How to update a small 50's bathroom for a 21st

How to update a small 50's bathroom for a 21st century look!

Following World War II, the G.I. Bill created a construction boom as hadn't been seen in decades. However, the houses built during this period did not boast the square footage of the earlier Victorian homes, when lumber was cheap. The 1950s home designs definitely downsized the space allotted to every room, including the bathroom. The spacious bathroom of earlier times was gone for good. The small 50's bathroom was designed with efficiency of space in mind. While the quality of construction was good, the amount of space allotted was less than the homeowner might like.

At the time, utility and efficiency was primary. Today, these small 50's bathrooms must serve those of us who own a 1950s era home, despite increased family traffic in perhaps the only bathroom. The 50s style attempted to imitate the stylishness of more opulent eras. The result was what we now regard as a certain fussiness that no longer suits our tastes or needs. So what's to be done with the small 50's bathroom? How can you bring that bathroom up to a 21st century look and feel, without an entire remodel?

Here are a few ideas to modernize and visually create space in that small 50's bathroom.

1.Make use of mirrors. You can tile an entire wall with mirror tiles and make that bathroom look twice the size. Alternatively, a large wall mirror, placed on a wall of the narrowest width, produces a similar effect.

2.If your bathroom has a sink with a built-in cabinet, consider replacing it with a freestanding pedestal sink. The pedestal sink has a small footprint, which creates an illusion of additional space.

3.Cabinet space and shelving is almost always a problem in a small bathroom. The typical medicine cabinet installed during the 1950's was small and unattractive, protruding from the wall, visually emphasizing the lack of space. Today, we need more storage space than this small medicine cabinet provides. Try replacing it with a rattan shelf unit, preferably painted white or another light color. The open shelving holds far more and contributes to a spacious feel.

4.A small space appears larger when you choose window treatments and shower curtains with a small pattern design. A delicate pattern is more interesting than a plain color.

5.The usual small 50's bathroom sports excessive amounts of fussy trim around windows and moldings around the ceiling. Removing these makes for a cleaner, more spacious and up-to-date look, eliminating the unnecessary visual 'clutter'.

6.Replacing outdated linoleum with DIY wood flooring is inexpensive and one of the best ways to bring that small 50's bathroom into the 21st century.

7.Shop the home organizer stores for space saving solutions. For example, small, stackable bins provide lots of storage space for toiletries. Folding director-style chairs can be tucked into a corner when not in use.

8.Graceful, airy plants, hung from the ceiling can create an illusion of space, adding color, without taking up usable space. Ferns, fuchsias, begonias and spider plants all do well in the moist atmosphere of the bathroom.

9.Paintable surfaces, like walls, windowsills and cabinets should be painted in a single, light pastel or white color. Avoid contrasting color schemes, which visually decrease the apparent size of the room.

Decorating a small 50's bathroom requires simplicity for best effect. For example, a single wall hanging or framed print makes the wall space appear larger than would a collection of small prints. Follow these suggestions for a modern, clean-cut look that's friendly to your budget.