Mid Mod Madness

Today, it’s a hodge podge of images that I’ve been saving up from here and there…images that make me very happy. St. Louis Elizabeth gets the credit for several – thanks, E!

The three sisters:

Pink stove and friends:

Mom’s ebay deal:

Femme1‘s front door:

Catherine’s entry floor:

Vintage inlaid linoleum:

1940 Youngstowns:

Dishes that make the world go round:

Where the decorating gods hang out:

So, the night before the hack-attack, a room that I submitted to Apartment Therapy’s Guess the Decade feature ran. And — how fun — it was the first one in a long time to fool participants. Here were the guesses:

And the answer: 1952. Writer Janel also featured some of my comments on the interior, which the architect designed as a “hearth room.” Here’s what she posted:

Pam followed up with some more info on the room and the book that it appeared in: The room was from a home in Johnson City, Tennesee, designed by architect Alfred Abernethy for his family. It appeared in “Living for Young Homemakers” with the tagline, Live High On a Low Budget.

In the postwar period, a proud America was defining its own sense of taste and style for the first time. While this home is very modern, it’s also interesting to see the colonial touches – the other trend, reaching back to our pioneer heritage, that was very much a part of our newfound design identity. Another big trend during the period was “bringing the outdoors in,” which you clearly see in the Hearth Room.

Also of interest is the color palette. While we tend to think of pastels when it comes to the 50s, “reassuring autumnals” also were very popular. These were taken specifically from brilliant New England fall colors. This interest in autumnals also came out of the ‘outdoors in’ trend – and even out of the desire to “instill a sense of warmth and security” during the Cold War.

To see Janel’s post click here.

So… this is my 500th post. So… I looked back, and it was fun! But boy, it was also exhausting. As many readers have noted, “it must take hours.” Yup. I’m kind of obsessed, but doing the blog makes me very very happy. And, it’s been truly amazing how this social networking stuff works – I feel like I’ve met so many kindred souls.

Heading forward, I of course have more ideas. I’ve started linking back to “classic” posts in the sidebars. I love getting reader questions, and featuring your retro renovation stories. I have, like, 20 of these backed up! And maybe I’ll get to vintage stoves some time soon, ironically, they were my first retro love and I still have not touched the topic. Let me know what you want more of — and I’ll try to deliver!

So here are some of my favorite posts:

Palm Springs Stephan was my first true reader-friend:

Mary-Frances inspired the hunt for accordians and other musical instruments in interiors:

Judi’s neighborhood:

Femme1′s useless but wonderful eyebrowers:

Ellen’s parents:

KX sees sexual imagery in, like, every post. Hey, news alert, this is a blog about the 50s, I have no idea what you’re talking about:

Doug helps Ashley helps Doug:

My mom’s hometown, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania:

Dana resists her friends’ intervention:

Robyn’s The Birth of Cool tip inspires a true date-weekend:

Saving the Pink Bathrooms:

61 Mamie Pink Kitchens:

Alice’s wallpaper:

Portland Amy’s wallpaper:

New-old stock:

And Colonial-Modern everything!

…And this is just the start!