Comments on: Ideas for Dana and her 1953 Crosley kitchen http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/ A place for your postwar 40s 50s and 60s style kitchens, bathrooms and mid century modern home aesthetic. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:47:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Ellen Matheson http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-6052 Ellen Matheson Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:13:43 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-6052 My parents had a 1955 Crosley kitchen. It was the state of the art kitchen -actually the set from the 1955 Crosley Bendix dealers' movie which my father made. It won a design award and was in McCall's magazine. I have been trying to recreate this kitchen for years. HELP. If anyone knows where I can find the cabinets, please let me know! I have found the frig. Others like it at antiqueappliances.com If you want to see a photo, I have one. Cabinets were copper in cooking area, laundry area was white. Floor was speckled tan, cream and beige tile- like marmoleum. Countertops beige speckle formica, stainless steel sink. Appliances were ss electric cooktop (this was midcentury modern sleek, not Happy Days) and separate frig and freezer. Freezer had an ice cream maker, frig had thru door water. Both had circular chrome center handle. @ ss wall ovens. Accent color was a soft aqua/turquoise. My parents had a 1955 Crosley kitchen. It was the state of the art kitchen -actually the set from the 1955 Crosley Bendix dealers’ movie which my father made.
It won a design award and was in McCall’s magazine.

I have been trying to recreate this kitchen for years.

HELP. If anyone knows where I can find the cabinets, please let me know! I have found the frig. Others like it at antiqueappliances.com

If you want to see a photo, I have one.
Cabinets were copper in cooking area, laundry area was white. Floor was speckled tan, cream and beige tile- like marmoleum. Countertops beige speckle formica, stainless steel sink. Appliances were ss electric cooktop (this was midcentury modern sleek, not Happy Days) and separate frig and freezer. Freezer had an ice cream maker, frig had thru door water. Both had circular chrome center handle. @ ss wall ovens. Accent color was a soft aqua/turquoise.

]]> By: RBOBs http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-6012 RBOBs Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:13:30 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-6012 Update from the 1953 kitchen: The cabinets are enjoying a rebirth with a local powder coating shop, dcpowdercoating.com, which will bring them back to there shiny greatness. I've ordered black laminate counter with a aluminum edge from Ikea. I've also picked-up some aluminum shelving to add some more utility. The walls will be painted semi-gloss Benjamin Moore Pale Vista. I'm stuck with the refrigerator though. I want to find a stainless one that fits into my space.... the cabinets allow for a refrigerator 66" H x 36" W. That is nearly impossible! Next step, picking the laminate floor! Update from the 1953 kitchen: The cabinets are enjoying a rebirth with a local powder coating shop, dcpowdercoating.com, which will bring them back to there shiny greatness. I’ve ordered black laminate counter with a aluminum edge from Ikea. I’ve also picked-up some aluminum shelving to add some more utility. The walls will be painted semi-gloss Benjamin Moore Pale Vista. I’m stuck with the refrigerator though. I want to find a stainless one that fits into my space…. the cabinets allow for a refrigerator 66″ H x 36″ W. That is nearly impossible! Next step, picking the laminate floor!

]]> By: Ronn http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5552 Ronn Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:20:52 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5552 Hi again, Ronn here. Hey, if you want to stick with black and white, I just had an idea about the cabinets: what if you had two or three of them on the left wall professionally repainted gloss black? This balances the dark/light shapes, and sticks with the current theme. Hi again,

Ronn here. Hey, if you want to stick with black and white, I just had an idea about the cabinets: what if you had two or three of them on the left wall professionally repainted gloss black? This balances the dark/light shapes, and sticks with the current theme.

]]> By: Ronn http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5529 Ronn Sun, 30 Mar 2008 01:07:09 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5529 Hi, I agree that the black and white linoleum tile squares floor has never been seen to my knowledge (yes, earlier homes in tiny b/w ceramic mosaic tiles, but not large rubber based squares). My childhood home had yellow and green. I remember seeing gray and red. I think I remember yellow and black, and an all gray with the grain running in checkboard format. When I got ahold of a crate of original linoleum squares, I recovered the floor of my 1949 kitchen in aqua and ivory, and it was great! Ronn Ives of FUTURES Antiques PS: If you've ever HAD an original old refrigerator, you wouldn't want one. One word: DEFROST. Hi,
I agree that the black and white linoleum tile squares floor has never been seen to my knowledge (yes, earlier homes in tiny b/w ceramic mosaic tiles, but not large rubber based squares). My childhood home had yellow and green. I remember seeing gray and red. I think I remember yellow and black, and an all gray with the grain running in checkboard format. When I got ahold of a crate of original linoleum squares, I recovered the floor of my 1949 kitchen in aqua and ivory, and it was great!
Ronn Ives of FUTURES Antiques
PS: If you’ve ever HAD an original old refrigerator, you wouldn’t want one. One word: DEFROST.

]]> By: maddy123 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5528 maddy123 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:54:14 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5528 I think SS appliances would work ok in your kitchen. BUT I do think you have to be careful with white metal cabinets and SS. Because it can look too "hospital-y". I would definitely put some color on the walls so it won't look so white. And also try to warm it up with some vintage accessories. Good luck! I think SS appliances would work ok in your kitchen. BUT I do think you have to be careful with white metal cabinets and SS. Because it can look too “hospital-y”. I would definitely put some color on the walls so it won’t look so white. And also try to warm it up with some vintage accessories.

Good luck!

]]> By: Femme1 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5527 Femme1 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:07:33 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5527 I love Pam's linoleum idea for the floor. And some of the greens that I've seen from Marmoleum are very 40s/50s-looking. My big suggestion would be to add some color to the walls and to the bulkheads above the cabinets. (Don't worry, Pam, I won't get into a fight about the terminology!). I think one of the reasons your galpals don't like the metal cabinets is that there's just too much white there. And the cabinets probably look dingy next to the white walls. Wallpaper would look really cool, if the colors are strong. Or use a combination of paint on some walls and perhaps wallpaper just in the backspash area. Or use the wallpaper on the bulkheads (look at Pam's kitchen photos). Kudos for saving your kitchen! It's going to look great...then invite your friends over for tea and cookies in your beautiful kitchen. I love Pam’s linoleum idea for the floor. And some of the greens that I’ve seen from Marmoleum are very 40s/50s-looking.

My big suggestion would be to add some color to the walls and to the bulkheads above the cabinets. (Don’t worry, Pam, I won’t get into a fight about the terminology!). I think one of the reasons your galpals don’t like the metal cabinets is that there’s just too much white there. And the cabinets probably look dingy next to the white walls.

Wallpaper would look really cool, if the colors are strong. Or use a combination of paint on some walls and perhaps wallpaper just in the backspash area. Or use the wallpaper on the bulkheads (look at Pam’s kitchen photos).

Kudos for saving your kitchen! It’s going to look great…then invite your friends over for tea and cookies in your beautiful kitchen.

]]> By: 50sPam http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5523 50sPam Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:12:28 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5523 My fridge is a Sub-Zero, Maggie. The big splurge of my kitchen, and it's great. I chose it because (1) my husband put his foot down at a vintage fridge, (2) it was counter-depth but also 84" high to fill the space all the way to the soffit and continue that 'fitted kitchen' look I was going for, and (3) in reality, it is very authentic/retro - Sub-Zero has been making these things all the way back to the 50s at least - and with the very same condenser design at the top (this design is now the 'optional'/old one.) However, I don't think this would work/is necessary for Dana, as she has wall cabinets available above the fridge. And, I will tell you, the Jenn-Aire at $2,000+ is still $2,000-$3,000 cheaper than the Sub-Zero as I recall. I have to admit I can't remember exactly how much the SZ cost - I wrote the check and tried to erase the actual cost forever from my memory! My fridge is a Sub-Zero, Maggie. The big splurge of my kitchen, and it’s great. I chose it because (1) my husband put his foot down at a vintage fridge, (2) it was counter-depth but also 84″ high to fill the space all the way to the soffit and continue that ‘fitted kitchen’ look I was going for, and (3) in reality, it is very authentic/retro - Sub-Zero has been making these things all the way back to the 50s at least - and with the very same condenser design at the top (this design is now the ‘optional’/old one.) However, I don’t think this would work/is necessary for Dana, as she has wall cabinets available above the fridge. And, I will tell you, the Jenn-Aire at $2,000+ is still $2,000-$3,000 cheaper than the Sub-Zero as I recall. I have to admit I can’t remember exactly how much the SZ cost - I wrote the check and tried to erase the actual cost forever from my memory!

]]> By: maggie http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5522 maggie Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:03:33 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/2008/03/29/ideas-for-dana-and-her-1953-crosley-kitchen/#comment-5522 I have to disagree about the SS appliances, Pam. If Dana doesn't hate her current stove, I think its black trim is working pretty well with her black countertops. Also, I've never a modern refrigerator that fits better into a retroreno kitchen than the one that you have, Pam. It looks great. What model is it? And are you happy with it? I have to disagree about the SS appliances, Pam. If Dana doesn’t hate her current stove, I think its black trim is working pretty well with her black countertops.

Also, I’ve never a modern refrigerator that fits better into a retroreno kitchen than the one that you have, Pam. It looks great. What model is it? And are you happy with it?

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