Remodeling, decor and home improvement for old homes
Run, don’t walk, and start snapping up vintage Bargello needlepoint pillows before the rest of the design world goes nuts for them. These pillow are gorgeous. They are high-quality, handmade, graphic, backed with velvet or corduroy, assembled like a couture dress — and quite inexpensive. What more can you ask for? The incredible 1975 Bargello needlepoint “sampler” pillow above is currently on ebay and is featured in the next post. Heck yeah there is more →
Rebecca and Keith seem to be gravitating toward a monochromatic palette of orange, butterscotch, gold and linen in decorating their 1961 mid-century modern living room and family room. Rebecca asked for some tips, so first up, I searched 1960 and 1961 advertisements for colors to complement orange. Rebecca, I think that adding just one substantive accent color — most obviously, a blue or green — will really make your beautiful autumnal palette really “pop.” Heck yeah there is more →
Color is so funny. You never know how it will come together. After researching Rebecca examples of how to complement orange with blue and green for Rebecca and Keith’s 1961 mid-century split level house, I started poking around Bradbury’s Mod Generation wallpaper to see if they had any designs and color palette that might work for her rooms. I put this “Reverb” in “Purple Tangerine” up next to her living room and woah mama, I like it. A lot. Heck yeah there is more →
MEET REBECCA AND KEITH, new owners of a 1961 tri-level home in Ann Arbor, Mich. Rebecca has been totally sucked into the mid-mod vortex… and has a great eye. It is just so fun for me to see all the young couples feathering their nests. That was me, too 
. Rebecca has a few questions… and shares photos of the fabulous features of this gem of a home — including an asymmetric fireplace with a “Feastmaster.” Heck yeah there is more →
When considering bathroom or kitchen cabinetry for a mid-century remodel, I like to remind folks about laminate. This is a material with nearly infinite design choices… it’s relatively affordable… well-constructed, it can last a long time… and it’s authentic mid-century. Over on Very Vintage Las Vegas, Uncle Jack spotlights Heidi and Scott’s mid-century bathroom and kitchen renovations, where laminate was used beautifully. Heck yeah there is more →
Pat contributes this find: A reproduction of a streamline 20th century porcelain wall sconce, available for $29.99 at Lowes. This light may not have all the detail of Rejuvenation’s similar Selma sconce — which is $95. Even so, this Lowe’s product is pretty darn cute and puts this classic look within much greater reach of many folks. Heck yeah there is more →
Pat also spotted this simple, retro-styled light fixture at Lowe’s — it’s a mere $12.98. Like the porcelain bathroom sconce, this light fixture style was also ubiquitious, and used all over the house in mid-century America. With the chrome fixture base, it has a definite 50s 60s vibe. Part of the Portfolio brand, at Lowe’s online here. Thanks again, Pat, good detective work.
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