Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Mamie Eisenhower Pink Bathroom - Elegance and Refinement!

I've seen lots and lots of pink bathrooms and kitchens as I've toured old houses over the years.  I somehow thought they were related to I Love Lucy.  Some mid century fad that I just didn't 'get'.

Source:  Kohler
So I was surprised to learn that the color was actually linked to First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (1953- 1961) in the 1950's.  She loved pink and used it everywhere.  It became its own color: First Lady Pink.  In fact, while in the White House, it was dubbed 'The Pink Palace' as a result of her decorating efforts!

I guess what I never realized when I looked at that pink is that it wasn't the girly color that we think of today.  Instead, it was linked to elegance and refinement.  Something many, many Americans wanted in their own homes.  And from the mid 1950's to the early 60's, it was used in bathrooms and kitchens all over America.  Look at how the marketers glammed it up in this 1958 Kohler advertisement.

With all the American history behind it, it makes me feel somewhat guilty about changing this bathroom.   But I really, really hate pink tile.  And I just can't see this as a selling feature for buyers in the 21st century.  Since we don't have the iconic tub and sink....just some pink walls, what do you think?  Is it terrible to de-pink this bathroom?


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16 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Isn't it great? Unfortunately, it belonged to the previous owner and it didn't stay!

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  2. This one really isn't bad, as pink bathrooms go. But I can't see keeping it. Whoever would buy it wouldn't likely have the same sense of history about it and it would be ripped out anyway. Acknowledge it for posterity and then replace.

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  3. Do you know the website Retro Renovation? I think the pink bathroom is having a comeback. http://retrorenovation.com/category/bathroom-categories/pink-pink-bathrooms/

    I am not a shill for the website. I promise. ha. I just follow their blog, and there are lots of folks who are embracing the old pink bathroom. =)

    Personally, I love the pink bathrooms, and would save it, especially if it's still in good shape. I do not like to walk into an old home to see modern fixtures. I think the design should embrace the era in which the home was built. So, even if I were to redo the pink bathroom, I would still try to make it look like it did when it was built. That's the charm of old homes, isn't it?

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    1. Thanks for sharing the website - very cool. And I totally agree that the bathroom should embrace the era of the house......but in our case that should be a 1920's bathroom!! That was when the marketers pushed the idea of the 'sanitary bathroom' - which was a lot of white, easy to clean surfaces. But one of these days I want to do a mid-century reno. That would be so much fun!

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  4. De-pink it! Our family house had a pink,blue and green bathroom including floors,tile,fixtures,paint etc. which at the time was trendy but it doesn't translate to this century unless it's a museum house!

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  5. I don't think you can make the bathroom look current with all that pink, I think it HAS to go. Maybe the right buyer would love it but I imagine most would not. I wouldn't be happy with it and my husband would hate it. He grew up in an all-boy house (except for his mother) and they had a pink bathroom; it's still pink today and while it might have been elegant in 1960 it's very dated looking now.

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  6. Unless you are going to hunt down and re-install a pink toilet and sink, and go retro throughout the rest of the house, I'd say nix it. It will only look dated against all the new loveliness you are about to put into the rest of the house.

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  7. I love pink and I love old houses. But I have to say, pink tiled bathrooms have a very limited appeal. Maybe you can re-use the great ceramic toothbrush and t-paper holders?
    It might be a lot of work, but I am sure some lucky person would thank you forever if you could at lest donate the tiles to a ReStore. I would come take them out for is I was local!

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    1. I have a feeling those tiles aren't going to come down without a fight! And the ceramic toothbrush and soap holder seem to be quite new - I think they were a later addition.

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  8. We had a pink bathroom and an blue bathroom when we bought our house. Both have been nixed for more classic options. A pink bathroom is something that would stand out, in a bad way" in an otherwise beautiful house. I say, De-pink it!

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  9. I suppose I am in the minority, but I have had three pink bathrooms in various apartments and now have one in my house, and I have come to like them. Mamie Eisenhower pink isn't too girly and is almost a rosy light terra cotta. I find modern bathrooms cold and sterile most of the time, and while it may not be current taste, it definatly shows the history of the house and is of good quality.

    I bet there is a nice mud-set mosaic tile floor under that carpet, and those are built to last the ages and are a chore to remove.

    I know it is a big thing these days to "transform" a house, but going too far just erases much of its history and character. When a house goes through an entire remodel, so much is lost along the way, and all those updated improvements will look dated in time, and all at once. Retro kitchens and bathrooms, smaller homes, semi-open concept are making a comeback I think, as we realize the virtues of an older home. I think you generally do a better job than most, but there is something to be said to keeping old pieces that are of good quality. Sometimes they just need a little tweak, like that Venetian style mirror, to tone them down a bit.

    BTW, Retro Renovation has a sister site called "Save the Pink Bathroom." I know not everyone likes colorful bathrooms, but since you are putting the master and a new bath upstairs, the new owners won't have to linger in it.

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    Replies
    1. I do love the 'Save the Pink Bathroom' T-shirts!!

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  10. Another vote against the pink. My husband and I bought our 100 yr old house last year, and I think the last owners were raised in Mamie's era. We're steadily neutralizing the pink, one room at a time. It's a color choice a homeowner has to make for themselves, and, especially in a bathroom, shouts old fashioned. I think not replacing the pink tile will make potential buyers feel you just didn't get around to it, or you were cutting corners in the remodel.

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  11. I just came across this pin:
    https://www.pinterest.com/pin/218002438190824014/
    and though the pink is not the same, it makes the case that with the right flooring and accessories, it may be possible to reinvent that bathroom to look more on trend.

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    Replies
    1. That is a lovely bathroom....although our pink is a bit more intense!!!!

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