kitchens

1954 Murray steel kitchen cabinets

Posted by: pam kueber • October 15, 2008

Added yesterday to the Postwar Steel Kitchens Forum archives: This wonderful image of 1954 Murray steel kitchen cabinets, Scranton, PA. Notice the cabinet pulls – these seem to be the distinguishing characteristic, along with what appear to be protruding drawer units. Colors available in ’54: Golden West Yellow, Ranch Green, Horizon Blue, Mist Gray, white, and stainless steel. Colored cabinet handles to match! Also, what a nifty cabinet-top oven!

And from their copy: “…Achieve new, colorful built-in glamour.” Note the emphasis on built-in…recall, until the postwar era, the idea of built-in, “fitted” kitchens was a magazine fantasty… in the wake of the war — crystallized into the American Dream Kitchen.

Comments 4

Comments

Lisa says:

July 2, 2009 at 10:10 pm

I am thinking about refinishing metal cabinets in the home I will be purchasing. Does anyone have any suggestions? Currently the cabinets are white. I am debating whether to tear them out and start with new cabinets or refinish. Any tips would be great!

Reply
- pam kueber says:
  
  July 3, 2009 at 1:21 am
  
  Hi Lisa, this is not really a DIY self, but we do have some posts from readers and their experiences having their vintage metal kitchen cabinets refinished. Use the Search box – or go to Categories/Kitchen/Steel Kitchen Cabinets – you will find the posts there.
  
  Reply
Mary Beth says:

January 31, 2012 at 12:40 pm

Does anyone know where I can get the plastic inserts for the handles on my old kitchen cupboards

Reply
- pam kueber says:
  
  January 31, 2012 at 12:45 pm
  
  they don’t exist – you must salvage them or cobble another solution. you have old geneva’s, i bet… see our forum, all about vintage steel cabinets: http://retrorenovation.com/forums
  
  Reply

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