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
Timo Sarpeneva designed these Festivo glass candlesticks for iittala in 1966 — and they are, arguably, his most famous creation. You can still get these beautiful Scandinavian modern designs from a variety of online retailers, including Amazon. They would look incredible on any mid-century modern dining room table, accenting a Marimekko tablecloth — perfection.
I just got off the phone with George from New York Metals – purveyors of the stainless steel edging to true to 40s 50s and 60s kitchen countertops. The recent question on the table has been: How to bend my preferred “Snap-On Molding” (in photo above) for rounded edges – be they quarter-round cubbies or [...]
Reader Sarah successfully removed a layer of more modern laminate from her yummy gold-speckled mid-century laminate beneath. She wrote about her experience — and the products she used — on her blog, Sarahs’ Blue Castle. But before you jump over there, take a look at her note to me and my comments here first –> [...]
Our arsenal of suppliers for metal kitchen countertop edging continues to grow — with the addition of Eagle Moulding, a distributor in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Eagle Mouldings’ large inventory includes a two styles of aluminum countertop edgings, in a variety of sizes.Eagle Moulding is the direct supplier to many furniture manufacturers and, in fact, I see at [...]
If you are looking for retro-style laminate for a kitchen or bathroom countertop, you have some blinding research ahead of you. Unless there is a home-run-out-of-the-park solution — like the boomerangs, crackle ice or dogbone still available — it’s going to be a hunt-peck-and-forage to find something that’s “close enough” to original laminates from the [...]
I am updating this Retro Renovation “Classic” post for Tiel, her husband, and all readers looking for classic 50s and 60s metal countertop edging. Trust me – this is the real deal: My husband hunted down the only place left — in Astoria, Queens — that still made the exact stainless steel edging on 50s [...]
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Timo Sarpeneva cookware – mint-in-box 
Midcentury modern planters — 19 circa-1950 designs from LaGardo Tackett available today 
1967-68 Danish Modern woodblock prints – today’s ebay pick #1 
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Those are beautiful. But, I have a decorating question, offered up for fun — do you use glass candlesticks and other glass decorative objects only from spring until fall, sort of like the old white shoes between Memorial Day and Labor day rule?
Sounds like a nutty question. But, I have an elderly acquaintance who says that is the standard she grew up with back in the good old days. She only uses glass decorative objects from maybe Easter to Labor Day. During fall and winter, she uses the heavier materials such as brass, silver and/or wood.
I use whatever strikes my fancy. Just wondering if others have heard of this “rule.”
Oh wow, what an exciting yet unexpecting thing to see. I grew up with seeing these candlesticks and stubby glasses used during festive holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving at my Mom’s.
And, at Christmas, instead of putting them on a tablecloth, she’d place these candlesticks in amongst boughs off trees that we got off the mountains.
No, I’ve never noticed about using glass from spring to fall, then metals for winter, Sue! I’m shaking my brain cells awake to see if I remember Mom doing that, but all that comes out of all the rattling is noise, no memories, LOL!
I adore Scandenavian decor! I have a Danish buffet and table/chairs from 1961 (imprinted on the bottom of the furniture) that I bought years ago from one of my Mom’s friends.