mycket omodernt

A nice calm atmosphere, simple with light colors, preferably shades of white with small touches of deep color. Simple, clean, elegant, these are all things I look for in a bathroom. This bathroom is none of these things.

Photo: www.omodern.com

Somewhere between an explosion at a Spanish tile factory and an avocado harvesting tragedy is this bathroom, a room where matching has gone way to far. At first glance the eye does not know where to settle. The first thing on the list of what makes this room bad is the tile. Its impossible not to become drawn into the intricate pattern that covers the walls from floor the ceiling. This tile might be ok on its own but the problem is the scale. If the pattern repeat was much larger or if the tiles itself was bigger might work better, but that would take tiles the size of pavers. The small almost lattice pattern is too overwhelming for completely covering the walls. The unified assault that is the tiled walls is only broken by the plumbing fixtures, fixtures that are a color that should never be committed to anything as permanent as porcelain. 

The balance of the chunky fixtures with the small intricate tiles is so off kilter. The colors are completely wrong. Though the tones match, terracotta and that green should never share company outside of a hors d'oeuvre platter at Mexican restaurant. Once you get over the horrible walls and unsavory sinks the realization of what the floor is. Shag carpet, so inexcusably wrong and gross that it should be illegal.

Even the layout of the room is weird. Given that this is probably a display space and not a real bathroom the floor plan is going to be unrealistic. Despite that the layout of the bathtub is just weird. Step up stairs to a step in tub, a tub that is shoved back in the corner behind a wall. Not the open floor plan favored of late. Also what is with the tiny sink next to the toilet? There is no point for it being there considering that there is a full sized sink not even across the room, plus its awkward to get at.

It is easy to condemn this room to the pages of bad design history, to damn it for its flaws but I feel that we should treat if differently, this room should be celebrated, it is a statement. It is an attempt at something new. This room screams “look at me, I am the future!” It was made in a sprit of pioneering, in the mind of making something new. This is what taking chances in design are about. We have become, for the most part, people who don’t take design risks, cookie cutter houses with matching kitchens and bathrooms. Sometimes taking risks pay off; sometimes it ends up being a room that matches Lady Gagas Kermit coat.  Ether way its time to take some risks, make some drastic choices. Don’t be afraid, its only a design. 

Check out more rooms from the 70's at Omodern