2009 May — Retro Renovation

Spring reminder about safety & environmental precautions

Posted by: pam kueber • May 7, 2009

WITH SPRING AND SUMMER WEATHER dawning all across North America, it’s likely the time that many of us will be opening our windows wide and doing painting, scraping and other do-it-yourself renovations big or small. While this site focuses on design and aesthetics, not DIY or fix-it, I do want to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the importance of consulting with professionals and knowing what you are working with when it comes to the materials and surfaces in your vintage home.

A good resource: The EPA has websites on both lead in the home (outside, inside and don’t forget painted steel or wood cabinets and furniture, either)… and on asbestos in the home (ditto, there are a variety of places this may be found.)

Take care, retro renovators!

Comments 1

11 window treatments for midcentury homes

Posted by: pam kueber • May 7, 2009

barkcloth-valance

WITH SO MUCH RESEARCH on resources for a retro renovation accumulating, I’ve started pulling together mega-posts. So following my recent window treatment blitz, here are my 11 main posts on vintage style curtains, drapes, pinch pleats, blinds and roller shades. (I’ll also transform this into a new Fast & Easy page.)

Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 6

For mis-matched windows: How about cafe curtains with a valence?

Posted by: pam kueber • May 6, 2009

vintage-cafe-curtains Do you have a dining area with one window smaller than the other? Perhaps this solution — from a 1959 Consolidated Trimming Company’s “1,001 tips” booklet — will help. And if you’re looking for good solid cafe rods, the line available from Rejuvenation look pretty nice.

Read on for a close-up of the booklet’s explanation… Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 1

The Gonce House and their fabulous 1960s Bass sofa

Posted by: pam kueber • May 6, 2009

1960s-sofa-Crest-Custom-by-Bass-Brothers

It seems like there are a lot of new readers lately, including those with their own blogs. I hope this means that (1) the real estate market is picking up, (2) midcentury homes – “modern” and “modest” alike – continue to gain appeal and there are people who want to preserve their charms, and (3) you all are having so much fun reading this blog that you want to start your own. Hey: That’s the way it should be! A recent addition to our retro renovation community: Susie, who writes, ” …We recently bought our first home, built in 1957, and we”re having a ball getting settled in and putting our personal touches on everything. I’ve really enjoyed looking at your site, especially the flooring section (getting ready to redo our kitchen, probably with classic black Armstrong).”

Read more about Suzie’s new-old house which includes the fabulous “Exclusive Style Crest Custom Quality by Bass Bros.” sofa pictured above, at her blog, The Gonce House. Welcome, Suzie!

Comments 9

Tappan push-button plumbing – 1963

Posted by: pam kueber • May 5, 2009

ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT for something we’ve never seen before, I was ecstatic to find this “Tappan Ultraflo push-button plumbing” innovation. It was featured in a copy of Popular Mechanics (Sept. 1963) that I picked up at Ron’s place last week. According to the story, mysterious unseen solenoids mix the temp magically so you never have to bother with those, what are they called again…oh yeah, faucet handles. This could be installed in the bathroom, too. Click through to see the groovy wiring diagram and full text.

And let’s hear your guesses… Why do you think this innovation failed? Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 39

1959 instructions to make your own fabric roller shades

Posted by: pam kueber • May 5, 2009

how-make-a-vintage-fabric-roller-shade

IT *LOOKS* PRETTY EASY to make your own fabric roller shade. Click through to the continuing page for instructions from my 1959 booklet by the Consolidated Trimming Corporation. And, I have a few tips of my own, based on my personal experience doing sewing and with these types of shades. Regarding the window above: Isn’t it hilariously wonderful? Notice how they designers have tricked us into believing the window is taller than it really is, with the addition of the second rod of scalloped cafe curtains at the bottom. Looks impractical given the supposed eating going on, but an interesting idea nonetheless. Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 10

3 ways to recreate a vintage style roller shade

Posted by: pam kueber • May 4, 2009

1952-vintage-columbia-roller-shades

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR an authentic midcentury window treatment that is “simpler” and/or less expensive than pinch-pleat draperies or horizontal blinds — especially when it comes to a smaller window? Roller shades are a great alternative to add to your stable of choices.

Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 14

Re-issued vintage PF Flyers

Posted by: pam kueber • May 3, 2009

1964-pf-flyer-ad Oh my goodness, I am sure that these PF Flyers are the kinds of sneakers… “tennies”… that I had as a kid growing up in the 60s. Keds, too. Brian over at Atomic Addiction spotted the fact that authentic vintage reproductions of PF Flyers have now been introduced. There are 12 different designs, originally introduced as early as 1940… all the way to 1981. Me, I think I’ll get a pair of the 1947 Grounder Lo’s. On the PF Flyer website there’s also a nice little slide show on the history of the brand, which included the first tie-up (tee hee) between a sneaker company and a pro basketball player, Bob Cousy.