10 Ways to Bring Vintage Appeal to Your Basic Bathroom

This stunning vanity recalls old-world grandeur in a digital age. “I found it on Craigslist for $250,” says Carmel. “When I got it home, it was in need of a little love so I did a gentle cleaning with a dry rag, then oiled it to bring out the wood’s natural grain and colour.” Avoiding the predictable look of a new vanity, it layers in interest and feels grand.

While the vanity makes a stand-alone statement, it was the intricate finish that appealed to Carmel. “It’s made from solid oak with a walnut burl in the middle and the knobs, pulls and all other details are original to the piece.” Though not overtly ornate, these features come together to make a dramatic impact.

No white bath mats here! This Persian-style rug speaks to the vintage vibe and is also wallet-friendly. “While I’d like heated floors, they weren’t a priority. Instead, this gorgeous rug keeps my feet warm and adds texture and colour.”

This sleek soaker tub encapsulates Carmel’s mandate of achieving a look that is both vintage and timeless. She says, “This tub’s silhouette reminds me of late 19th-century French fireclay tubs. I didn’t want something as traditional as a claw-foot, nor as modern as many of the freestanding styles. It’s the perfect balance of traditional and classic.”

Yes, it looks antique, but this sparkly number is actually from Pottery Barn. A chandelier in the bathroom can’t help but reference an old-world milieu, yet in Carmel’s expert mix it still feels fresh and millennial. Bonus: it was an inexpensive, on-budget find.

This gilt-framed reproduction of Fragonard’s 18th-century oil painting “The Reader” strikes the right rich note here. It also has personal meaning for Carmel. “When I first saw it, I thought of my grandmother. She has the same print in her house and it brought back a wonderful childhood memory.”

Monogramming not only recalls an era where luxurious personalizing was the norm, it also serves a very practical purpose. “My husband is always stealing my towels,” laughs Carmel. “When I ordered new ones from Pottery Barn I had them monogrammed so I could keep track of mine.” They are handsomely displayed on a heated towel rack.

This tray-top table, not a standard piece of bathroom furniture, introduces a vintage element that is both pretty and practical. “I’ve had this for over 10 years, and the pretty box on top of it for almost that long as well,” says Carmel. “I needed a place to put my wine glass while in the tub, and this trusty table was the perfect fit for the space.”

“This gorgeous gold number is an antique perfume bottle from one of my favourite local stores, Sampsons Antique Co.,” says Carmel. “It ties in with the other gold accents in the room.” It’s also a rich foil to the distressed box beside it.

“One of my priorities for achieving a vintage look was getting the right finish on the plumbing fixtures,” says Carmel. “I wanted everything, or almost everything, in polished nickel. It’s softer than polished chrome yet still sparkles.”

Carmel extended the bathroom’s vintage look into her powder room. “This ‘vanity’ is an antique sideboard from Scotland that I topped with Carrara marble. Because this is a powder room, I didn’t need a full-size vanity for storage. Instead, I chose a piece that was lighter and more playful.” The Venetian-inspired mirror is from Restoration Hardware.