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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Vintage Linens in the Loo


I love an old fashioned look in the washroom. One thing that helps me create an illusion of a more genteel time is the linen. I snapped a few photos just before my recent houseguests arrived.





We use a combination of vintage cotton towels and terry. I love how there was once a time that ordinary daily objects had a bit of love and care put into them. First in their quality and construction, and secondly, in their decoration. A little lace edge elevates any ordinary life. And what better way to start or end a day than by appreciating a little homespun beauty?











The terry towels underneath are vintage too!










There are lots of ways to use purely practical items from the past in a bathroom.  This antique chamber pot like the ones my Grandmother had is a case in point.





I recently found a nice group of matching monogrammed hand towels from France at a good price to add to the linen collection. So beautifully made. . . .





 













A beautiful old ironstone soap drain is an interesting pleasure to use in an old soap dish. The homespun towel underneath happens to show my husband's initials.





A vintage snuff jar holds a toothbrush. 










A nice big apothecary jar for soap is now tinged with purple. 














The old lattice newspaper caddy is just for decoration on the wall now, and displays a few more vintage towels, and a vintage advertising calendar card. It adds a little old-time romance to the space.






An ornate hand towel dresses up the wire locker basket for the TP. Everything here is very low maintainance. The hardest thing is getting folks to use the towels the way they were intended to be used! The photo below shows another of a pair of wonderfully large monogrammed towels from France with the loop sewn in on the side in the center. It's almost a big as a shawl and hangs on the bathroom door.


That's all folks!
So nice you stopped by!

Jacqueline




I'm joining

36 comments:

  1. I love the look of vintage in the Loo too! Your linens are all so pristine. Take care,

    Wanda

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  2. You have the most beautiful linens!Your chamber pot reminded me of an auction sale I was at lately where there was abeautiful green and pink flowered chamber pot with a cover anda lady asked the auctioneer if there was a soup ladle that came with it. He laughed and said I don't want to come to your house for soup!So you are right all kinds of uses for them but maybe not soup!!!
    Take care,
    Carolyn

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  3. Jacqueline, you spoiled my line. As I was reading, my question forming was, do your guests really use those beautiful towels. I would spend way more time in your bathroom because I would be air drying my hands! How very beautiful it all looks though and they were all intended to be used way before we came along..Happy Thursday..Judy

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  4. This is so lovely. And you're right. Guests don't want to use the pretty vintage linens. But I think I would, just because you'd expect me to. I have an old chamber pot. I thought about using it for a plant. ;)

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  5. after all the bathroom beauty...I don't think anyone would want to leave it. I love WHITES as they feel so fresh, clean and crisp. What a lovely idea to use the linens. I'll have to see if I can incorporate that somehow

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  6. Your linens are far to beautiful to use....looks fresh clean and elegant I would spend endless hours in there! Shari, a new follower!

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  7. Your linens and lovely touches in the bath want to make me take more time in the decoration of my own. I went for a sparer look in the bath this past year and I'm finding that it just isn't me. I NEED THINGS around me to make me happy. Every photo is filled with pretty accents and the way you arrange them is beautiful.

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  8. I collected vintage hand towels and hung them up in the guest bathroom when I had dinner parties and also had paper hand towels on the vanity for use and then someone used one of my vintage hand towels and I was taken aback and haven't put them out for guests since. Funny, it sounds like you don't mind if they are used. I signed up for e-mail of your beautiful posts so I won't miss them.

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  9. I love all your beautiful linen, so crisp and delicate.
    Are there ladies who can still make these wonderful towels?
    Hugs,
    Angela.

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  10. Your bathroom looks lovely. You have given me ideas for mine. Thank you so much.

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  11. My grandmother crocheted the edges of all of her linens. I always loved the special touch.

    Recently, I spied some ordinary white Martex towels at Costco...I thought how wonderful they would be with Grandma's touch.

    As always, your linens are exquisite, Jacqueline. How special you treat
    your guests!
    ~Lynne
    w/L.

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  12. Your towels are all so beautiful, Jacqueline. I would be afraid to use them, too. Thanks for the tour of your loo :)

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  13. Hi Jacqueline,
    So pretty. There is nothing better then fresh vintage white linens in the loo. Love it and yours are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing.
    Have a great weekend.
    Hugs, Celestina Marie

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  14. How lovely. I adore all lines, and yours are so beautiful. I bet guests linger in your loo!(smiles)

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  15. Your loo is lovely. I love tatting on anything. It brings back many memories. Thanks for sharing.

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  16. Adore your linen with laces! Laces make every thing look so precious, even the most simple. Like the way you display things in your bathroom, it looks so confortable!
    Hugs
    Silvia

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  17. Hi Jacqueline, Your bathroom is so romantic looking with all of those gorgeous vintage linens! You gave me some good ideas for mine. Love the rolled up towels in the chamber pot! Thanks for sharing! Gina

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  18. Jacqueline,
    Exquisite linens in the loo!!! I adore the snuff jar for the toothbrush holder and the chamber pot with ample towels for morning freshing!!!I can't get my guest to use the guest towels either, dear friend!!!
    I bought a wicker rectangular guest towel holder and buy those inexpensive paper floral guest towels. . .and they won't use them either!!! They look desperately until they find a terrycloth towel!!! Must be the era of our lives!
    You can send all those monogram towels with a "C" my way...I promise to use them gently!!! Ha! Just kidding!!! I'll be on the hunt for those next Antique Shopping trip...coming soon!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  19. Absolutely beautiful Ms. Jacqueline! I have LOTS of vintage linen, but I can never get it as white and fluffy looking as you do.....please, please tell me your secret...linen cleaning 101 :^)
    Blessings to you,
    J
    jbmusik at yahoo dot com

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  20. What a wonderful way to display and use all of your lovely vintage linens. Our bathroom remodel is almost done and I hope to bring out some of my vintage linens too. You've given me some great ideas.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  21. Love it all, Jacqueline. A fresh and pretty post!
    Linda at Beautiful Ideas

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  22. Hey! I'm just over from Zuzu's, so I thought I'd say hi. I love all your whites. You can never go wrong with white. We have a bunch of littles, so my whites aren't so white, but I still like how clean and calming everything looks.

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  23. So lovely! I placed some "not so vintage" linens in my bathroom, from the early 1990s, but they are so pretty.
    You are so sweet to put them in your guest bath....I probably am NOT that generous...lots of little hands that have such fun playing in the mud on our farm when they come! So, I keep them in my bath!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Betsy

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  24. LOVELY bathroom with wonderful details!

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  25. Your vintage linens are so beautiful, Jacqueline! I have a few tucked away in a drawer that were made by family, but only put them out for very special occasions.
    Thank you for your sweet visit over to my little blog. Those little pink pinwheels are for Christmas - the Muse told me we need more pink this year. :)
    Have a lovely weekend!
    Hugs,
    Zuzu

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  26. I bet your guests feel so pampered by you, Jacqueline, and all your lovely touches! Can I come for a visit?? :-)
    Mary Alice

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  27. What fabulous linens and what a pleasure it must be to use this beautiful washroom. You must have a huge collection of vintage linens.

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  28. Beautiful touches - what a pleasure it must be to use that bathroom!

    xo
    Claudia

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  29. I have no words....except beautiful!! ♥

    xoxo laurie

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  30. I love displaying linens and doilies. I crocheted that same pointed edging in blue for my Mother's pillowcase years ago. Your photos are a treat to see.

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  31. They are all so lovely, I like lace on things as well.
    Best Wishes
    Karen.

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  32. So beautiful!
    Love the contrast against the wooden door too!

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  33. If i came to your house and had to use the toilette... i might disappear for a while... examining all the beautiful things in there, the lace, the soaps, the jars, even vintage towels... oh my goodness, someone would have to come and find me!

    Cindy

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  34. I have the same problem in my powder room, Jacqueline: no one will use the pretty vintage towels I put there! But I won't stop bringing the past into my present and putting it to good use. It's so heartening to read your posts and know that you are inspired to 'elevate' the every day with touches from the past, too. I salute thee, kindred spirit! :)

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