Nathan recently purchased a 1962 time capsule home. He truly appreciates the beauty and history in this blonde wood kitchen full of pristine, museum-quality appliances not to mention a fabulous pink porcelain drainboard sink. But, he is himself a craftsman and furniture maker, and has his own creative vision for a mid-century inspired kitchen of his dreams. So, now he is trying to find the right buyer for this mint, unused 1962 kitchen including a pink General Electric combination wall mount refrigerator, a pink GE automatic electric built-In oven, a pink GE cooktop, a pink GE dishwasher, and a pink cast iron double bowl sink.
Nathan purchased the home late last year from the original owner, who built the house but for personal reasons never lived in it. Oh my, the kitchen is a real beauty.
Once the shock wears off, be sure to notice also the mosaic tile on the floor, and the four-inch tiles on the backsplash, on the soffits, on the wall in the dinette. I’ve never seen tile on soffits, for example. The cabinets — the pink countertops and appliances — the tile — and the light — all combine to make this a luminous kitchen indeed.
Oh, and I’ve never seen scribing (I think that’s what it’s called) of the ‘vents’ underneath the sink and cooktop like this before. The atomic cabinet pulls are gorgeous, too — note, Nathan plans to keep the cabinet hardware.
Nathan for sure is selling the appliances and the drainboard sink. The kitchen, he fears, will not demo well, because it is built directly into the walls. But it’s a possibility that it could also be removed intact.
Finally, I want to forewarn: No chest beating, please, in Comments, over Nathan’s decision not to keep this kitchen. I have never ever said this site is all about having to keep everything original. At its heart, in addition to identifying resources, I’m about just helping people understand what they have in their homes so that they can make informed decisions. Nathan knows what he has, and wants the kitchen to go to someone who will truly be able to love it. (The gorgeous vintage light fixture – stays.)
Click on the gallery shot above to go to Nathan’s flickr photostream to see more photos. You can also see some of his custom furniture by Nathan Chandler — I’ll feature some of his mid-century inspired pieces shortly. Thank you, Nathan, for giving us the opportunity to see your kitchen and potentially, to help find it a good home.
Pristine Pink! Truly a time capsule.
I really hope he finds somebody to love this kitchen and I hope Nathan will share his finished kitchen with us when it’s complete, I’m looking forward to it!
That… is… THE… most amazing… kitchen… EVER (period)! I am pea green with envy. Please rethink changing it. It is TRULY special!
It’s good to remember if it wasn’t for people taking things out of their homes, we’d never be able to put them into ours. It’s a great kitchen and it makes me want to turn on the Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink” now. Good luck Nathan, thanks for sharing.
Holy Moly ! This is fantastic !! LUCK-EE !
Truly a beautiful piece of history! I hope it goes to a great home. Whomever scoops this up is stealing my dream kitchen!
Ahhh! I became speechless when I saw this, and lost track of my thought, while chatting with my husband this morning! I lOVE!. Since selling my 1959 ranch in Columbus and moving to Charleston, we just cant find any MCM or atomic rances here. I cry thinking I may have to decorate a track home with my all my wonderful retro furniture! Best of luck in getting an appreciative buyer.
WOW, WOW, WOW, yes, I’m trying to get over the shock of the beauty of it all. As soon as I opened this link and saw that first picture, my heart fluttered. I’m still feeling the after shocks. Amazingly nice. That is totally custom cabinetry. Wow. Someone was a thinker. Looks like this was designed and built for the future lady of the house for sure. Wow. Just nice nice nice. Of course, the fact that it’s so spare and clean and mint and the light coming in, helps it all look even better. Can I say wow again? WOW! Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to rethink my kitchen renovation!
Thank you Pam for sharing Nathan’s kitchen with all of us. I hope to see you in the Queen City this next week.
One incredible kitchen! Thanks for the gorgeous photos. Nathan’s informed decision not to keep this kitchen is win-win: he wiil be able to craft his own expression of mid century and some lucky soul out there will have the kitchen of his or her dreams!
Swoonworthy! And thanks for reminding us to be adults and not get in a petty ” I can’t believe you don’t want this beautiful kitchen” war. Happy that Nathan shared the photos here and hopefully will share the physical contents with someone who will be able to use in their mid mod kitchen!
This is the kitchen I have been dreaming of!!!
Oh, wow. I mean, WOW. Many thanks to Nathan for sharing this kitchen with us, even if the most many of us ever get to see are the photos. This made my morning.
Are angels singing? – because I hear angels singing.
Glorious! I hope that it can find a happy home. It makes me happy to know that little slices of Heaven like that still exist.
I missed it probably, but where is Nathan and this incredible kitchen?
Pam, this is absolutely remarkable. Even makes ME want pink appliances.
Just wanted to toss out a thought in Nathan’s direction: before it does get parted out, I wonder if he’s considered getting in touch with a film crew; they might be EXTREMELY interested in using the kitchen, in place, for some period setting. (As we all know the movie & TV biz mixes & matches locations all the time, even when the viewer thinks they’re side by side.) It might take some research to go from one person to another, but I’ll bet there’d be SOMEbody in commercials, TV or film, either locally or not, who’d love to have such an incredibly thorough setting to use.
Looking forward to the Spring Show next week (and meeting you Pam) but it’s crunch time now! Stayed till 3:30 last night building walls. To Dotty (poster, above): If the Charleston you mention is Charleston, SC, you might be interested to know that a friend from there who’s business is beautifully-restored vintage patio furniture (metal clamshell chairs, etc.), will be displaying some of her pieces in my MCM garden at the Charlotte show.
I’d bet he could sell that kitchen to a studio in Hollywood and a make a TON of money. I’m sure someone who’s a set designer for Mad Men would love to have that in their set arsenal.
Could you just die? I love this kitchen like I love my firstborn!
This is one fantastic looking kitchen. Wish it was mine. Nathan, if you end up selling the cabinet pulls by themselves, let me know…I would love to buy them.
Sweet fancy Moses! I want every single piece of this heavenly kitchen!
Nathan, you MUST keep us posted on the progress of your new kitchen. If you’re tearing THIS out you must have something insanely fabulous on the drawing board! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
It’s like I always have to remember when buying vintage, not EVERYONE in 1962, despite equal access to pink laminate and amenities, would have HAD pink laminate and amenities– there’s a question of personal taste.You have to choose what best suits you. As someone said in an earlier comment, I think it’s great he didn’t just rip everything out and leave it at the curb– kudos to Nathan for recognizing the value these items would have for another person and offer them as such. I hope they find a good (new) home!
The mystery of why the house + appliances sat there unused, by the way, is just killing me.
I swear I don’t work for second use, but i mention them here all the time. The wall fridge… i saw one of those at S.U. in white… i thought it was commercial, but now i think it was meant for an install like this. What a great ergonomic design!
Good luck nathan, on all counts.
I’m in a similar situation on a smaller scale. I’m trying to sell some retro stuff to a loving home because it doesn’t fit into my plans (or my home, which is much older).
Thanks for sharing, the sink, the breakfast bar, I feel pretty, oh so pretty!
wow – i’ve never seen a horizontal refrigerator like that from the early 60s! love that it’s pink..
Love it! Hope it finds a great new home.
Un-Be-Lievable!!!
What a stunning specimen of minty fresh retro pinkness! It’s a bit sad that Nathan is planning to keep the hardware though – it makes the whole thing sparkle! I don’t blame him
What fabulous appliances. I wish I wanted a pink kitchen, if I did I would be on my way to Nathan’s right this minute with cash in hand. Is that a beast of a sink, or what?
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone, and I truly hope the lucky buyer makes an effort to save the cabinetry. Surely it can be done? I’d love to see this kitchen photographed in it’s new home one day!
Can one still find those wall refrigerators? Cool design!
Amazing, I’m in love.
Now, this is a natural wood kitchen I can get behind – so much light! And if I were anywhere near the vicinity, I’d snap up that sink in a second. I want those shelves by the window too. H’mm. I need to consult with the family carpenter, I think!
Wasn’t there a post awhile back on a company offering similar cabinet hardware new? At least, atomic boomerang pulls?
Thank you for all the kind words. I am blown away by all your responses. I will definitely keep Pam posted on the sale of the kitchen as well as the eventual renovation.
@#&%!! Lol
I know there are reasons, but I can’t imagine doing all of that work and then not living in the house.
I couldn’t personally do quite that much pink, but this is truly a time capsule setting. And I do have to admit that fridge and stove be fun! I love that fridge!! Why don’t we have styles like that these days? What a great idea to have it all in wall like that.
I’ll look forward to seeing what is done with this kitchen. There are so many possibilities.
That kitcken gives new meaning to time capsule! WOW! Fridge…Ah-mazing!
and I live in Australia! This is just so unfare, why can’t I find something that good here? I hope who ever gets it loves it as much as we all love looking at it. Good luck.
Be still my heart! What an amazing kitchen. The pink is gorgeous, so sophisticated with the blonde wood and soft beige tile. I’ve not seen that floor tile in pastels.- so, when did we loose our color gene? The whole room is beautifully executed – I’m a little sad it was never used. I guess its time has come, now! Thanks for sharing, Nathan.
Wow! This is fantastic – though I agree, a bit too pink for even me! I believe a majority of people would have walked in, screamed and immediately thrown all of this fabulousness into a big dumpster. Thank you Nathan for realizing it is something special and taking the effort to find it a new family.
I definitely want to see the new product along with this kitchen’s new home!
I want it. Bad.
I’d love to see a photo shoot done in this kitchen before it comes down!
Nathan, what a work of art! Waking up to fix breakfast in this cheery pink kitchen would be heaven.
Good luck to you in your renovation. Thanks for sharing and not putting these appliances in a landfill.
Am I dreaming?
Man-o-man! Love that fridge! Is the rest of the house this prisitne? Any cool bathrooms we should see??? Thanks Nathan for sharing…and for also making the items that you can’t use available to others!
Another kudos to Nathan for choosing to find a new home for his kitchen, rather than dumping it at the curb for landfill. The mere thought brings tears to my eyes! So gorgeous, and cheerful and cleanlined. sigh……
Isn’t it amazing that someone had a house not really lived in for that many years? While not a fan of pink, I truly appreciate the period and a the very rare condition of that kitchen.
I am in LOVE with this and live close to where it is. I talked to Nathan about buying it since I’m buying a house with a vintage teal and black tiled kitchen. Are you kidding me…how great would this be in there!?My budget is what it is…and I’m afraid my offer was a slight insult to him…but a girl’s gotta try, right?…
Best of luck to Nathan. I hope this finds a happy home!
Nathan,
I sent you an e-mail regarding this set yesterday. Did you receive it?
Thanks,
Rebecca
Linda (and others): Nathan’s email is in the post — please read carefully and if you are interested, contact him directly.
I thought I loved my kitchen…that’s dreamy!! I can see some red geraniums in there…make me want to put on my apron and serve up some coffee & cake (or cocktail).
Oh Nathan, be still my heart. I hope he finds a good home for this vintage perfection. xo, suzy
Donate it to a museum!!!
Most gorgeous kitchen I ever saw ever ever ever, sigh just dreamy, I wish I could buy it all!!
Thanks Nathan for seeing the beauty and selling the appliances to someone who will love them!
Very nice find!
I’m wondering how a house that sat empty for so many years stays in such great shape.
I’ve always heard that an empty house deteriorates faster than one being lived in.
No doubt it was cleaned before the photos or maybe the original owner kept it cleaned over the years?
What is the rest of the house like?
More pics of the rest of the house!
Must have been tough to decide to tear that out!
I am soooo envious! I hope it can go to someone who really truly appreciate this fabulous Americana!
Amazing! And even the original dishwasher soap boxes that came with the machine. I’d love to know the story behind the lack of use.
This very much reminds me of vision-in-pink kitchen I stumbled on when showing a house for sale eight or nine years ago. It was a ca. 1900 house but someone had spent a great deal remodeling it circa 1945-50 or so and then seemingly using it for only the shortest time. You got the impression that a man may have lived upstairs but the majority of the house was total time capsule – a la Better Homes and Garden 1948 – paneling, furniture, rugs – everything pristine, nothing newer added at all.
But the kitchen!! ALL pink – metal cabinets, every appliance, Formica counters, and every accessory (and there were plenty). There was even a dining table made with the pink Formica top and metal legs. It seemed barely used – used enough for the pink enthusiast to gather all the accessories but not touched to speak of in decades.
It was before I carried a camera with me and I’ve thought of it for years wondering about the back story. I keep meaning to send a note to the owners – I can only imagine – and hope – that they were retro enthusiasts who’ve preserved at least the kitchen.
Liz
Kudos to Nathan for the hard work he’s putting into finding a good home for all that wonderful pinkness! I wish him and the eventual new owner well.
I’d love to see what the rest of the house looks like! Any chance we can get the backstory on why it was never lived in?
Amy, a couple of other people have asked as well, but I felt like the backstory was private, so, no.
Pam :
I understand you can’t detail the ‘backstory’, but how in the world does a home such as this, if I understand the commentary, go nearly 50 yrs. w/o being lived in?
Sounds like a ‘Movie of the Week’…
I love it! I have a few clients that bought mid-century homes that would drool over this. All the atomic age detail is fantastic!!!
This kitchen is NOT form 1962…It is from about 1956. I have a 1962 GE dealer catalog and they did not offer that style of wall oven or dishwasher then. Both of those models seen in this kitchen were discontinued around 1957.
Hey, Patrick, thanks for the info. Maybe the appliances were retained from earlier…
that might very well be Pam…oh and I forgot to mention the Wall fridge had been discontinued long before 1962 as well
I’m trying hard to adhere to the no chest beating request. Wow, this is just so “swell” I can’t imagine parting with any of it !! What a lucky find. (Maybe you should call the location scout for Mad Men!) Thanks for sharing.
This is amazing! I contacted him several days ago about his asking price since I may be in the market for a kitchen re-do, but have heard nothing from him. Do you know if it’s been sold?
Hi, Chris — no, I don’t know the status. When I get back from Charlotte, I will check in with Nathan and see if we can get an update. I know there was lots and lots of interest….
Is this for sale?
bonnie – details are in the post. i’m guessing it’s gone.
whatever happend to the most beautiful kitchen I have ever seen?
Angela, I emailed Nathan a while back to find out, but he did not reply. I’ll add it to my list to chase him down to get the end of the story…
I absolutely LOVE this color combo! I wish this were my house!
I have an identical set of those chrome kitchen containers, neat to see those in a photo set here on retro renovation! They’re marked “Flour” “Sugar” “Coffee” and “Tea”. Bought my set for $10 at the local Salvation Army… SCORE!!!
I love that he is selling the kitchen- re-use, recycle, awesome! What a great idea! I am blown away by the gorgeous condition of everything, not to mention the pink-ness! What kind of stools are those? Love them!
That kitchen made my heart skip a beat. And pristine — wow wow wow. I can’t imagine changing that perfection.
Oh wow, I wish I could make a home for that kitchen. I really love the color of the cabinets and the hardware is to die for!
The bar stools look just like some we bought several months ago at a flea market: five for $50! They are great!
In the late 1970s, we lived in a house with a pink refrigerator. Now i know what kitchen it belonged in!
wow, the shock has still not worn off – did the kitchen ever find a good home?
OMG OMG!
I hope he put that thing on a location scouting list!
The sink! OMG! I hope that bad boy went to a good home- I have never seen anything like it!
Hi I was just curious what state is the house in? East Coast? West coast?
Illinois
WOW! What an absolutely FABULOUS kitchen!!! I am literally breathless. I hope it can be removed in-tact and that it will be passed on to someone who loves it as much as I do.
I grew up around most of those appliances, in turquoise. Our house had been built in 1958. We looked forward to getting rid of all that old stuff back then.
I would like to see what he does with his new kitchen since he is a craftsman. I was upset at first, but I’m glad he is selling to mid century enthusiasts. Will you be able to show after photo’s when he is finished with the remodel?
The phrase PINK SINK cries out to be a song. Like BLACK SLACKS. Best of luck removing the kitchen to someone who will adore it. I’m in Illinois but not in the market for a retro kitchen. My childhood home, with the kitchen removated in the late 60s, had that gingerbread and side shelves over the sink too.
I wish someone had petitioned to get this on the historical register.
I die!!!
I would like to purchase the refrigrator – is it for sale?
Diane, this is a very old story….
oh dear god this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen—the wall frig, the dishwasher handle that says “dishwasher”, the hardware, everything!! I need hardware like that for my kitchen re-do. swooooonnn
How funny, I have those exact same pulls and knobs in my house, 4 point star backing included. This place is a treasure, how could he improve it?
I can’t imagine what he will do—hope he posts pics of the finished room. If my 50s kitchen was this fab I wouldn’t change a thing. Hopefully mine will look wonderful once the reno is completed. Are your pulls and knobs original?
Our house was built in 1957 and we have the same built in oven and counter top elements and push button controls built into the front of the cupboard. They are still being used daily. We had a 1960 Frigidaire refrigerator up to last year and it was replaced by a stainless steel and it spoiled the look of the kitchen. All the appliances are in turquoise and the walls of the kitchen are pale pink. I have the original sales slips – oven $180.50 stove top $104.00 Aug.11/58. (Cdn $)Cupboards were custom built on a slant with sliding doors in natural wood stain,The counter tops are copper fleck arborite. The oven & stove top are the same model as in your pictures and I also have the direction booklet that came with the appliances.
Hi,
According to GE, we have a 1962 GE pushbutton cooktop in white just like yours (but the button control is in the wall), with pink countertops, a GE built in oven and a crappy, new GE dishwasher. We had water damage from our ceiling 6 weeks ago, and currently doing some light remodeling in our 1930 home. Is this still for sale? Do we need to buy everything? I’m wondering if the sink will fit our space.
What part of Illinois are you located? We are in Indiana.
Thanks,
Chris
Chris – this is a very old story. Kitchen long gone, I am sure.
I have that fridge and want to sell it also the oven both working the stove top to match but not working ! any offers can provide pic located in CO
Do you still have this…know it’s been over a year.
I’m living in a home that had one owner for 60 years and we have the same wall oven and stove top(still is working condition!). The button press stove top confused me at first because the buttons go in order Hi, 2 , 3 , low, warm. 2 is a smaller number and is a higher temp then 3.
But this is a beautiful kitchen.
You are very lucky, Gabrielle!
Hey, my apartment (built in ’53) also has the same oven and cook top, but in yellow! And they still work great. You can see a couple of pics on my blog, here:
http://vitaminihandmade.blogspot.com/2012/04/moving-day.html
I’ve been meaning to take some more glamour shots of the entire kitchen but I must wait till I get my custom boomerang cafe sewn.
I grew up in a Campanelli ranch style house. The whole neighborhood was all the same ranch houses. We had that same fridge and push button stove and our oven was built into the wall. and a matching hot water heater all in the kitchen with radiant heat slate tile floors. Every house was the same, except we all had a different color, Ours was pink, The next door neighbors was aqua., The people across the street had a brown color, next to them was avacado etc.
The bathrooms also matched the kitchen, the tubs and sinks were the same color as the fridge, oven and stove. The bathroom tile, matched the kitchen backsplash tile.
These homes were the newest things, very modern for the times. My family was the first owner and we moved there in 1966, just after it was finished being built. Every house had 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, a garage and a den.
I have very fond memories of that house. I think that is why I love Mid-Century modern.
I contacted Nathan via e-mail a few weeks ago and he replied he still had the kitchen fixtures and wanted $1000 for everything. I was in heaven and asked him to call me with details so I could make travel and shipping arrangments. After a couple more e-mails with no reply, I gave up. Not sure what the story is on this one.
“Fixtures?” Like the faucet? What else for $1000?
Amy, he told me he still had and was selling the entire set: stove, sink, fridge, cooktop, etc., for $1000. I asked him several times to call me and he never did. Finally, I just gave up.
I have a pink sink! It is essentially the same as this one, except it was professionally refinished in this “bubble gum pink”. But, I am seriously considering having it refinished in white before installing it into my circa 1905 craftsman home. I am in southwestern Canada. I’m afraid I could not offer as good a deal as Nathan, but would possibly consider a trade.
Oh my god, my family has the same oven and stove top 0_0 !!