The most livable and ultimately timeless interior design schemes often mix contemporary, modern, retro, vintage, and antique elements rather than sticking to a time capsule single-era style. And while 'retro' tends to refer to styles that are as old as the 1950s, or made to look like they are, 'retro' and 'vintage' are two terms that get interchanged quite a bit as well. Few of those antique tubs are around today, but there are plenty of vintage, modern, and contemporary reproductions of the now timeless style. You might hear someone referring to a classic clawfoot tub as 'vintage' despite the fact that clawfoot tubs are an 18th-century invention. While the word 'vintage' technically applies to something that is less than 100 years old, and anything more than 100 years old is considered 'antique,' these days many people use the word 'vintage' to describe styles that are technically older than the definition implies.

While most of those original fixtures are lost to time and changing bathroom trends, if you've got a perfectly preserved vintage avocado green sink, tub, or toilet and a penchant for authentic vintage decor, why not flaunt it?

Avocado green bathroom suites (and kitchens) were hip and trendy in the 70s. The Spruce Home Improvement Review BoardĪdding vintage style to a modern bathroom-in the form of retro-style plumbing fixtures, classic patterned tiles, throwback color schemes, or nostalgic accessories-can create a sense of timelessness and warmth that a contemporary bathroom sometimes lacks.Īnd if you've got an authentically vintage bathroom in need of updating but don't have the budget to renovate, keeping it old school can be a cost-effective option that's loaded with classic charm and quirks.

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