Vintage Pig Mania, Yahtzee – and family game night … Judi’s entry

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Now … our final entry in the Found Objects Found Art Contest.  Judi aka Sumac Sue”s tribute to those days when there were only three network TV stations – so we played games…

This is our final contest entry – I think.  If I missed you, please email me, retrorenovation at gmail dot com. And get ready: Voting starts Sunday.

Heck yeah there is more →

33 affordable vintage-style wallpapers for your bedroom, bathroom, foyer and more

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I continue to be on the hunt for readers who are looking for less expensive wallpaper for their mid century ranch, cape, colonial, bungalow and split level homes. This means: Wallpapers from the sweet cheerful 40s…to the atomic 50s…to the mod generation 60s…and all the stylistic tangents in between. For example, the more I’m into all of this the more I realize: We are a traditional nation. Small tone-on-tone prints are very suitable for your retro renovation, too!

Today: 33 choices with a little of everything described above from Seabrook’s Carey Lind Mahogany Collection. These are “today” wallpapers but I like a number of them for several reasons. One of my most exciting finds is the paper above. See the ‘slubs’? And those dogwood blooms? A very typical barkcloth look! I can definitely see this paper in a pink bathroom — for those of you who want to ‘tone down’ the pink… it would also look great in a in a foyer, bedroom or office. Click through for additional selections and a complete gallery of other nice choices. Heck yeah there is more →

A Ling-Temco dishwasher at Peggy’s aunt’s house

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Peggy sends this live example of a recessed Ling-Temco dishwasher – how cool! Remember this original post of a Ling-Temco ad from 1961? Heck yeah there is more →

Retro style refrigerators for your 40s 50s or 60s kitchen – from Big Chill

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If you are looking for a vintage style refrigerator, the folks at Big Chill now have two sizes. I kind of like the look of the new, little one – it is more in the scale of what I’ve seen on true examples from the 40s and early 50s in particular. And they certainly do have the rainbow of retro colors covered. Heck yeah there is more →

A vintage Firestone Stereophonic Hi-Fi — our final contest entry

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Tom’s entry in our Found Object Found Art contest is our final one – I think!

This is our final contest entry – I think. If I missed you, please email me, retrorenovation at gmail dot com. And get ready: Voting starts Sunday.

Heck yeah there is more →

Plan a retro vacation to the amazing Madonna Inn

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The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California, provides all kinds of inspiration on how to give your bedroom some crazy retro flair. Today, I feature some of my favorite rooms – chosen for their delicious use of wallpaper.

Heck yeah there is more →

Ruth’s blue Geneva kitchen… peach and pink bathrooms… and more

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Ruth’s Geneva kitchen, pink bathroom, peach bathroom, Tennessee granite fireplace — everything in her 1957 Michigan home — are just fantastic. I thought that I had more Geneva metal cabinets in one place than anyone, but Ruth sets a new record. And look at it: A curvacious island… marble counter topped baking area … original range exhaust fan … and more. Ruth did replace the kitchen floor – so you also can ogle her design and see if it might be right for you. I think it’s terrific – the scale is just right and the soft gray and blue have just the right ‘coolness’ to go with the lovely light blue Geneva cabinets.

Read on for Ruth’s story…16 photos…and a link to more on her flickr stream…And when you’re done be sure to check out her new blog: No Pattern Required. Heck yeah there is more →

Back in 50s TV land with Predicta – a Retro Renovation re-run

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Since I wrote this post so long ago – here it is again, in case you’ve never seen these! Originally published Nov. 24, 2007

Okay, I want a humongous TV just like the next person, but frankly, I think I want one of these awesome Predicta models more. These are faithful reproductions — not exact, but faithful — of the original Philco Predictas and there are 8 models — 4 tabletop, 4 on integrated bases. Telstar, the company that makes them, uses all-new parts, these are state-of-today’s art TVs.

I’m personally partial to the Holiday tabletop model, which is pictured here. The thought of lounging in bed… taking a pretend sick day when it’s all cold and snowy outside… and watching reruns of the Colbert Report (don’t you think he looks like a 50s guy, with that hair?) on my own little Predicta… ah, what bliss.  Website: Predicta.com