Mid century bathroom ideas

A mid century bathroom swaps white-on-white for warm wood, brass and a few strong colours: walnut cabinets, globe lights, mustard and olive. Domusia restyled the four real bathrooms below without moving a basin, a bath or a single tile.

Redesign your bathroom in Mid-century modern
Mid century bathroom with a sunburst mirror, a walnut cabinet, globe wall lights, a tall teak shelf of towels and a geometric rug in mustard and rustOriginal photoBeforeAfter
Narrow mid century bathroom with a walnut vanity, a round brass mirror, a mustard lounge chair and an abstract rug in olive and orange
Small mid century bathroom with a pedestal basin, a low walnut sideboard, a mustard armchair and a large geometric rug
Mid century bathroom with an olive shower curtain, a round brass mirror, globe sconces and a walnut cabinet beside the basin

Rendered with Domusia

What makes a bathroom mid-century modern

  • Walnut or teak storage on slim legs: a low sideboard, a tall open shelf for towels, or a cabinet tucked beside the basin.
  • A round mirror framed in brass, or a sunburst mirror, hung above a plain white basin.
  • Globe lights in opal glass on brass arms, fixed to the wall at eye level rather than in the ceiling.
  • A geometric rug in mustard, rust and olive that brings the colour the white fittings lack.
  • Towels and a shower curtain in the same warm family: olive, mustard, burnt orange.
  • Where the floor allows it, a small lounge chair in mustard, which turns a bathroom into a room you stay in.
  • One or two abstract prints in thin frames, and a single plant in a ceramic pot.

Colour palette

  • Walnut
  • Mustard
  • Olive
  • Burnt orange
  • Brass

Get the look

  1. Change the mirror first: a round brass frame or a sunburst does more for this style than any new tile.
  2. Add one piece of walnut storage on tapered legs and fill it with towels in olive or mustard.
  3. Lay a geometric rug in rust and ochre in front of the basin, and swap the ceiling light for opal globes.

Questions

Can a small bathroom be mid century modern?

Yes. Two of the bathrooms here are barely wider than the basin. The style lives in a mirror, a rug, wall lights and one wooden piece, all of which fit a small room.

Do I need to retile for a mid century bathroom?

No. Every bathroom on this page kept its original tiles, bath and basin. Warm wood, brass and a coloured rug carry the style on their own.

Which colours go with white bathroom fittings in this style?

Mustard, olive and burnt orange next to walnut. Keep the fittings white and let the colour sit in textiles and the rug, so the room stays easy to change.

Mid-century modern in other rooms

Other styles for your bathroom

Redesign your bathroom in Mid-century modern