Our ‘new’ old house in Providence RI has a very blue bathroom. I never planned to have a bathroom with blue fixtures, but the color scheme is familiar. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I spent time in blue, green, pink and even red bathrooms at the homes of friends and relatives. Although my family’s home had beige bathrooms, my mom decorated with cheerful colors in other parts of the house. I remember orange shag carpeting in our family room, leaf-green trellis patterned wallpaper in the hall, and climbing strawberry vines on the dinette walls and seat cushions.
Fast-forward to 2016, past my previous suburban home in Bethlehem PA with its quiet beige and pale gray bathrooms. I now own a bathroom with two blue sinks, a large blue corner tub, and blue wallpaper with a tiny red and green flower print. A merciful previous owner tiled the floor and two of the walls with shiny white ceramic, painted the window, door and baseboards white, and hung white Roman shades. Other than that, all is blue.
Not just any blue, either. According to our plumber Angelo, this is “Regency Blue”, a color used by American Standard in the 40’s and 50’s. Angelo was here last week to solve some plumbing problems, probably the first of many such visits. When he walked into the bathroom he said, “Wow, look at this!” He told us the color name, and said that he still sees some of it around the neighborhood. “You used to be able to get the matching Regency Blue toilet, but unfortunately you can’t get those any more.” So unfortunate, I thought.
Before moving into the house, Jeff and I commented to each other a few times, “That blue bathroom has to go.” We continued feeling that way for the first few days we were in the house. Then we started saying things like, “It’s really kind of quirky.” And, “The blue is pretty, especially with the white tile and trim.” And, “That wallpaper actually works in this bathroom.”
I did some research on vintage blue bathrooms. Here’s an image from a 1957 American Standard catalog showing a Regency Blue bathroom, featuring the unfortunately now-unavailable matching blue toilet in the foreground.
Five years later, the 1962 American Standard catalog shows Regency Blue fixtures complemented with purple accessories, to prove that it “harmonizes with almost any color!”
Harmony or discord? I think I prefer my blue surrounded by clean bright white.
However, the lady shown in the advertisement below is having a lot of fun in her blue Cinderella tub, so maybe yellow and pink are the accessory colors to pick. Or maybe she’s just happy that the day’s housework is finished and the casserole is in the oven.
I’m not sure yet what the future holds for my blue bathroom. Its vintage look has charmed me, and my attitude about tearing out and replacing things is changing. My friend Sandy G told me, “If someone GAVE me a NEW house, for free, I would sell it and buy an old house with character.” Another friend, Ellen J, who has lived in and renovated many old houses, sums it up nicely, “An old house is like a person. You don’t necessarily want to impose your will on it. Let it speak to you.” Wise words. I am listening.
A Year in Providence 