Let me take you on a little stroll though kitchen design history from the 1930s though the 1950s — with this terrific series of images from Kohler. Vicki Hafenstein of the media relations team at Kohler is really helpful and responsive, and quickly supplied these vintage kitchen photos and illustrations to help with the etsy.com video. She is also hunting some pink bathroom illustrations for my talk in Charlotte. I really appreciate your help, Vicki! I also wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that Kohler makes two hudee-rimmed porcelain-on-cast-iron sinks still available today — they would be my top choices for a Retro Renovation kitchen. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that when I found my 67 vintage Geneva steel kitchen cabinets, the former cooking-school set also came with four vintage, 42″ wide, double-bowl, hudee-ringed Kohler sinks? One is now installed in my kitchen. 16 vintage Kohler kitchen images in all – read more.
Vintage Amerock hardware — including the Carraige House, Monterey and Bonaventure lines — appear to be eminently collectible at good prices. Here are some fantastic mint-in-box finds, including a peep hole (I had a hard time listing this and not buying it myself, I assure you!) and a pair of door escutcheons — marvelous. These may be be “right” for a mid-century modern home, but I can see them fitting right into a more eclectic mid-century modest ranch, split level or cape, especially if you are willing to have some fun. Note: RetroRenovation.com is a participant in the ebay partner network and receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy once you enter ebay through any of our ebay links.
Calling all readers in and around Charlotte, North Carolina! I am really busy getting ready for 5 presentations at the Southern Spring Home & Garden Show on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. In keeping with the theme of the blog, I will be taking attendees on a whirlwind tour of 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s home design — and provide lots of ready-to-go ideas for how to incorporate the best of the period into your home today. And, Mardee Woodward, executive show manager, has asked me to do one presentation on Save The Pink Bathrooms. Tee hee. Our tentacles are out there, people. We are saving the mid mod world — one pink bathroom at at time. See my schedule via the link above or click on the show logo — and let me know if you are coming! Finally, more snaps to Erica Berger, photographer extraordinaire, for another mid mod portrait taken during our photo shoot in November. It’s so fun to play dress up.
A little of this and a little of that in today’s ebay finds: A recessed toilet paper holder with a little cover (auction ends tonight), some Parisian Print tea towels with lovely cats, and at the end — a vintage book to keep track of the menus that you serve to guests.
As if life could get any crazier, Astro has been with me for almost two weeks now. He is my major buddy-pal and an absolute sweetheart, but we are deep into training to help us get off to a strong start and moreover, to try and remedy some of the guy’s fears and stresses after three years in a Pennsylvania puppy mill. I am capturing Astro’s first year here in a 365 days set over on flickr, updated with his progress daily. His big accomplishments in our first 12 days together: No more accidents in the house… he learned to go up and down the stairs right away… after some training, he now goes out the side door to do his business by himself … he will “sit” very nicely… and he will leap our dining room steps down on demand like an agility champ. Our big challenge: After some initial success taking walks, he has become super afraid of being outside and just shakes like a leaf when we try to walk on a leash. We think he may have been in a cage or very confined quarters most of his life. I’m working with him several times a day to help him overcome the fear. I am confident we will make good progress, but it will take time.
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This is a terrific 1956 kitchen that shows the continuing popularity of Early American design, but with modern touches… “coolonial.” The Early American design is visible enough — the copper pots and ironstone, the cast-iron trivets and the cabinetry, the simple and patriotic paint scheme, the forefather portrait, the scallops and the captain’s chair. Heck yeah there is more…
Yeehaw, Retro Renovation and Mid-Century Modest are in a video just posted on etsy.com, along with this blog post.Tara Young is the amazing video-journalist — artist, really — who produces all of etsy’s videos, and you can tell she does them with great love. It is so exciting to break bread with the wonderful etsy community. Thank you, Tara, seriously: You are amazing, and it was so much fun spending the day with you!
Sablemable featured a photo that included these great bedspreads in a post for on Ruth’s blog No Pattern Required. Snaps for finding the best source yet (I think) for bedspreads with a true mid-century look. Look at any catalog from about 1955 on, I’d say, and this sort of slubbed satin, uphostered and welted bedspread was ubiquitous. Touch of Class has the style in 6 colors, available for all bed sizes — and including twins that look like they are straight of the Dick Van Dyke Show — and, daybeds. They have additional colors in microfiber, if you want to split the difference between style-decades. Mid-century style bedspreads and daybeds at Touch of Class.
I want SF Troy to come over to my house and reorganize all my collections. He’s moved into a new house — a vintage Eichler, ooh la la. I’ll have another post that tells and shows all, but meanwhile, here’s a sneak peek at his collections and how he’s displayed them all, just four months into the new space. Whimsy! Color! Massing! Yup, this boy knows how to do it, all right.
I saw this at my local architectural salvage store. It’s a German-made, pink bathroom set, complete with soaking tub, bidet, sink, and toilet. I’ve never seen anything like this one [available now at the] Second Use in Seattle.
Welcome to RetroRenovation.com -- your daily dose of mid century renovation resources... design inspiration... fun finds... and a growing community of people all interested in restoring, preserving and cherishing their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s homes. Kitchens like this 1946 American-Standard brand...well, they were just the start.
