These Nutone exhaust fans are in high demand — two MIB on ebay currently, one at a BIN price way less than what they normally sell for. Be sure to re-wire.
Vintage Nutone mint-in-box
Posted by: • January 17, 2010
Dwyer all-in-one kitchen
Posted by: • January 17, 2010
52PostnBeam spotted this unusual vintage Dwyer all-in-one kitchen unit on craigslist and has posted it on our forum. These one-piece Dwyer units are not uncommon, once you start watching, you seem them quite a bit. What seems to distinguish this one, however, is that it closes up like a clamshell to look like a single integral cabinets or box. Very cool. $500, Phoenix area.
Welcome, Astro
Posted by: • January 16, 2010
Life is very amazing. Who would think that having a little blog would change your life in so many ways you didn’t expect. This is Astro. He is a three-year-old guy who so far has lived his life in a puppy mill in Pennsylvania. But his puppy mill got shut down, and he made his way to Denise, who does miniature schnauzer rescue. I met Denise on the blog, I don’t even remember how. Now, Astro will be coming to my house. I went to see Denise on Thursday to meet my little guy and affirm the match. He is very shy, but very, very sweet. Denise is not shy and very, very funny and wonderful. Her blog: On the Verge of Snapping. We had a great time — as if we had been best friends in high school and were re-connecting years later. Of course, we also took some time to go vintage-shopping. I’ll report more on that tomorrow. Meanwhile, meet Astro. I’ll pick him up at Denise’s on Jan. 25 to bring him to his forever home. 
Jessie Steele aprons
Posted by: • January 15, 2010
After our discussion about the apron for Berry, which had a little terry cloth hand towel as part of its design, GennJen sent me a link to Jessie Steele aprons, because they, too, have a design that incorporates this nifty feature. Heck yeah there is more →
Kitchen cabinet doors for knotty pine or painted “coolonial” kitchens
Posted by: • January 14, 2010
Continuing to build our portfolio of choices for retro style kitchen cabinets, I spotted this Jamestown plank door style from Holiday Kitchens. Holiday offers this in hickory, and I think that with the right finish it reads “knotty pine.” A few years ago, I also saw a kitchen with this door style in an ivory painted, antiqued and waxed finish. The kitchen was in what I’d call a mid-century coolonial home in Stockbridge, Mass. Yes, another new term I think I just invented: “Cool-onial”. Hip colonial, and in the Stockbridge case, a rambling ranchy country house but one that very very clearly had a colonial pedigree. The kitchen was much like the coolonial kitchen below — one of my all-time favorites. Finally, I think that this style also could look very nice tinted — another option with mid-century precendents.
California time capsule houses
Posted by: • January 13, 2010
Java1888 is doing excellent retro recon these days, and has captured 33 photos in his “time capsules” set on flickr. This past weekend, he stumbled into an Asian-styled ranch full of delights. Alas, he admits, “The house is 90% likely to be gutted, it’s in a really exclusive area of town… [where] people … think wallpaper is the devil.” I know it’s wrong wrong wrong to stereotype, and “no one can be made to feel bad for their choices” and all… but alas, I fear Java is right. And the wallpaper in this house… well, let’s say, I’m on the devil’s side. Thank you, J, for all the lovely vintage eye candy. Keep up the good work. Here’s his flickr time capsule set.
Eye-popping 1974 time capsule house in Nashville
Posted by: • January 13, 2010
Meanwhile, in other time capsule news, reader Lisa spotted this one and writes:
Hi! …I don’t even know if time capsule covers it. This house must have actually been buried in the ground since the mid 70s and only recently unearthed….The light fixtures in the bathroom. The raised platform and the wallpaper in the yellow bedroom. The matching curtains and bedspread in the other bedroom. The matching WALLPAPER AND CURTAINS in the other, other bedroom. Are you kidding me? This house is mint-in-box. I’m always finding great ideas through your site, I thought I’d return the favor.
Incredible house, Lisa, I WANT IT. Consider the favor: Returned! Many thanks.
Picasaweb album – many additional views.
Ralph Lauren aging glaze for wallpaper and wood
Posted by: • January 12, 2010
Okay, so here is the bottom line: If you have an old house, why would you want things to look brand spanking *today* new? You’re not fooling anyone. The outside of your house is old, the trees are old, the neighborhood is old. Putting in sleek and shiny new new new is kind of like living in retirement community, getting a major facelift, but everything else… still sags. Heck yeah there is more →
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