Bring Your Vintage-Tiled Bathroom Up-To-Date With An Eye-Catching Fix

If you are lucky enough to live in an older home or apartment, you are likely familiar with vintage tiled bathrooms, which come in an array of colorful pastels and deeper shades in addition to basic white. These glossy tiles are typically square, often covering the tub area or the entire lower walls of the bathroom, sometimes featuring borders or lines in a second color or a contrasting shade like black. Decorating a vintage bathroom well means finding a balance between these classic tiles and new decor, since they often limit color schemes. A perfect solution for making your tile feel fresh, contemporary, and less of an impediment to design is to add stunning wallpaper that minimizes or works with the tile instead of against it.

Adding wallpaper, either traditional or rental-friendly peel-and-stick, is easier to install and more cost-effective than completely renovating that vintage bathroom and replacing the tile. With wallpapers available in an abundance of designs to fit any aesthetic, it's easy to find the perfect one to complement your tile.

Pink is one of the more popular shades for vintage tiles, with the "Mamie Pink" bathroom trend during the mid-20th century reigning among the most sought-after colors. These bathrooms not only featured shiny pink ceramic tiles, but quite often also sported pink fixtures and floors. When left alone, the effect of the tiles is charmingly feminine and vintage. But the look can be easily transformed by adding wallpaper. While pink bathrooms may be coming back into style, you might also be seeking ways to make the tile appear more contemporary.

For a more staid and masculine vibe, opt for either large stripes or pinstripes in neutral shades like beige or gray, similar to this Chesapeake Linette Fabric Stripe Wallpaper. If you want to lean into the vintage feminine details, try a small floral or retro print. Larger grayscale patterns, such as Cohoo Home Black and White Floral Wallpaper, and colorful tropical designs, including this Tommy Bahama Premium Peel and Stick Wallpaper, are a great way to get a more modern and contemporary spin. You can also enhance the natural and organic style in the bathroom with a neutral textured paper in a linen or grasscloth material.

Blue-tiled vintage bathrooms present in a variety of shades, from powder pastels to deeper blues with a touch of green. They especially lend themselves well to more coastal and nautical style design schemes, but can also, with the addition of rich floral wallpaper, feel feminine and cottage-inspired. 

If you're looking to create a sea-inspired aesthetic in your blue bathroom, great options include maritime inspired designs such as this Lependor Nautical Map Wallpaper or RoomMates Black and White Deep Sea Toile Peel and Stick Wallpaper. Fun mid-century retro prints are also an option, especially if the tile leans toward aqua, something along the lines of this Spoonflower Peel & Stick Atomic Age Wallpaper. A matching floral, toile, or chinoiserie pattern can blend expertly with the tile below when matched well. Blue is also a shade that can be stunningly glam when combined with an iridescent or metallic floral design.

A green-tiled bathroom can be styled many ways with the addition of wallpaper, allowing a bit more flexibility as green — though considered a cool color — can pair great with warm hues. Shades of vintage green tile can vary, from pale mint to deep seafoam, which present many different ways to use wallpaper to achieve a desired aesthetic, fitting everything from modern, spa-feel bathrooms to charming vintage-inspired ones. For example, sage green and black is a classic color combination of the 1930s and 1940s.

For an organic style that brings in texture, opt for wallpaper in a natural material like this Haimin Grasscloth Wallpaper. Large-format tropical designs and chinoiserie florals are also great patterns that complement this earthy hue. For cottage-style bathrooms, opt for a more delicate floral similar to the LHIUEM Sage Green Wallpaper. Further, light blue decorative paper mixed with pale green tile can make a space feel relaxing while pink and green can infuse it with botanical charm.

Yellow-tiled bathrooms are bright and sunny, but often present challenges when it comes to finding other decor and accents to match this color, which can range from deeper mustard shades to pale daffodil yellows. The best wallpaper for the space will depend on the depth of the yellow, directing you toward patterns and materials that are bolder or more subdued in color. While colorful florals can work beautifully as a pattern in a yellow-tiled bathroom, other shades, like gray or staid black and white, can add sophistication. 

Combine the yellow tile with gray for a sleeker modern style, including this NextWall One O'Clocks Botanical Peel and Stick Wallpaper. Or use this watercolor-inspired Blooming Wall Peel & Stick Removable Wall Mural for a more whimsical feel. For a bit of complementary color, add in shades like turquoise or deep blue, such as Naphite Navy Blue Tulip Floral Peel and Stick Wallpaper.