A BATHROOM OF 1923 probably looked very similar to a bathroom of 1907: utilitarian and sanitary with white paint and tile, a wall-hung or pedestal sink and clawfoot tub, nickel finishes and exposed plumbing. Just a couple of years later, colored tile and, around 1927, colored fixtures would be introduced, and everything would change.
Color is the key word for bathrooms built or remodeled between the World Wars. Ivory and pastel toilets and sinks came first, joined during the 1930s by fixtures in orchid and mauve, Ming green and peach. The colors kept coming: baby blue, candy pink, butter yellow, lavender, and black. In the 1940s, red, burgundy, and navy blue were introduced.
In the Thirties, a pastel or white often was used with black bullnose and accent tiles, lending…
