2010 February — Retro Renovation

Getting ready for a mad mad mid mod Charlotte, North Carolina

Posted by: pam kueber • February 7, 2010

Calling all readers in and around Charlotte, North Carolina! I am really busy getting ready for 5 presentations at the Southern Spring Home & Garden Show on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. In keeping with the theme of the blog, I will be taking attendees on a whirlwind tour of 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s home design — and provide lots of ready-to-go ideas for how to incorporate the best of the period into your home today. And, Mardee Woodward, executive show manager, has asked me to do one presentation on Save The Pink Bathrooms. Tee hee. Our tentacles are out there, people. We are saving the mid mod world — one pink bathroom at at time. See my schedule via the link above or click on the show logo — and let me know if you are coming! Finally, more snaps to Erica Berger, photographer extraordinaire, for another mid mod portrait taken during our photo shoot in November. It’s so fun to play dress up.

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Mint-in-Box Miller Studios chalkware & more

Posted by: pam kueber • February 7, 2010

A little of this and a little of that in today’s ebay finds: A recessed toilet paper holder with a little cover (auction ends tonight), some Parisian Print tea towels with lovely cats, and at the end — a vintage book to keep track of the menus that you serve to guests.

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The Astro Chronicles

Posted by: pam kueber • February 6, 2010

As if life could get any crazier, Astro has been with me for almost two weeks now. He is my major buddy-pal and an absolute sweetheart, but we are deep into training to help us get off to a strong start and moreover, to try and remedy some of the guy’s fears and stresses after three years in a Pennsylvania puppy mill. I am capturing Astro’s first year here in a 365 days set over on flickr, updated with his progress daily. His big accomplishments in our first 12 days together: No more accidents in the house… he learned to go up and down the stairs right away… after some training, he now goes out the side door to do his business by himself … he will “sit” very nicely… and he will leap our dining room steps down on demand like an agility champ. Our big challenge: After some initial success taking walks, he has become super afraid of being outside and just shakes like a leaf when we try to walk on a leash. We think he may have been in a cage or very confined quarters most of his life. I’m working with him several times a day to help him overcome the fear. I am confident we will make good progress, but it will take time.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

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Colonial-modern “cool-onial” kitchen

Posted by: pam kueber • February 5, 2010

This is a terrific 1956 kitchen that shows the continuing popularity of Early American design, but with modern touches… “coolonial.” The Early American design is visible enough — the copper pots and ironstone, the cast-iron trivets and the cabinetry, the simple and patriotic paint scheme, the forefather portrait, the scallops and the captain’s chair. Heck yeah there is more →

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Mid-century modest and Retro Renovation on etsy.com TV

Posted by: pam kueber • February 4, 2010

Yeehaw, Retro Renovation and Mid-Century Modest are in a video just posted on etsy.com, along with this blog post.Tara Young is the amazing video-journalist — artist, really — who produces all of etsy’s videos, and you can tell she does them with great love. It is so exciting to break bread with the wonderful etsy community. Thank you, Tara, seriously: You are amazing, and it was so much fun spending the day with you!

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Upholstered bedspreads for your mid-century modern bedroom

Posted by: pam kueber • February 4, 2010

Sablemable featured a photo that included these great bedspreads in a post for on Ruth’s blog No Pattern Required. Snaps for finding the best source yet (I think) for bedspreads with a true mid-century look. Look at any catalog from about 1955 on, I’d say, and this sort of slubbed satin, uphostered and welted bedspread was ubiquitous. Touch of Class has the style in 6 colors, available for all bed sizes — and including twins that look like they are straight of the Dick Van Dyke Show — and, daybeds. They have additional colors in microfiber, if you want to split the difference between style-decades. Mid-century style bedspreads and daybeds at Touch of Class.

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Troy rearranges his collections — in his new Eichler ranch house

Posted by: pam kueber • February 3, 2010

troys-vacation-trays

I want SF Troy to come over to my house and reorganize all my collections. He’s moved into a new house — a vintage Eichler, ooh la la. I’ll have another post that tells and shows all, but meanwhile, here’s a sneak peek at his collections and how he’s displayed them all, just four months into the new space. Whimsy! Color! Massing! Yup, this boy knows how to do it, all right.

refrigerator-magnets

Welcome, frends. 15 great photos in all. Heck yeah there is more →

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Vintage Villeroy and Boch pink bathroom

Posted by: pam kueber • February 3, 2010

Hi Pam,

I saw this at my local architectural salvage store. It’s a German-made, pink bathroom set, complete with soaking tub, bidet, sink, and toilet. I’ve never seen anything like this one [available now at the] Second Use in Seattle.

Alison