1960s Bathroom

1960s Bathroom

The end of the Second World War brought about a dynamic change in America's housing industry. Due to the great depression of the 1930's, the housing industry had collapsed and this created a gap that resulted in a great demand for houses after the war. In the immediate post-war years, around the 1950's, the dream homes were simply tiny suburban houses with parcels of green lawn, some scrawny rose bushes and two gangly saplings in the front yard. As the years went by, people longed for something cleaner, nicer and newer. Towards the mid-1960's there was a shift of preference to Cape Cod with larger pieces of land, modern kitchens with built-in cabinets and appliances, heated tile floors, central hot water systems, car parking, abundant privacy and the list goes on.

Plumbing Progress in the 1950's & 1960's

Immediately after the war, a good number of Americans used to live in garages, vehicles and very simple homes. Some houses lacked facilities like bathrooms and kitchens, but as the economy continued stabilizing and housing development progressed, so did the facilities in the homes. Many homes began to incorporate hot and cold piped water, a bath-tub or shower and flush toilets in their homes in the 1950's. Proceeding to the 1960's, almost every home in the country had complete plumbing. Colored bathrooms were very popular in the seventies, especially brown and yellow tones. Surprisingly, homes in the 1950's featured steel waterlines. Such plumbing systems comprising steel waterlines were prone to corrosion and internal scaling. The tubs and sink fixtures of these times also had low standards compared to what is there now. They had rubber washers, which were constantly subjected to wear and tear, and needed continuous replacement. These older homes were also characterized by the incorporation of cast iron skewer lines that crack, scale up, fall apart or even corrode.

Renovating your 1950's & 1960's Bathroom

Pink, black and white color schemes represent a popular theme from the mid to the late 1950's. Bathrooms with these color themes are best renovated by adding a very shiny wet-look covering on top of the paintings. Alternatively, painting all the walls black or featuring a silver ceiling would do. Mint green fixtures with yellow tiles represent the 1960's classic theme. A monochromatic approached can be employed here, which would mean that the entire bathroom should be painted yellow, and all the accessories featured should also be of the same color. A crystal chandelier can be added on top of this for a sparkle. A good number of the old designs, featured white and colors close to it such as lighter shades of yellow. White tiles, especially on the floor, are likely to get dirty with time yet cleaning them may not be that easy. They can be sandblasted and freshly grouted with black grout, to prevent them from looking dirty. The old faded cabinetry in the bathroom can be painted with dark colors to give a newer look. Surfaces on the other hand can be replaced with granite or quartz, which are very popular nowadays. The old sinks can also be replaced with stainless still appliances, which shine more and are less likely to look old and stained unlike plastic. One major bathroom renovation tip for all kinds of bathrooms is to keep everything as dry as possible. Plumbing leaks are likely to damage finishes and cause mold-growth. Installing low-flow shower heads as well as new toilets would eliminate leakages and conserve on the water usage.

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Chris Edmonds is the owner of C&W Plumbing, located in Lewisville, Texas. Chris has been a master plumber since 1999, and lives in Highland Village with his wife Karen and two daughters.

1960s Bathroom

Source: https://www.candwplumbing.com/remodeling/bathroom-dated-part-two-post-wwii/