Products and ideas to remodel your mid century home in authentic vintage style
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postwar homes – “modern” and “modest” alike.
I'm Pam Kueber, your mid mod mad guide. Read more
A 73-page mid-century Lightolier catalog — now that is some serious eye-candy for whiling away a few hours on a sleepy Sunday. The awesome Gretchen has scanned this entire catalog and posted it as a set on Flickr. Go take a look, I promise it will blog your mind. Also be sure to check out Gretchen’s Eiclerific blog.
UPDATE (Oct 2011): Click over to –> this story to get an update on all three sources for boomerang laminate. If you are planning Formica Boomerang countertop in aqua for your kitchen renovation, you’d better order now. Alas, if you were planning the skylark (light blue) or coral, it’s already too late. Following up on [...]
A reader wrote to ask how to bring the luster back to her vintage laminate countertops. Paste wax, maybe? To get the answer, I turned to expert Grace Jeffers. She is the writer, design historian and materials expert responsible for restoration of the Ralph Sr. and Sunny Wilson House – including its gorgeous Mondrian-style kitchen, [...]
Okay, this is the last day of my little fixation with retro laminates. (For now.) As you know, I am a devotee of the Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern palette, both interior and exterior. So, I have gone through Arpa’s line of solid-colored laminates and for the most part, been able to line up 10 colors [...]
ALAS: DISCONTINUED! The website says that these are for “contract” jobs — that is, interior designers working on commercial projects. But hey, if you really like these retro laminate choices, go after Nevamar and get them! Remember: The only way to do these…is to pair them with authentic steel countertop and backsplash edging available from [...]
I felt blog ego come upon me (horrors, ego!) when Ronn challenged my assessment that the countertop in this kitchen was original. Maybe yes, maybe no, but if his belief is that it’s 90s because of the integral backsplash and edge (rather than the pattern) – I did respond that I’ve spotted integral design for [...]
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20 pages of 1969 modern lighting from Moe 
Moe honeycomb lighting: The full line, from a 1968 catalog, plus 4 hilarious room shots 
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Thanks to Pam and Gretchen for posting this catalog. From it, I was able to identify the flourescent fixtures on either side of the mirror in our front bathroom as Vistalites 7291 or 7271; their arrangement is the same as in the picture on page two. Never knew they were Lightolier!
How cool!
That’s fantastic, Annie — glad to help! Many thanks Pam, for posting this. I’ll continue to scan mid-century brochures and catalogs as I come across them.