These Aren’t Your Typical 1950s Pink-Tiled Bathrooms

Pink bathroom tiles have a fascinating history. After World War II, the cheery color was an intentional 180 from the solemn wartime scheme of grays and more grays. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower is also to thank for popularizing the hue, since she used it extensively throughout the executive residence of the White House in the early 1950s. Staff even referred to the Eisenhower White House as the Pink Palace. Today pink bathroom tiles, in particular, are making a comeback—but not in the typical way they were used in 1940s and ’50s spaces. 

Nowadays you can make a big punch in your home’s smallest room with a hint of blush or the hottest of hot pinks without needing to go so far as installing a matching bathtub or toilet. Scroll on for seven bathrooms with pink-tile moments like you’ve never seen before. 

Go for a Graphic Grid

Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio hunted high and low for just the right pink bathroom tile for their London Victorian home. Who could have guessed the perfect match would be basic matte squares? The tile, from Tile Giant, feels contemporary in this graphic grid pattern with bright white grout, without straying too far from the space’s historic Victorian setting.

Consider Texture and Tone

The homeowners had three requirements for their bathroom design: color, texture, and the juxtaposition of old and new. Interior designer Sarah Trotter of Hearth Studio delivered with ultra-smooth pink subway tile on the walls; warm, earthy terracotta floor tiles; and a minimalist floating vanity.

Avoid Matchy-Matchy

Leave it to a boutique lodge in the French Alps to design the perfect pink space. The Landscape Lodge used Bert & May’s asymmetrical and solid tiles in a seemingly random pattern and varying shades to, as Bert & May puts it, “create a bathroom that matches without matching.”

Just a Hint of Blush Will Do

While glamorous as all get-out, the pink in this bathroom, designed by Studio DB, is on the subtler side. Inspired by a trip to Italy and the dramatic, colorful marble there, principal designer Britt Zunino says, “The goal was to design a jewel box that stood apart.” She tempered the sweetness of the rosy light fixture and tile with black details and rose gold fixtures from Kohler for an extra dose of warmth.

DIY Your Way to Pink Bathroom Tile

Yes, it will take some patience to paint a pattern onto your tile, as designer Katie Zamprioli did for her pink paradise bathroom. “It’s not for the faint of heart!” she admits. But thanks to latex paint (it sticks best to ceramic) and a good sealer, she couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

Play With Pattern

To ground the pavé marble wall, blush penny-round tiles underfoot, and pastel sinks in this all-pink-everything Sydney bathroom by interior designer Lynne Bradley, the shower has the complete opposite vibe, covered in geometric black and white kit-kat tiling.

A Penny (Tile) for Your Thoughts

Without a lot of square footage to work with, Black Lacquer Design made a statement by taking pink penny tiles from floor to ceiling in this bathroom—and it paid off. Sleek black accents, such as the hardware, sink legs, and light fixture, keep the space out of saccharine territory.

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