All over America small, sweet homes like this have been lovingly tended by the families that built them after the war, and have lived in them ever since. During my recent trip to Kentucky, Sumac Sue took me and my sister on a tour of her Gardenside neighborhood in Lexington, Kentucky…and the highlight had to be this amazing time capsule, Mr. Bartlett’s circa-1959 colonial-ranch house.
19 photos in all
There was so much to see in a mere 1000 sq. ft. I hardly know where to start. We talk so much about Nutone exhaust fans, how about this model from Mercury. It’s showing its age – just like me!
This home had two bathrooms, one full bath in the hall, and a second half-bath in the master bedroom, and I loved them both. The tile im the half bath is lightly speckled, and look at the bullnose: It has a “top heavy” profile different from the standard bullnose you usually see. I like it! The wallpaper is wonderful and complements the tile beautifully in terms of both color(s) and scale.
Here’s the floor in the half-bath above. I am pretty sure that this is Armstrong embossed inlaid linoleum. I’ve seen it in my vintage marketing material, it came in a variety of colorways. Man oh man, there is nothing quite like this vintage Armstrong flooring!
All of the following photos enlarge – just click on ‘em:
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- My sister Jenni in the living room. Matching club chairs are wonderful.
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- A pull down coppertone light in the dining area
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- Retro wood kitchen with corner window and yes – speckled laiminate
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- vintage kitchenaid dishwasher
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- The coppertone chevron boomerang cabinet pulls had a hammer-angled finish
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- 70s vintage wallpaper. I love the brick background.
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- Brick laminate flooring
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- The mint tile bathroom with black bullnose, liner tile and recessed soap dishes
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- 70s vintage wallpaper in the mint bathroom
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- 50s Mercury exhaust fan
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- Vintage medicine cabinet with sliding doors
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- Vintage wall plate
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- 50s salt and pepper tile
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- Vintage Nutone doorbell
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- 50s chrome sconce
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- 50s bedroom ceiling fixture
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- 50s Armstrong embossed inlaid linoleum
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- Sumac Sue, left, and Pam
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- The Bartletts Lexington ranch house
Related posts from Lexington / Kentucky:
- Cindy’s pink bathroom
- Amy’s aqua bathroom
- Road trip to the home of the Dishmaster
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Thanks for this lovely feature on a lovely gentleman’s home. Not only is Mr. Bartlett’s home a wonderful reflection on the past, but, Mr. Bartlett is too. He is a wonderful neighbor, doing the sorts of things people did in the old days — growing enough tomatoes for everyone on the street, sharing garden plants and seeds, and even taking the garbage out for two older women on the street (even though he is well into his 80s). It’s people like Mr. Bartlett who make our neighborhoods, and not just the houses.