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1940s color ideas from a 1939 Kroehler guide

Posted by: • March 21, 2010

Feast your retro eyes on the 1939 color harmony guide from Kroehler, one of the largest furniture manufacturers back in the day. That smart devil Missouri Michael found it on ebay — it’s still in its original crinkled cellophane wrapper (!) — won it for $2 with no competition, and posted it on his blog. Drats and double drats. It should have been miiiiiiine. My search terms are failing me. Good news, Michael very graciously gave me permission to show the color chart here, too. Remember my recent post on 1940s decorating style? Colors like the ones above are synonymous with the era: Jewel tones with strong Hollywood-glamour contrasts…As well as sweet and sunny kinda-grayed-out pastels. Also: Notice the cheery prints recommended for window treatments. You can read more about Michael’s find — and also access a larger version of this color chart — over on his wonderful blog, Cul-de-sac Shack. Thank you, Michael!

Animal Rescue – Adopt a Shelter Pet stamps and the Halo meals campaign

Posted by: • March 20, 2010

The U.S. Postal Service is introducing these fantastic Animal Rescue – Adopt a Shelter postage stamps on April 30. In addition, Halo pet food — which is co-owned by Ellen Degeneres — has become involved and is donating a million meals to animal shelters. The story behind the adorable photos on the stamps: Photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce found these beautiful, adopted pets in her hometown of New Milford, Connecticut. Each of these animals was given a good home thanks to animal rescue shelters and the families who adopted them. After adopting Astro via Denise and her Schnauzer Paws rescue, I’ve become more and more aware of this issue. Way to go, U.S.P.S., Sally Andersen-Bruce, Denise, Ellen Degeneres, Halo — and to everyone who takes good care of their pets. Good on you, all! Read more about the Animal Rescue Adopt a Shelter Pet stamps and campaign here… and plan on stocking up on these stamps come April 30 (I’ll do a reminder then, too.)

Russel Wright clock & lots more mint-in-box madness

Posted by: • March 20, 2010


There is so much great vintage stuff showing up in my ebay searches every day that I think I will have slide show widgets every day this week. Remember (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.

What colors should Jamie use for her turquoise, burgundy and pink bathroom?

Posted by: • March 19, 2010

Jamie is in the final stage of renovating her 1950 bathroom, which has an *unusual* combination of tile, trim and fixtures: Turquoise tile, burgundy trim, and pink sink, tub and toilet. You can see an unmasked photo of the colors on the jump, but I had to use this one for the lead because: Oh my goodness, haven’t we all been here, amidst CHAOS. Now that the walls are prepped and the vanity and window are stripped of their old layers of paint (I hope you tested for lead and used proper safety/enviro precautions, Jamie), Jamie wants some “okay-now-I-must-really-make-a-final-decision-so-let-me-torture-myself-some-more” advice on what to do with the walls and the vanity to tie everything together. Okay, I am only assume she’s torturing herself — because that’s what I do, no question. Jamie has asked our help. Read on for her complete explanation… see some more photos (great curved ceilings!) and then let’s hear what you have to say, retro renovators. Jamie writes: Heck yeah there is more →

A Way to Garden

Posted by: • March 18, 2010

Margaret Roach of A Way To Garden

It was 60 degrees in the Berkshires yesterday. Spring spring spring is in the air, and you can smell the mud. I’ve already start making plans to get my hands seriously dirty in the garden, especially out back where I will be entering Year 9 of Landscaping The Forest. These days, I have the best inspiration yet in Margaret Roach and A Way To Garden. Margaret is a kindred sister blog-a-lot, and she and I alternated as pep talker and pep talkee as we both muddled through our dark cold days of winter blog refreshes — blog refreshes are what you do when you can’t garden. Her updates turned out great — and oh my, her site is a treasure trove. Go over and dig in — there are tips for pruning, mulching, growing tomatoes, making pickles, great shrubs, great perennials and more more more. She also has an acerbic weekly cartoon, lots of critter tales, a demon cat who would trounce my retro wonder dog, and oh — a drop-dead mouthwatering gorgeous garden, of course. Go, Margaret!

Yellow Geneva metal kitchen cabinets

Posted by: • March 18, 2010

Scathing Jane spotted this big, pretty set of yellow Geneva steel kitchen cabinets for sale in Pittsburgh on craigslist. $500. Isn’t yellow a delightful color for kitchen cabinets? Thanks, Jane, and 52PostnBeam, too, for all the volunteer work you do posting kitchen cabinets and vintage plumbing items onto the Retro Renovation Forum.

Linoleum floors and countertops brighten up Dave & Frances’ 1938 kitchen

Posted by: • March 17, 2010

Dave and Frances bought a wonderful single-owner 1938 home last year, and have just finished up some modest yet gorgeous updates to their kitchen. The most dramatic improvement: Marmoleum linoleum for both the floor and countertop, edged in stainless steel. Dave writes:

Hi Pam,

Just thought I’d drop you a note. Thanks to inspiration from your site, we just recently, i.e. in the last 24 hours, finished rejuvenating the kitchen in our 1938 house. It didn’t take much, the cabinets were in great shape and the 1958 GE range looks brand new (we’re only the second owners of the house), but the very neutral vinyl floors and formica had to go. We replaced the floor with a medium blue Marmoleum with a dark blue stripe and did the countertops with the same dark blue Marmoleum and the same stainless steel edging you did your countertops with. We finished off with a new Kohler sink with hudee ring. Heck yeah there is more →

Jill’s 1962 Beatles bathroom

Posted by: • March 16, 2010

Jill writes:

I thought I wanted to renovate my 1962 guest bathroom, but really didn’t want to spend that kind of money. I decided to embrace my pink bathroom after seeing your website, and it sure saved me a lot of money! We used a mix of period decor and more modern “salute to the 60′s” decor such as the record album covers. It was fun. Heck yeah there is more →

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