisenhower) bathrooms" popular during the 1950s. Great color options for bringing this fun retro bathroom trend into your space are light pink, mint green, aqua, and sunny yellow. Pair them with a black border for an Art Deco style look.

While large vanities are typically needed for storage underneath, you could, with storage elsewhere, install a classic pedestal sink with a fluted or smooth base. Not only does this slender approach free up floor space and create a more open feel, but it can make the bathroom easier to clean. For extra storage, you could add a large basket for towels underneath or enlist a separate wall cabinet or shelves to stash things you'd normally keep under a vanity.

Instead of flat mirrors above your sink, use a vintage glass medicine cabinet with clear shelves. Or try a rustic wooden cabinet in a natural finish or painted white. If you don't want storage on the wall and have floor space, you could also opt for a freestanding apothecary cabinet for keeping toiletries and extra towels in.

A pretty element that adds a traditional vintage feel, look for stained glass touches you can bring into your bathroom, whether it's a suncatcher or a decorative panel to hang over a window. You can also use window film in gorgeous stained and leaded glass designs that are renter-friendly and removable. Not only does it look beautiful, but stained or frosted glass can be a perfect way to create privacy while still allowing light in. 

Instead of harsh overhead ceiling lights, opt for a classic pendant light in frosted or stained glass. Or create a more industrial vintage look with an enameled metal fixture hung in the center of the room. Go full glam with a chandelier over your tub or use delicate vintage sconces above or on either side of your vanity.

Natural marble with beautiful veining can instantly instill a vintage vibe in any space. Use it for your counters or in the shower for a luxurious feel. It is also one of the best materials for durability in damp spaces. Like wallpaper, it can also be carried up the backsplash and wall as a great way to bring added interest and texture.

A pretty dressing screen can not only grant privacy but can also fill up awkward corners or cover up things like plumbing and radiators that you don't want to be visible. Opt for a bamboo screen or a vintage silk screen that brings in an exotic Eastern-inspired touch. Or choose wooden plantation shutter screens for some texture and interest.

While they can read contemporary or classic, introducing baskets can warm up a space and make it feel more vintage and rustic, whether it's a pretty hamper, bamboo trash can, or square baskets to store essentials on a shelf. Use them to hold towels, house toiletries, or stash extra tissue. They can also warm up a room and add texture.

While bath mats in modern bathrooms can be very utilitarian, why not use a water-resistant Persian-style floral rug with flowers in the bathroom? Many retailers, like Ruggable, sell water-resistant mats that provide the same functionality and mold prevention of newer designs but with the look of a classic antique rug you might find elsewhere in your home.

These glass trays are excellent for corralling items on your vanity, with gold or silver edges and a reflective surface that reflects light and the contents of the tray back up. Use them to display a collection of pretty perfume bottles, a collection of apothecary jars,  or a vintage grooming set for decor that is as gorgeous as it is functional.

Having a spot to sit down in a tiny bathroom may not always be possible, but if you do, even a small stool can allow you a place to set things down or relax when putting on makeup instead of sitting on the toilet seat. Opt for a simple rustic wood stool or a pretty velvet-topped bench for larger bathrooms.