40's plastic wall tiles

Trickeration · 04-03-2006, 08:13 PM

Just thought I'd share. I found these in a thrift store a few weeks ago and bought the 6 boxes they had. The box lettering caught my eye first, then I recognized the tile from an ad in my 1949 Sears catalog. They're plastic wall tiles that were sort of a "do-it-yourself and save money" thing. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but I'm thinking of using them for accents and trim in our bathroom. I have a bathroom vanity set the same color, and the tile should tie things together nicely. And even though they're sort of tacky, vintage novelty stuff, they're still authentic. Here's a picture of the tile, and one of the ad in my catalog.

flat-top · 04-03-2006, 08:25 PM

OH MY!
Well, if by chance you CAN'T use them, I'll take them off your hands! I am just about to redo my bathroom!
flat-top

Absinthe_1900 · 04-04-2006, 12:04 AM

Holy Cow!

We had those exact same green plastic tiles in this house years ago, They ended up being replaced with ceramic tiles.

I used to throw the extras like a frizbee when I was a kid. (They flew really well)

Bart · 04-04-2006, 03:05 AM

Gee, I hope you didn't pay toooo much for them. Did you really need all six boxes?

Bart

CWetherby · 04-04-2006, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bart

Gee, I hope you didn't pay toooo much for them. Did you really need all six boxes?

Bart

Don't listen to him---I think it's a great find! And if you don't use them, I'm sure you could find someone just dying for something like that--and willing to pay to prove it.

jake_fink · 04-04-2006, 08:09 AM

I have a box or two of pink ones (or similar) in my garage from the previous owner of the house. A gift from the genration that gave us TV dinners and cheeze in a can. Frankly... to my eye... plastic-tiled bathroom = yuk. But that's just one man's opinion... I'd like to see the finished project so I can revise it.

scotrace · 04-04-2006, 09:06 AM

My bathroom is done in this stuff, and it all gets ripped out and sent to Mr. Dumpster this summer. Anyone want 12" X 12" pink and green horror for their very own home, I'll save the stuff for you gladly.

The white subway tile that a previous owner ripped out goes back in where it belongs.

Also will have pink commode, sink and tub that have received a death sentence - pink AND Kohler!!!! Ack.

The aforementioned tile removing idjit ruined the octagonal marble penny tile on the floor by leveling the grout craks with a 3' wide swath of CEMENT, then laying internal gurglings-colored vinyl over top.

In the end, it will look like a 1920 bathroom, not a 1969 bad acid trip.

CWetherby · 04-04-2006, 09:52 AM

Scottie Dear,

Are you being a snob? I mean, did you really give pink and green a fighting chance? I always thought these were also 40's colors...

But I guess if 20's is the look you're going for, who am I to criticize?

Marc Chevalier · 04-04-2006, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWetherby

I always thought these were also 40's colors...

I have a feeling that Scotrace just doesn't like his tiles, even if they are '40s colors. There are a lot of horrible-looking things from every era. For instance, why is it that in the 1930s, every room in a house had to be painted mint green?

jake_fink · 04-04-2006, 10:03 AM

I redid my bathroom in a 1920s style. Tore out all the heinous 70s and 80s fixtures and the pink and brown tile - yes, pink and brown in a bathroom *shudders* I put in wainscotting, a clawfoot tub, 20s style toilet and pedestal sink, 3/4 inch hex tiles which are easier to put in than 1 inch because they come in sheets, an oval mirror and chrome sconce lighting. I'm very proud of that bog-o-mine. I'd post pictures if my camera hadn't been stolen.

Edited to add that it's white on white - cloud white and "patriotic white" which has a very slight blue tint.

Trickeration · 04-04-2006, 01:13 PM

Well. I KNEW Flat-top would like it, anyway.

No Bart, I didn't pay much for it. A dollar a box.

We actually had beautiful light pink tile on the floor in our bathroom until last summer. I found it when I pulled up the gold shag carpet when we moved in and learned it had been there since the house was built. The walls were sort peachy-tan textured tile, probably early 80's stuff (YUCK). I had hopes of replacing it with pink. Then we had some water damage from a leak in the wall. Now we just have white ceramic tile in the shower and on the floor. But that's okay. I can change at the room whim by painting and finding the right decor. And like I said, even though it's tacky, the plastic tile is authentic 40's decorating style. It'll be fun to just give them a try. Currently, we have a black French poodle theme in the bath, with pink and gold to accent things. For the green, I may use vintage mermaids, but I'm not sure yet.

Our house is a mix of 40's and 50's furnishings. Not so much mixed in the rooms, but some rooms are 40's, some 50's. The house was built in 1944 and the original owner had done some remodeling in the 50's and everything looked nice, so we kept it. Here is an old album of pics of the house that I posted last year somewhere around here (sorry about the non-house photos).
http://community.webshots.com/album/431500020XuKGfi
oh, and there's a picture of the manual from a wall mounted fridge in there. It's what was on the wall in the kitchen from 1958 until 2001 when Lois moved out. Unfortunately she gave it to her grandson

.

Old Timer · 04-04-2006, 08:33 PM

I recently bought a home that was built in 1903. The downstairs bathroom has mint green and white tiles and the upstairs bathroom has pink and white tiles. I actually really like the look.

I'm not sure what the bathrooms looked like back in 1903. One thing I've noticed about bathrooms in older homes is that the bathrooms tend to be really small!

jake_fink · 04-04-2006, 08:56 PM

I'm not sure what the bathrooms looked like back in 1903. One thing I've noticed about bathrooms in older homes is that the bathrooms tend to be really small!

In my area it was an unusual home indeed that had indoor facilities in 1903 (or '04, when my place was built). Bathrooms are small because they were squeezed in as people could afford to have the backhouse (usually shared) replaced. My old man's folks didn't have their bathroom added (to the kitchen - eeew) until the mid-fifties.

Tony in Tarzana · 04-05-2006, 04:49 AM

Where do you find a 1920s toilet? They ain't exactly "Low-flow."

scotrace · 04-05-2006, 05:24 AM

My house is about 1915 - 1920 or so. So the pink/green thing (rest of the house is Arts & Crafts) just really doesn't fit.

The New York Public Library online, as usual, is a great place to look for pictures of old bathroom designs.

As long as the potty isn't pink, I can live with it, low flow or not.

(Highest volume contraband items entering (smuggled) the USA - not drugs, but old-fashioned toilets and Freon)

Vanessa · 04-05-2006, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trickeration

Our house is a mix of 40's and 50's furnishings. Not so much mixed in the rooms, but some rooms are 40's, some 50's. .

And I love it! I can't wait to see pics of the redone bathroom if that's what you decide to do with them.

Old Timer · 04-05-2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony in Tarzana

Where do you find a 1920s toilet? They ain't exactly "Low-flow."

I prefer the old style flushers myself!

Tony in Tarzana · 04-05-2006, 03:01 PM

Oh, me too, but I would live in fear of a midnight knock on the door from the Crapper Cops.

Natalie · 05-06-2009, 08:39 AM

I'm looking for a dozen of the mint green plastic tiles if anyone has some they'd be willing to part with. Working on a house from the 40's and broke some doing faucet repair. If anyone has some, you can email me at nswirdovich@verizon.net. There the exact ones that Trickeration posted a picture of.

AtomicEraTom · 05-06-2009, 06:58 PM

In our old house, the kitchen was remodeled in the 1950s and I LOVED that kitchen (except for the ceiling hight was only 6'2 and I'm 6'1. Had 1950s Gray Countertops with Chrome Edging, A light finish cabinets which I can't really describe them, but they were very 1950s. My very favorite thing was the old over-stove exhaust fan that looks like the chrome speaker grille from a 1953 Pontiac. And of course, it had the pink tiles! My folks hated them, but I loved them, and because I loved the decor, that stuff stayed. Just wonderful.

And Trickeration, I LOVE your house! It is ideal post-war wonder at its finest!

04-03-2006, 08:13 PM	#1
Trickeration Practically Family Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back in Long Beach, Ca. At last! Posts: 557	40's plastic wall tiles Just thought I'd share. I found these in a thrift store a few weeks ago and bought the 6 boxes they had. The box lettering caught my eye first, then I recognized the tile from an ad in my 1949 Sears catalog. They're plastic wall tiles that were sort of a "do-it-yourself and save money" thing. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but I'm thinking of using them for accents and trim in our bathroom. I have a bathroom vanity set the same color, and the tile should tie things together nicely. And even though they're sort of tacky, vintage novelty stuff, they're still authentic. Here's a picture of the tile, and one of the ad in my catalog.

04-03-2006, 08:25 PM	#2
flat-top Call Me a Cab Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Palookaville Posts: 2,139	OH MY! Well, if by chance you CAN'T use them, I'll take them off your hands! I am just about to redo my bathroom! flat-top __________________ "The future isn't what it used to be."~~Louis Cyphre

04-04-2006, 12:04 AM	#3
Absinthe_1900 One Too Many Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,459	Holy Cow! We had those exact same green plastic tiles in this house years ago, They ended up being replaced with ceramic tiles. I used to throw the extras like a frizbee when I was a kid. (They flew really well) __________________ The History of Legendre Herbsaint

04-04-2006, 03:05 AM	#4
Bart Familar Face Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: East Coast Posts: 70	Plastic tiles Gee, I hope you didn't pay toooo much for them. Did you really need all six boxes? Bart __________________ A conforming man is no man at all.

04-04-2006, 08:09 AM	#6
jake_fink Call Me a Cab Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Taranna Posts: 2,291	I have a box or two of pink ones (or similar) in my garage from the previous owner of the house. A gift from the genration that gave us TV dinners and cheeze in a can. Frankly... to my eye... plastic-tiled bathroom = yuk. But that's just one man's opinion... I'd like to see the finished project so I can revise it. __________________ Politicians, ugly buildings and whores all get respectable if they last long enough.

04-04-2006, 09:06 AM	#7
scotrace Head Bartender Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dover, OH Posts: 10,982	Free for the Asking My bathroom is done in this stuff, and it all gets ripped out and sent to Mr. Dumpster this summer. Anyone want 12" X 12" pink and green horror for their very own home, I'll save the stuff for you gladly. The white subway tile that a previous owner ripped out goes back in where it belongs. Also will have pink commode, sink and tub that have received a death sentence - pink AND Kohler!!!! Ack. The aforementioned tile removing idjit ruined the octagonal marble penny tile on the floor by leveling the grout craks with a 3' wide swath of CEMENT, then laying internal gurglings-colored vinyl over top. In the end, it will look like a 1920 bathroom, not a 1969 bad acid trip. __________________ . A sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth. - Fitzgerald .

04-04-2006, 09:52 AM	#8
CWetherby One of the Regulars Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 116	Scottie Dear, Are you being a snob? I mean, did you really give pink and green a fighting chance? I always thought these were also 40's colors... But I guess if 20's is the look you're going for, who am I to criticize?

04-04-2006, 10:03 AM	#10
jake_fink Call Me a Cab Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Taranna Posts: 2,291	I redid my bathroom in a 1920s style. Tore out all the heinous 70s and 80s fixtures and the pink and brown tile - yes, pink and brown in a bathroom shudders I put in wainscotting, a clawfoot tub, 20s style toilet and pedestal sink, 3/4 inch hex tiles which are easier to put in than 1 inch because they come in sheets, an oval mirror and chrome sconce lighting. I'm very proud of that bog-o-mine. I'd post pictures if my camera hadn't been stolen. Edited to add that it's white on white - cloud white and "patriotic white" which has a very slight blue tint. __________________ Politicians, ugly buildings and whores all get respectable if they last long enough.

04-04-2006, 01:13 PM	#11
Trickeration Practically Family Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back in Long Beach, Ca. At last! Posts: 557	Well. I KNEW Flat-top would like it, anyway. No Bart, I didn't pay much for it. A dollar a box. We actually had beautiful light pink tile on the floor in our bathroom until last summer. I found it when I pulled up the gold shag carpet when we moved in and learned it had been there since the house was built. The walls were sort peachy-tan textured tile, probably early 80's stuff (YUCK). I had hopes of replacing it with pink. Then we had some water damage from a leak in the wall. Now we just have white ceramic tile in the shower and on the floor. But that's okay. I can change at the room whim by painting and finding the right decor. And like I said, even though it's tacky, the plastic tile is authentic 40's decorating style. It'll be fun to just give them a try. Currently, we have a black French poodle theme in the bath, with pink and gold to accent things. For the green, I may use vintage mermaids, but I'm not sure yet. Our house is a mix of 40's and 50's furnishings. Not so much mixed in the rooms, but some rooms are 40's, some 50's. The house was built in 1944 and the original owner had done some remodeling in the 50's and everything looked nice, so we kept it. Here is an old album of pics of the house that I posted last year somewhere around here (sorry about the non-house photos). http://community.webshots.com/album/431500020XuKGfi oh, and there's a picture of the manual from a wall mounted fridge in there. It's what was on the wall in the kitchen from 1958 until 2001 when Lois moved out. Unfortunately she gave it to her grandson .

04-04-2006, 08:33 PM	#12
Old Timer New in Town Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 18	I have the same tiles! I recently bought a home that was built in 1903. The downstairs bathroom has mint green and white tiles and the upstairs bathroom has pink and white tiles. I actually really like the look. I'm not sure what the bathrooms looked like back in 1903. One thing I've noticed about bathrooms in older homes is that the bathrooms tend to be really small! __________________ Sparkling....Flavorful...Distinctive. Miller High Life!

04-04-2006, 08:56 PM	#13
jake_fink Call Me a Cab Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Taranna Posts: 2,291	I'm not sure what the bathrooms looked like back in 1903. One thing I've noticed about bathrooms in older homes is that the bathrooms tend to be really small! In my area it was an unusual home indeed that had indoor facilities in 1903 (or '04, when my place was built). Bathrooms are small because they were squeezed in as people could afford to have the backhouse (usually shared) replaced. My old man's folks didn't have their bathroom added (to the kitchen - eeew) until the mid-fifties. __________________ Politicians, ugly buildings and whores all get respectable if they last long enough.

04-05-2006, 04:49 AM	#14
Tony in Tarzana My Mail is Forwarded Here Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Glendale California USA Posts: 3,270	Where do you find a 1920s toilet? They ain't exactly "Low-flow."

04-05-2006, 05:24 AM	#15
scotrace Head Bartender Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dover, OH Posts: 10,982	My house is about 1915 - 1920 or so. So the pink/green thing (rest of the house is Arts & Crafts) just really doesn't fit. The New York Public Library online, as usual, is a great place to look for pictures of old bathroom designs. As long as the potty isn't pink, I can live with it, low flow or not. (Highest volume contraband items entering (smuggled) the USA - not drugs, but old-fashioned toilets and Freon) __________________ . A sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth. - Fitzgerald .

04-05-2006, 03:01 PM	#18
Tony in Tarzana My Mail is Forwarded Here Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Glendale California USA Posts: 3,270	Oh, me too, but I would live in fear of a midnight knock on the door from the Crapper Cops.

05-06-2009, 08:39 AM	#19
Natalie New in Town Join Date: May 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1	Green Plastic Tiles I'm looking for a dozen of the mint green plastic tiles if anyone has some they'd be willing to part with. Working on a house from the 40's and broke some doing faucet repair. If anyone has some, you can email me at nswirdovich@verizon.net. There the exact ones that Trickeration posted a picture of. Last edited by Natalie : 05-08-2009 at 04:08 AM.

05-06-2009, 06:58 PM	#20
AtomicEraTom Practically Family Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Portage, WI Posts: 748	In our old house, the kitchen was remodeled in the 1950s and I LOVED that kitchen (except for the ceiling hight was only 6'2 and I'm 6'1. Had 1950s Gray Countertops with Chrome Edging, A light finish cabinets which I can't really describe them, but they were very 1950s. My very favorite thing was the old over-stove exhaust fan that looks like the chrome speaker grille from a 1953 Pontiac. And of course, it had the pink tiles! My folks hated them, but I loved them, and because I loved the decor, that stuff stayed. Just wonderful. And Trickeration, I LOVE your house! It is ideal post-war wonder at its finest! __________________ -Tom N. I tell it like it used to be.

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