Discover the best man cave bathroom ideas: vintage auto shop theme, where every detail reflects the nostalgia of automobiles and tad motorcycles. My husband has been collecting car and auto shop memorabilia for many years. This functional bathroom is a tribute to the automotive heyday and celebrates vintage cars, mechanics, and the thrill of a time gone by.
Welcome to this post of vintage auto shop-themed mancave bathrooms where I’m sharing some fabulous ideas for a very fun bathroom! I partnered with Fasade to receive the diamond plate wall covering. All opinions are my own.
Why Choose a Vintage Auto Shop Theme?
This bathroom consists of vintage nostalgia and style. My hubby has owned classic cars, and loves his Harley, and has a passion for anything vintage. So it seems this was a great idea and a natural choice for his ultimate man cave bathroom.
His collection of tin signs and other vintage-themed items over the years seemed to all come together beautifully. Unique and personalized is a great way to make this bathroom a perfect place for him, our family, and guests. If you are a car enthusiast and love an old vintage gas station, this would be the ideal theme.
Key Elements of a Vintage Auto Shop Man Cave Bathroom
There are many ways to design and decorate a vintage auto shop man cave bathroom. Masterfully combine industrial aesthetics with nostalgic automotive charm for a true auto shop look. Essential elements can include a bold color scheme of red, orange, black, and metallics, paired with exposed brick or diamond plate walls, auto shop floors, or checkered flooring. We decided on neutral walls with diamond plate paneling that went half way up the wall.
Fixtures like chrome faucets, vintage pedestal sinks, tool cart cabinet vanity, or autoshop storage shelves enhance the retro vibe, while industrial pendant lights and car-themed mirrors could add fun. Vintage car advertisements, repurposed car parts, and gas station memorabilia provide authentic touches. Custom accessories, and repurposed car-themed parts – such as an old parking meter turned into a toilet paper holder, an old Harley tire made into a mirror, soap dispensers mimicking oil cans, and hooks made from wrenches, complete the theme, making it a unique and stylish room.
Bathroom Floors
I wanted a floor that looked somewhat like an auto shop floor. I found this black matte tile at Home Depot that looks like there are some oil splotches and rust. The perfect combo for a car-themed bathroom floor. The tile is manufactured by MSI. It was the perfect choice for this room.
Diamond plate walls, auto shop tile, and oil can lights are such cool man cave ideas. These would work in a garage man cave too -not just a bathroom.
Diamond Plate Wall Covering
What made the biggest difference in this room is the wall covering – a diamond plate wall covering manufactured by Fasade and sold at the DIY Decor Store. Fasade also makes the diamond plate in ceiling tiles.
For the diamond plate wall covering, we used the galvanized steel color that can be purchased here
It is design elements like this that take the space up a notch. It is one of my favorite parts of the bathroom. The diamond plate is not a real diamond plate but it sure looks like it is. This is manufactured in many different finishes such as the common chrome – but I wanted more of a vintage old look. This is shipped in 4 x 8 sheets. It is easy to cut and was installed with an adhesive. Our contractor said it was easy and great to work with. Such good news when wanting a reasonable price and the perfect man cave auto shop look! You can see the reflection in the diamond plate. It looks real!
Accessories and Decor
Motorcycle Tire Mirror
An old, used Harley motorcycle tire was made into a mirror. This was a favorite DIY for the bathroom. Transforming an old Harley tire into a mirror adds a rugged, vintage charm to any space, blending functionality with a touch of motorcycle heritage. This unique piece not only repurposes a piece of history but also serves as a striking conversation starter and a bold decor statement. It was fairly inexpensive and very unique.
Vintage Parking Meter
A vintage parking meter was turned into a toilet paper holder stand. A metal pipe, a small wheel (used as the base), and a wrench were all used to make this parking meter into great bathroom decor. The wrench was welded onto the pipe to create a spot for the toilet paper roll.
Vintage Oil/Gas Signs
The tin oil/gas signs hung on the walls are 99% real vintage collectibles. But if you are on a budget here are some reproductions of oil/gas signs
Even something as simple as a retro-inspired trash can is a must-have piece of official memorabilia.
Poker Chips
My husband collects Harley poker chips from all over the world. It’s a fun hobby that takes us to Harley stores in the places we travel. This bathroom wall seemed like the perfect spot to display the collection. You can purchase the poker chips at Harley Davidson dealers or online. This is a great way to display the poker chips in a magnetic poker chip frame.
Gas Pump Door Handle
This gas pump door handle gets lots of oohs and awes! Hubby took this to a welder to weld onto a door push back plate for easy installation. A steel plate was used welded to the gas pump handle and then the back plate was screwed into the solid wood door.
A suggestion is to measure your gas pump handle to get the correct door push plate size
Man Cave Bathroom Ideas
This was fun for my hubby to collect all of these items. The bathroom is a great place for visitors to see and use. They all love the bathroom.
Furniture and Fixtures
- Vanity and Sink: We originally wanted to repurpose an old tool chest or workbench as vanities. But we weren’t finding the right one. So we purchased a new tool chest and had a welder cut out the back for the plumbing. A sink was added to the top. I think the vanity might need a touch of rust to fit in a bit better. What do you think?
- Lighting: My hubby had purchased large industrial oil cans years ago and made them into lighting fixtures.
- Storage Solutions: You can come up with some creative storage ideas using vintage toolboxes, shelves made from reclaimed wood, and old metal cabinets. We do not need much storage in here – but did use an old wood crate to hold the toilet paper.
- Urinal: My riddle for you, What is my favorite item in the bathroom BUT I’ve NEVER used it? Answer: The urinal! We have two urinals one in our master bathroom and one in this man cave. Trust me – the urinal is a nice feature to have it helps to keep the toilet a little cleaner and the toilet seat is now not always left up. I believe the first step in planning a man-cave bathroom is the urinal because it’s not only a great feature, but it fits perfectly with the theme. Once a month I pour a solution down the urinal that keeps the smell away.
Now a few things he doesn’t have in his man cave bathroom but could be terrific in a mancave – are a pool table, arcade games, foosball table, and a big screen TV! Although some of these items could be great fun in a man-cave, these would be some cool features for an actual family playroom.
We do have a smart toilet in our home (we love it) but no need for it in the man cave bathroom (according to my hubby ; ) ) A sliding wall, could be a fabulous feature to add to a room.
Stepping into this man cave bath takes you back to the golden age of automobiles, where classic cars ruled and garages were havens for car enthusiasts. The charm of vintage auto shops is undeniable—the scent of motor oil, the gleam of chrome, and the feel of worn leather seats can make for a very cool room. Although there in no motor oil smell or leather seats in this room – you get the idea. What is your favorite part of this bathroom? What personal touch would you add?
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