Victorian decadence, glamorous art deco of the '30s, 1950s flair, 1960s sensationalism or the flower power of the '70s are all considered retro designs in today's modern era.

Whether an old-style bathroom is your design of choice in a new home, or upgrading an existing bathroom to reflect retro-style, the correct application of colour and the addition of key accessories will ensure a bathroom that is hip, lively and sophisticated.

"Victorian style is known for its orderliness and ornamentation," says Kate van Niekerk, marketing manager of Tile Africa.

"Decadent marble was common on bathroom floors, as well as hexagonal patterns in black and white. The art deco era of the early 20th century was modern, with panache, and took the geometric floors of the Victorian era even further with rhythmic patterns of chevrons and stripes."

Colour palettes?

Victorian parlours and bathrooms combined monochromatic white and black floors with green, raspberry and warm browns. These colours evolved to luscious burgundy, coral and turquoise in the early 1900s, combined with glass and chrome.

Turquoise, sea-green and pinks characterise 1950s design. These colours became brighter in the 1960s, as seen in the pop art and bold prints of the day.

Brown returned in the 1970s, often combined with oranges and yellows.

In order for the retro theme to work it's not only colour that characterises the retro bathroom. The right fixtures and accessories also help to set the mood and this includes prints from that particular era on the wall, exposed plumbing and wall mounted basins in shades of flamingo pink or aqua.

A must for any Victorian or art deco bathroom is, of course, a freestanding bath with claw feet. Vanity drawers and cabinets can add to the retro décor element with customised drawer-pulls.

To create the nostalgia of a retro bathroom does not require a whole new design of the bathroom, but just the inclusion of certain elements or certain colours will definitely create the feel and look of retro. Think of just adding certain colours or certain fixtures and already there is a sense of taking you back.