15 Bathroom Decor Choices Making Florida Homes Look Older
Florida homes have their own special style, but some bathroom choices can make your space look like a time capsule from decades past. When guests visit your home, outdated bathroom decor sticks out like a tourist wearing socks with sandals on Miami Beach.
Ready to bring your Florida bathroom into this century? Let’s look at the top offenders that are making your home feel more retro than refined.
1. Shell-Shaped Sink Basins
Nothing screams ’80s Florida condo like a seashell-shaped sink. These basin beauties were once the crown jewel of coastal bathrooms across the Sunshine State. Now they’re just a neon sign advertising your bathroom’s last update happened during the Miami Vice era.
Modern Florida homes have embraced cleaner lines and simpler shapes. Square and oval sinks provide timeless appeal without the kitschy coastal vibe. If you’re still washing your hands in a giant scallop, it’s time for an upgrade.
2. Coral-Colored Toilets
Pastel-colored bathroom fixtures had their moment in the sun during the 1950s through the 1970s. That coral toilet might have been cutting-edge when Disney World first opened, but today it’s a relic that dates your entire home.
White fixtures have proven their staying power for good reason. They’re clean, bright, and timeless. Plus, they create a neutral backdrop that allows you to update your bathroom’s look with accessories rather than requiring a complete overhaul when trends change.
3. Wallpaper Borders With Seashell Patterns
Those seashell wallpaper borders circling your bathroom at chair-rail height are sending serious 1990s signals. Once the height of coastal chic, these borders now look as dated as dial-up internet.
Contemporary Florida homes embrace clean walls with perhaps a single accent wall in a modern pattern. The endless parade of cartoonish shells, sailboats, and palm trees marching around your bathroom screams “vacation rental that hasn’t been updated since the Clinton administration.”
4. Glass Block Shower Walls
Glass block shower walls were the epitome of luxury in 1980s Florida homes. The chunky translucent blocks were supposed to feel modern and provide privacy while letting light through. Fast forward to today, and they look bulky and dated.
Modern Florida bathrooms favor frameless glass shower doors that create an airy, spacious feel. They showcase beautiful tile work instead of hiding it behind wavy, distorted glass blocks.
If your shower still resembles a 1980s Miami nightclub wall, it’s sending your bathroom’s style back several decades.
5. Brass Faucets And Hardware
Shiny brass fixtures were Florida’s bathroom status symbol throughout the 1980s and early 90s. That gleaming gold-toned faucet might have been luxurious when New Kids on the Block topped the charts, but now it’s just broadcasting your bathroom’s age.
Today’s Florida homes feature brushed nickel, matte black, or champagne bronze fixtures with cleaner lines. These modern finishes resist water spots better and complement contemporary decor styles.
6. Hollywood-Style Vanity Lights
Those rows of exposed bulbs lining your bathroom mirror might make you feel like a star, but they’re straight out of a 1970s Florida condo catalog. The harsh, unflattering light they cast isn’t doing your morning routine any favors either.
Modern Florida bathrooms feature sconces on either side of mirrors or sleek overhead lighting with clean lines. LED options provide better illumination while saving energy – something old-school bulb strips definitely don’t do.
7. Shower Doors With Gold Frames
Gold-framed shower doors with frosted or etched glass designs were once the height of Florida bathroom luxury. Now they’re just signaling to everyone that your bathroom hasn’t been updated since The Golden Girls was still airing new episodes.
The combination of the gold-tone metal (often now discolored) and those etched palm trees or seashell designs creates an unmistakably dated look. Modern Florida bathrooms feature frameless glass doors or elegant minimal frames in contemporary finishes.
8. Wall-To-Wall Bathroom Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpet in a Florida bathroom might have seemed cozy in the 1970s, but it’s a moisture-trapping nightmare in our humid climate. Those plush fibers have been soaking up everything from shower steam to toilet splashes for decades.
Modern Florida homes embrace waterproof flooring options like ceramic tile, luxury vinyl, or natural stone. These materials stand up to moisture while providing a clean, contemporary look. Bathroom carpet harbors mold and mildew in our tropical climate.
9. Pastel-Colored Bathtubs
Pastel-colored bathtubs, like pink and mint green, were once the height of fashion but now make a bathroom look dated. These tubs often dominate the space, drawing attention away from more modern features.
They are a key signifier of a bathroom stuck in a different era. Replacing these with white or neutral-colored bathtubs can dramatically update the look and feel of the space.
This change promotes a cleaner, more contemporary aesthetic. The pastel color trend in bathrooms surged in the 1950s as a way to bring cheer and color into homes post-World War II.
10. Oak Bathroom Cabinets
Those golden oak vanities with cathedral-style doors were standard issue in Florida homes built from the 1980s through early 2000s. Their orange-toned finish and dated profiles instantly age your entire bathroom.
Contemporary Florida bathrooms feature painted cabinets in coastal whites, soft blues, or modern wood tones with cleaner lines. Even a simple coat of paint can transform those oak cabinets from dated to delightful. The solid wood construction of these cabinets often means they’re worth salvaging with updates.
11. Tiled Countertops With Contrasting Grout
Small square tiles with contrasting grout lines covering bathroom countertops were a Florida staple in the 1970s and 80s. Usually in pastel colors like mint green, baby blue, or coral, these surfaces instantly date your bathroom.
The countless grout lines create a cleaning nightmare in our humid climate, often harboring mildew despite your best efforts. Modern Florida bathrooms feature seamless solid surfaces that resist moisture and provide clean, contemporary lines.
12. Fake Plants Collecting Dust
Artificial silk plants perched atop toilet tanks and vanities were once Florida bathroom must-haves. Those dusty fake ferns and silk flower arrangements aren’t fooling anyone – except maybe as indicators of your bathroom’s last update.
Today’s Florida bathrooms embrace actual living plants that thrive in humidity. Small potted orchids, air plants, or aloe vera add authentic greenery while purifying the air. If you can’t commit to real plants, modern bathrooms skip the fakery altogether.
13. Decorative Toilet Paper Covers
Remember those crocheted dolls with full skirts that hid spare toilet paper rolls? Or maybe you opted for the seashell-themed plastic cover? Either way, these toilet paper disguises scream “Florida retirement community circa 1985.“
Modern bathrooms take a more straightforward approach to bathroom necessities. Simple, attractive storage solutions or minimalist toilet paper holders have replaced these fussy covers that collect dust and moisture.D ecorative toilet paper camouflage is sending your home’s style back several decades.
14. Bathroom Wallpaper With Tropical Prints
Large-scale tropical print wallpaper featuring oversized hibiscus flowers, flamingos, or palm fronds was peak Florida bathroom style in the 1980s and 90s. These busy patterns now look dated and make small bathrooms feel even more cramped.
Modern Florida homes reference our tropical setting more subtly. Soft, solid colors with textured accessories or a single accent wall provide a fresher take on coastal style. It’s time to strip away the decades!
15. Mauve And Teal Color Schemes
The mauve and teal color combination dominated Florida bathroom design in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This distinctive palette appeared on everything from tile to towels, creating a time capsule effect that instantly dates your home.
Today’s Florida bathrooms embrace a softer, more natural coastal palette. Whites, soft blues, sandy beiges, and pale greens create a timeless, tranquil space that won’t look dated in five years.
