Design Styles
Midcentury Modern
By
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
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Published on 02/27/23
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Midcentury modern bathrooms have been around since the 20th century but have never lost their appeal. Known for clean lines, minimal decor, the use of natural materials like wood and stone, a focus on natural light, and a focus on indoor outdoor spaces, the best midcentury modern bathrooms are crowd-pleasing and easy to live with.
The midcentury modern period has a bolder, more lighthearted side too, characterized by the pop art tones of the 1960s and groovy patterns and earth-tones of the '70s, meaning there's something here for everyone to take away. Far from merely nostalgic, today's midcentury modern bathrooms blend throwback influences with modern sensibilities to create light, airy, open spaces that keep evolving and never seem to go out of style.
These midcentury modern-inspired bathrooms in a range of styles and interpretations offer plenty of ideas if you're looking to add some midcentury modern influences in your 21st-century bathroom.
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Upcycle a Midcentury Credenza
When choosing a bathroom vanity, consider upcycling a vintage or antique wood piece of furniture and adding a sink and waterproof countertop. A. Naber Design turned a large midcentury modern credenza into a handsome bathroom vanity with character and plenty of storage. The rich wood stain adds contrast to the otherwise black-and-white palette and a round mirror breaks up all the clean straight lines.
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Add a Skylight
This midcentury modern inspired bathroom from Leanne Ford Interiors has a dark wood vintage console turned sink vanity and a mix of wood finishes on the ceiling and shower floor that is combined with textured white walls, slate blue-gray tiles, and modern matte black plumbing hardware for a winning combination that has a sense of history but works for today. The spacious doorless shower is lit by the natural light from a large skylight.
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Break Up the Tile
Cathie Hong Interiors added a white quartz countertop to a midcentury credenza turned sink vanity with shiny brass knobs, then added a brass-framed oval pill mirror and squares of mustard gold tile sprinkled throughout the otherwise white-tiled shower that adds a quirky detail.
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Mix Old and New
This modern farmhouse bathroom fromJersey Ice Cream Co.has a midcentury modern twist with a repurposed vintage wood credenza turned sink vanity that is topped with a square modern double sink. The classic piece adds some midcentury flair that is modernized with double sinks and harmonizes with the slanted rustic ceiling beams and white walls.
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Hang Groovy Wallpaper
Brexton Cole Interiors added swirly patterned midcentury wallpaper to this modern Washington D.C. bathroom that reflects the spirit of the 1970s while blending in with the black-and-white palette and modern fixtures of the updated space. A color nude photograph above the toilet has throwback vibes.
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Square It Off
Michelle Boudreau Design used square tiles on the walls finished with cheerful orange grout that echoes the orange penny tile flooring and shower niche in this peppy midcentury modern-inspired bathroom.
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Add Midcentury-Inspired Lighting
This California bathroom from Cathie Hong Interiors mixes understated pale-toned terrazzo flooring and backsplash tile with a wood-clad vanity and retro modern pendant lighting to create a fresh and textured neutral look.
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Create a Spa-Like Feel
A mix of muted blue and green tile, wood and leather accents, and an uncluttered feel give this spacious bathroom designed by Max Humphrey and Beebe Skidmore for Emily Henderson Design a midcentury modern vibe.
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Add Retro Style Lighting
This 1956 John Calder Mackay home bathroom in Mountain View, California was modernized by Cathie Hong Interiors with floor-to-ceiling vertical wall tiles that add soft color and texture, a simple wood vanity that adds warmth, and a retro style pink-and-red wall sconce that nods to the midcentury modern character of the home.
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Hang Palm Print Wallpaper
Michelle Boudreau Design added vibrant green palm print wallpaper to this Palm Springs bathroom that reflects the midcentury style of the home.
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Try Terrazzo
Interior designer Sara Simon of Handsome Salt paired vibrant orange tiles, a pale blue sink, and terrazzo floors and walls that recall the material's 20th century heyday, and celebrates the vibrant and colorful side of the midcentury modern era that feels fresh and new today as terrazzo has made a 21st century comeback that is still going strong.
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Hang an Asymmetrical Mirror
A midcentury modern asymmetrical mirror, a vintage pendant light, and all-over cheetah wallpaper gives this powder room from Erin Williamson Design retro glam appeal. Both vintage and reproduction asymmetrical mirrors can be sourced at flea markets or online.
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Add Geometric Floor Tile
Colorful geometric floor tile, a quartz-topped double midcentury modern-style credenza, and brass light fixtures add midcentury notes to this modern California bathroom from Cathie Hong Interiors.
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Mix Warm and Cool Tones
Michelle Boudreau Design mixed rich wood midcentury-style furniture with brass knobs and gray tile to create a play of warm and cool tones in this midcentury modern Palm Springs bathroom that has a retro modern feel.
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Add Warmth to an All-White Room
Emily Henderson Design added warmth to a bright all-white bathroom with a warm wood sink vanity and geometric blue-and-white floor tile that is influenced by midcentury modern style.
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Add Color and Pattern
Erin Williamson Design chose patterned wallpaper with a retro pattern with coral accents and a frameless oval pill shaped mirror that add midcentury vibes to this personality-packed powder room.
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Mix Wood, Brass, and Marble
Michelle Boudreau Design outfitted this updated Palm Springs midcentury modern bathroom with a small wood sink vanity that is contrasted with gray marble wall tiles and shiny gold-toned brass lighting and hardware.
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Accent With Black
Folding Chair Design Co. mixed a wood slat sink vanity with black stone and tile, brass fixtures, and a mix of color and black-and-white art in this midcentury modern-inspired bathroom that is designed for contemporary times.
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Add Bold Hues
Dazey Den paired an accent wall painted in a yellow brighter than the sun with warm orange and red accents in this poppy homage to midcentury modern style.
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Take It Contemporary
Midcentury modern design favors clean lines, a focus on materials, and promoting the link between interior and outdoor spaces that felt radical in the 20th century but feels contemporary and current today. Interior designer Rhianna Jones of Tidal Interiors added a wood-clad, inset nook over the large double vanity in this spacious California bathroom that has soft backlighting and is outfitted with a wide mirror that reflects the view and natural light from the sliding glass doors opposite.
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Lay Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring, a wood, brass, and marble sink vanity, and brass details add a midcentury modern feel to this bathroom by Hub of the House Studio that is personalized with black-and-white beach photography collage wallpaper.
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Hang an Octagonal Mirror
Interior designer Rhianna Jones of Tidal Interiors used leafy wallpaper in shades of gray, an octagonal mirror, and rich wood accents and flooring for this powder room that has a midcentury modern sensibility while feeling fresh and updated.
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Keep It Simple
The rich wood sink vanity adds warmth to this minimalist bathroom from Cathie Hong Interiors that has clean lines and a functional aesthetic that recalls the midcentury modern era.
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Lighten It Up
This minimalist bathroom from Cathie Hong Interiors has a palette of pale tones, silver accents, and light wood that has Scandinavian and midcentury modern influences that feel fresh and current.
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Add Retro Style Tile
Michelle Boudreau Design added a rich wood vanity, brass hardware, vintage-style lighting, and a retro style star-patterned backsplash that infuses this bathroom with midcentury modern inspired charm.
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Juice It Up
This bright and sunny midcentury modern bathroom from Dazey Den features a play of patterns, bursts of bright acid lemon yellow, retro lighting, and a tall cactus that give it feel-good vibes.
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Maximize Natural Light
Cathie Hong Interiors hung a large mirror over the sink in this clean-lined midcentury modern-inspired bathroom that reflects the view from the adjacent window, magnifying natural light and doubling the sense of space.
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Add Rattan Details
Home Consultant created a modern bathroom with midcentury influences with graphic geometric shower tile, rattan mirrors, and clean lines.
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Add Midcentury Modern Details
A dark stained wood double sink vanity and patterned geometric floor tile add midcentury modern notes to this contemporary bathroom from Hub of the House Studio.
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Lay Terrazzo Flooring
This midcentury modern-inspired bathroom from Hub of the House Studio has burnt orange walls and bold terrazzo floor tiles with orange and green accents. Brown towels amplify the earth-toned finishes while white walls and countertops keep it feeling fresh.
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Include Surprises
Bold stripes, geometric floor tiles, warm wood, and surprising orange-red cabinet pulls add some retro flair to this bathroom from Hub of the House Studio.
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Add a Contemporary Spin
This bathroom from Urbanology Designs has midcentury influences from the lighting to the mirror and sink vanity to the hardwood flooring and textural wall hangings, but a black-and-white palette gives it a contemporary edge.
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Use Muted Tones
This bathroom from GG Interiors has warm lighting, muted tones, fish scale tile flooring, and a midcentury modern wood double sink vanity that gives it a timeless feel.
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Accent with Green
Jessica Nelson Design channeled the spirit of midcentury modern design in this modern bathroom using soothing green shower tiles, a honey-toned wood sink vanity, brass accents, a focus on maximizing natural light, and clean lines.
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Use Chocolate Hues
This updated Parisian bathroom from Neva Interior Design has a modern suspended toilet and square sink, but the warm brown walls recall one of the 70s most ubiquitous colors that has made a comeback in recent years.
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Hang Vintage-Inspired Wallpaper
Classic Cole & Son Woods wallpaper is based on a 1959 screen print, a charming throwback to midcentury aesthetics that adds a calming woodsy note to this small cool-toned bathroom from JK Interior Living that evokes the natural beauty of a winter forest.
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Build It Out
This primary en suite bathroom from Michelle Boudreau Design has a midcentury-modern style sink vanity that is custom fit for a seamless look, while a wood-framed mirror and door case opening adds additional warmth to the white and gray tones of the space.
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Mix Materials
Clean lines and a mix of materials give this English holiday house retreat bathroom designed by Peter Zumthor for Living Architecture a raw elegance that feels contemporary but shares a sensibility with midcentury modern aesthetics. A deep rectangular wood soaking tub and minimalist rammed concrete and stone finishes provide pleasing juxtapositions for a zen feel.
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Let the Outdoors In
Kendall Wilkinson Design created an indoor outdoor feel in this spacious bathroom that recalls the midcentury modern penchant for bringing the outdoors inside. A long double sink vanity is suspended to add lightness, and the rest of the room focuses on clean lines and minimal materials.
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Wash It Out
Michelle Boudreau Design lightened up the wood tone on the midcentury modern-style double sink vanity, using a richer stain on the wood-paneled shower ceiling. Retro style sconce lighting and pale floor and wall tiling makes the space feel airy and spacious.
How do you style a midcentury modern bathroom?
Midcentury modern bathrooms are inspired by midcentury modern architecture, which was characterized by the use of natural materials like wood and stone, a focus on natural light, with clean lines and open spaces. Don’t go overboard styling a midcentury modern bathroom. Complement natural woods with natural elements such as green plants that will introduce a natural, feel-good element that hearkens back to the indoor outdoor feel of authentic midcentury modern spaces.
What is a midcentury style bathroom?
A midcentury modern bathroom is inspired by midcentury modern architecture, which prized clean lines, an indoor outdoor feel, and the use of noble, natural materials such as wood and stone. Today’s midcentury modern bathrooms often utilize elements of midcentury modern style mixed with other influences to create updated spaces that are rooted in the simplicity and minimalism of this enduring style.
What colors go with midcentury modern style?
Initially, midcentury modern interiors prioritized natural materials and natural or earth-toned color palettes that included muted shades of green, blue, brown, and orange. But the midcentury modern era spanned several decades and particularly in the 1960s and '70s evolved to include a poppier, brighter palette that included bright sunshine yellows and vitamin-packed oranges as well as textiles and wall coverings in a range of vivid shades and patterns that ranged from groovy to geometric.