There are some lovely mint-in-box items here: A pair of Lightolier sconces with an antique brass finish that may be just right for a cool-onial ranch… a vintage can opener ready to hang on your kitchen wall… a vintage toastite… and some adorable Parisian Print linen kitchen towels. Disclosure: Retro Renovation is a member of the ebay partner network and receives a small percentage of any item you bid on and buy when you click into ebay from here (a great way to support the blog. Many thanks.)
Vintage Lightolier sconces & more mint-in-box mid mod madness
Posted by: • February 14, 2010
Willa’s Wild Life – Baby It’s You
Posted by: • February 13, 2010
Grabba second cuppa and watch this wonderful little mid-mod Saturday morning cartoon, sent to use by Jill, who writes:
Hey Pam -
Check out Willa’s Wild Liffe cartoon on Saturday mornings – it’s about a little girl who lives with her dad in a mid-century house – starburst clock, triple window door, very cool. It is on NBC and originally from Canada.
Bargello needlepoint pillows: Troy gets crafty
Posted by: • February 12, 2010
Troy picked up on my newfound love (obsession?) for bargello needlepoint pillows and is making some for his fabulous Eichler. He writes:
Hey Pam, a very timely bargello post – I’ve spent the last two weeks learning to stitch – perfect for those chilly evenings by the fire when thar ain’t nothin’ on TV. Next in line is a version of that great geometric at the end of your post. Later – Troy Heck yeah there is more →
1955 GE wall-mount refrigerator
Posted by: • February 12, 2010
52PostnBeam spotted this 1955 GE wall refrigerator on craigslist and posted it on the Forum. Wow, there’s even a video. I don’t even have videos (yet). 52pnb points out to make sure you get the wall-mounting hardware if you buy these fridges.
Why mid-century houses had small closets: The Century in Shoes
Posted by: • February 11, 2010
Our mid-century houses have small closets because our relatives had less stuff. Case in point: According to the nifty little website, The Century in Shoes, in 1940 the average American woman owned just five pairs of shoes. That was considered a lot. But, even that upward trend came to a screeching halt in 1943 when the U.S. began rationing shoes. If you have a few minutes, take a quick walk through shoe history, using this site’s “dial a decade.” Just like looking at the history of steel kitchen cabinets, the history of shoes embraces so much more than you would ever think. History. It’s funny that way. Meanwhile, if you want (dare I say “need”?) some 1940s style shoes of your own, remember my recent post about reproduction Re-Mix Vintage Shoes.
Ikea kitchen sinks with retro style
Posted by: • February 10, 2010
I rarely feature products from Ikea, mostly because I do not live near one but also because so many other blogs seem to spotlight their stuff a lot. However, these two kitchen sinks recently came onto my radar. I will add them to the Product Guide for renovators to consider for their kitchen updates, and hunt and peck their site more diligently for appropriate and affordable choices for mid-century homes. Heck yeah there is more →
Bargello needlepoint’s popularity in mid-century America
Posted by: • February 9, 2010
It is oh-so-wonderful when readers get their moms to explain the what, why and wherefore of mid-century decorating trends. Arcalus Bo, who runs his own historic home design consultation in Portland, Oregon, and who also consults on historical issues for Rejuvenation, spotted my new fixation with vintage bargello needlepoint pillows. He knew that his mom Ashley was quite expert on the subject — she once taught the craft — and put me in touch with her. The gorgeous piece above is Ashley’s. She sent me images of a few more — along with an explanation of bargello’s wild popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. Heck yeah there is more →
16 vintage Kohler kitchens — and an important kitchen sinks still offered today
Posted by: • February 8, 2010
Let me take you on a little stroll though kitchen design history from the 1930s though the 1950s — with this terrific series of images from Kohler. Vicki Hafenstein of the media relations team at Kohler is really helpful and responsive, and quickly supplied these vintage kitchen photos and illustrations to help with the etsy.com video. She is also hunting some pink bathroom illustrations for my talk in Charlotte. I really appreciate your help, Vicki! I also wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that Kohler makes two hudee-rimmed porcelain-on-cast-iron sinks still available today — they would be my top choices for a Retro Renovation kitchen. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that when I found my 67 vintage Geneva steel kitchen cabinets, the former cooking-school set also came with four vintage, 42″ wide, double-bowl, hudee-ringed Kohler sinks? One is now installed in my kitchen. Heck yeah there is more →
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