Comments on: Russell’s brand new (old) time capsule home — built by Seabees — in North Attleboro, Mass.

By: Rita

Rita — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:22:24 +0000

Just found this site and all I can say is how come I couldn’t find any people like those that visit here when I was selling my mother’s house – where I literally grew up – in West Toledo / Sylvania Ohio this past year.

Gorgeous maple kitchen cabinet doors / drawer fronts – the frames were painted white enamel to set them off. By the way, having been built in 1955, the cabinets naturally went all the way to the ceiling. None of this “gap” stuff between the tops of the cabinets and the ceilings like in newer construction.

First floor bath had all the original (and beautiful) tiling (all the way around the bathroom) including the requisite herringbone pattern in the floor.

BIG sliding door closets.

Great house, mechanicals and structure were all right up to date, and oh, by the way, the kitchen had a 1965 Frigidaire Imperial Range (aka the “Elvis” stove)!

Great neighborhood – all mature oaks (and an original Lustron home a few streets over)

So, as a consequence of my sister and I both living out of town we sadly had to sell the house. Took over a year and a half and at a price down by a third over what it would have gone for just a few years earlier – Thanks Wall Street for helping to crush home values!

Worst part was getting the comments back from the realtor from showings that the kitchen was “dated.” Aughghghgh the Philistines amongst us! I would have moved back home in a heartbeat if my work had been back there!

Anyway, finding this site has renewed my faith that there are still people of taste out there.

By the way, if any of you are thinking of relocating, my mother’s all brick, 1800 square foot, gorgeous home ultimately sold for $124k. Some of the lowest costs of living in the country (and by the way, Toledo is a lovely place to live).

By: Sumac Sue

Sumac Sue — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:02:02 +0000

Just catching up on my retro reno reading, and am delighted to see this great house. So crisp and tidy! I am all for keeping that pink bathroom too – the thought of those Seabees, a bunch of Popeye the Sailor Man types, building such a cheerful bathroom for the little missus, well, how could you do away with such a testament of love? It just shouts optimism! Congratulations on your wonderful new home.

By: Femme1

Femme1 — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:58:49 +0000

Great house! I’d love to see a close-up of those bathroom tiles. And I’ll put my two cents in for saving the pink bathroom…just send your wife here to RetroReno and we’ll convince her!! Pam may have to make a bathroom intervention call to your house. :>

By: sleepingbee

sleepingbee — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:48:11 +0000

What a fabulous find Russell! Your home is going to be so much fun! I love those frosted sliding doors on the cabinet over the peninsula. Also, I must echo everyone’s plea…save the pink bathroom. From experience I will tell you that a honking, luxurious shower head can make almost any objection regarding the bathroom go away! The tiles on the bathroom floor are divine. Have fun making it yours!

By: Palm Springs Stephan

Palm Springs Stephan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:25:26 +0000

Fan-flipping-tastic! What a wonderful house!
Please, please, please …. KEEP that pink bathroom! I know a man wants to keep his wife happy, but buy her some nice chotksy as a bribe to keep the bathroom!
And those kitchen cabinets are fab-u-lous!
My only suggestion (purest that I am) would be to take out the modern black range top and oven and replace them with period originals … one by O’Keefe and Merritt, or Chambers, or Wedgewood, or Western Holly.
Congratulations on a great purchase, and best of luck in your new home!

By: BSMet94

BSMet94 — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:48:48 +0000

I remember when I was a kid (1980s), my aunt and uncle in Montana had a perfect 1950s ranch (and they actually lived on a ranch, no less). They had that exact Nu-Tone thingy in the kitchen counter top where there was a pass-through under the cabinets to the dining room. The cabinet hardware and Nu-Tone thingy (I don’t remember what it was for) were copper plated. I saw that (copper hardware on birch, or knotty pine cabinets) a lot as a kid in Montana, but I simply thought it was because we had copper mines nearby.

By: DanaMc

DanaMc — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:13:36 +0000

What a beautiful house!
And, in such excellent condition!

As for the pink bathroom…you can just call me “Dana – Destroyer of 3 vintage ‘59 bathrooms.” (I wasn’t retro savy yet. And, I miss every build-in soap holder.)

DON’T BACK DOWN!

Head to your local blind of fabric shop and borrow a fabric book. Even if you don’t love any patterns – drag two chars in that pink bath – and page through the book. Sooner or later you will find some color that both of you agree will work with the pink.

Gray, blue, while, black…who knows. But, *together* you can find something to build on. Then, you can find a retro style *together* using your chosen palette.

What an awesome find!
Dana in Chicagoland
A/K/A “Dana – recovering….Destroyer of Vintage Bathrooms”

By: VacationBarbie

VacationBarbie — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:10:38 +0000

Wow. I’m jealous too! It’s so clean and crisp looking. I’m happy to see the built-in fireplace tool set, the house I’m in escrow on has this feature as well. But, mine are not shiny like these…is it okay to polish them? I’m also keeping my fingers crossed that the hardwood floors under the carpet look like Russel’s too.

By: nancyb

nancyb — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:55:47 +0000

Congratualtions to you and your wife, Russel. How exciting… I’m jealous! I want a pink bathroom with double sinks, a screened-in patio, and a pass-through from the kitchen. I’d divorce my spouse before I’d take out that bathroom! Don’t give in, stand strong – ha, ha!