Remodeling, decor and home improvement for old homes
Is the Ikea Nutid refrigerator-freezer the most affordable counter-depth refrigerator-freezer out there? At $1,349 in white and $1,399 in stainless, I think it may be — and I am now adding this model to our Retro Renovation kitchen decorating arsenal. I like counter-depth refrigerator-freezers for mid-century kitchens for a number of reasons, and I tend to favor side-by-sides, too. Here’s why: Heck yeah there is more →
I am super interested in the early history of postwar housing — and the teeny tiny houses are among the most fascinating. I’ve seen these called “Tom Thumb” homes, but in reality, a huge percentage (maybe a majority?) of homes in the first few years after World War II ended were quite small — 700… 800…900 s.f. And, for a goodly number of years into the 50s, many many homes were still only around 1,000 s.f. Recently, I learned from reader Sarah that the phenomenon was the same in Canada. She and her partner Liz live in a 1946 “Victory Home” in Winnipeg. Sarah has sent photos from inside their 731 s.f. bungalow, and Sarah also shares some history about Victory Homes in Canada. 29 wonderful photos! Heck yeah there is more →
After the mind-boggling estate sale video on Friday, the thrifting bug big me, bad. By 3 p.m. on Saturday I couldn’t take it any longer. I told DH that I was going to the grocery store, and made a bee-line for the Goodwill. Fortunately, I found something satisfying: This vintage Optima typewriter, complete with paperwork and its original case. $10. This 1956 (I think, from the pamphlet) typewriter is in pristine shape, and the old school tap-tap-tap from the keys: Well, they are SO SATISFYING compared to the computer keyboard. I now need to go find me some typewriter ribbon, and I will add authentic inky typed text to my collage arsenal. How about you? What did you find this weekend? Following is a slide show of readers’ finds… read on to learn how to contribute your own photos — you can upload them right now!
It’s always interesting to look at mid-century paint brochures to see the color combinations that were being promoted at the time. They tend to be so much more… adventurous… than we attempt today. I recently acquired a 1960 brochure from Dupont promoting their paint lines, and it shows a number of palettes for both the interior and exterior. Today, a look at some of the exterior colors that they were spotlighting, in case spring has you thinking about a new coat of paint for your house. Tip: Click on the first thumbnail below — it will enlarge and launch the slide show.
There is a pretty fabulous Witco tiki wall sculpture, and some great wallpaper for his and her’s bathrooms in here, too. Disclosure: Anything that you buy — from these ebay carousels or otherwise – when you click into ebay via any link on my site nets me a teensy commission.
An estate sale. There is nothing quite so exhilarating and well, mortifying, at the same time. Exhilarating because: It’s a whole house chockablock for the pickin’. A time capsule maybe even. Mortifying because: It’s someone else’s lifetime of treasures. So I always try to temper my excitement by (1) saying a little prayer of gratitude to the homeowners who made this all possible by taking care of the stuff for sale all these years, and (2) remembering that someday soon enough, a new generation of eager shoppers will be thrashing through my stuff, too, so I’d better approach the whole shopping experience with that karma in mind. With those reality-checks in place, here is my personal method for working an estate sale: Heck yeah there is more →
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