Denise recently turned me on to Dorothy Thorpe roly poly glassware. Delicious, indeed. When I get back from Charlotte, I think that I will be doing a lot more on vintage barware. Also in this group, some interesting chrome soap dishes circa 1955 and 1956, and a mint-in-box Dishmaster with a groovy old-style sunburst cover plate.Disclosure: Retro Renovation is a member of the ebay partner network and receives a small commission on any item you bid on and buy when you click into ebay from here (a great way to support the blog. Many thanks.)
Mid Mod Madness
Kitchens – Countertops

My local Re-Store was offering some maple flooring from bowling alley – and some handy homeowner re-purposed it into the most excellent countertop. Isn’t it great?! …Right up there with the Teacups Chandelier we looked at a while ago. Related Posts Basement bowling alley in 1962 Michigan time capsule house for sale — heaven! What [...]

Formica last month introduced several new laminate designs that I think could be great for a Retro Renovation kitchen countertop or even a bathroom vanity. In particular — I’m loving the new “dogbone” design, and the new Warp and Weft designs. Dogbones are a classic midcentury motif — as in “dogbone sofa” … and Warp [...]

Retro Renovation’s Countertop & Metal Edging Design Tips from pam kueber on Vimeo. Laminate countertops with metal edging are among the most popular choices for homeowners updating the kitchens in their mid century homes. In this video, I show you the Formica Skylark boomerang countertops in my aquamarine kitchen… We take a look at the [...]

I’ve written before about mixing countertop surfaces in your 40s 50s or 60s kitchen. But I recently came across these great photos and thought they would be very helpful. The photos show: How to lower cabinetry to create a place to roll out your pie dough (of course). Put a slab of marble here — [...]

The most popular laminate design in mid century America? Boomerang Formica? Nope, guess again. According to materials expert Grace Jeffers, the most popular design was actually linen. You know what I’m talking about — that kind of tight-to-medium-weave with nubblies stuff. I had it both my bathrooms with vanities. In pistachio green = absolutely iconic. [...]
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107-piece Dorothy Thorpe barware set, vintage Keaton music typewriter & more MIB madness
Where to buy chrome soap dishes, crystal and plastic lucite trays
Colored ceramic soap dishes and shelves for the tub and shower area — NOS from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s 














Wow! We’re nearly finished restoring our 1956 guest bathroom and I want that soap dish! I’ll bid through your link…thanks!
Thanks for the e-bay fun! I’d love to see you do more on vintage barware in the future. The season of “outdoor living” is quickly approaching; we need inspiration for re-creating the perfect vintage “patio look”.
Have a great time in Charlotte, Pam. How I wish I could be there. So close, and yet, so far! You’ll knock ‘em out, I’m sure. Enjoy your trip to NC! Perhaps you can visit the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area one day and view the great examples of MCM architecture there.
Thanks for the tip on the Dorothy Thorpe glasses, very cool. I’ve got several roly poly auctions on my eBay “watch” list.
Thats crazy, i wonder if its a long lost relative of mine, I’m a Thorpe too!
People, if you’re shopping for Dorothy Thorpe, please educate yourselves before you buy. Not everything with a “silver” rim is Dorothy Thorpe. You can find some great bargains on authentic Dorothy Thorpe glassware, etc., on eBay, but lots of people just get ripped off. A good place to start is replacements-dot-com. Happy shopping to all!