NYC Dive Bar bathroom photos

From the title you may think this post is complaining about something, but in fact, it’s just the opposite. Like most designers I tend to spend a lot of my time drinking and nowhere else in any of my travels have I come across bathrooms with as much character as those in the dive bars of New York City.

Obviously they are filthy, disgusting places – but so is the city itself. Somewhat ironically, it is these layers of grunge, graffiti, stickers, and gum that make this aesthetic so appealing and even sought after. One need only look to the replicated interiors of such boutique shops as Yellow Rat Bastard (designed by Marc Ecko), Transit, and John Varvatos (formerly CBGBs) to realize that it is indeed a unique, identifiable texture that conjures up specific moods and memories.

I’ve decided to start a flickr set of camera phone pics taken from the inside, ground floor. These have been amassed over a period of time and when judging the quality please remember that these were taken with only a camera phone…in a bar….probably at the end of the night.

For more images check out the whole set, but be sure to check back (if you can stomach it) as I’ll be continuously adding to the catalogue.