But there can be a lot of charm in an old bathroom. If you have one of those, then you want to try to preserve it's original ambience.  So look hard and close at your bathroom before you decide to rip anything out and remodel. It just might be all you need do is some careful sprucing. I don't think our love for nostalgia is going away any time soon.

Here are some pointers to help you along the way.

• Keep and focus on what makes the room naturally attractive. Play up it's vintage look. Bring in some antiques or collectibles of the same time period that the bathroom was built. Look at restored bathroom plumbing fixtures and add a few here and there.
  
  
• Look for wall coverings and fabrics that were typical of the era. Check out your local flea markets, estate sales, antique stores for "finds".
  
  
• If the ceiling is too high, you can counter than by painting the ceiling a dark color or papering a heavily patterned wall covering on it. The ceiling will appear to be lower. Generally speaking, we want to keep any high ceilings we encounter, but in a small bathroom, it might not be ideal.
  
  
• Cover overly large windows with fabric (or even sheets) that blend with the wall covering or paint. Repeat the same fabric on the shower curtain. If you have an old-fashioned sink, make a curtain for the base in a coordinating fabric.
  
  
• Murals on the walls can add a whimsical look.  Get ideas from greeting cards, puzzles, wall paper and fabric prints. Enlarge the design on tracing paper, cut it out and trace onto the wall.  If you have a projector like I do, the job is even easier. Project it right onto the wall where you want the design.
  
  
• To add additional storage, put shelves above the commode. You can choose from acrylic, glass, brass, wood or mica shelving. A portable cart can also be a handy addition. 
  
  
• Track lighting is a quick and inexpensive solution to a poorly lit bathroom. Don't place it directly overhead or behind you when standing in front of the mirror, however. You don't want any ugly shadows. Add some period fixtures to the wall on each side of the mirror if you have room. 
  
  
• If the vanity surface needs fixing, recover it with mica, tile, marble or Corian. Surfaces are one area that can be most detestable if left untreated. Make sure your surfaces are free of debris, chipped edges and such.
  
  
• To repair an old, dirty bathtub, consider hiring a professional to come in an resurface the porcelain or fiberglass. It's not as expensive as replacing the entire tub.
  
  
• Add lots of plants to fill in, cover over, hide away unsightly features. It will give it a sauna feeling.