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Steven & Michael create the Mondrian bathroom originally intended for their Alcoa Aluminum house – stunning!

Posted by: • May 31, 2010

Steven and Michael have wowwed me beyond belief by recreating a Mondrian-style bathroom — the style originally intended for their Alcoa Aluminum house. The first Alcoa Aluminum house — much like Steven and Michael’s home in Rochester, NY — was  designed by architect Charles Goodman as part of an Alcoa demonstration project showing the uses of aluminum in housing. Thing was, Steven and Michael did not get the original bathroom design … although they do have a fantastic Mondrian kitchen … So, when they found original documents pointing them toward the Mondrian style bathroom, they ambitiously pursued it, with some tweaks of their own, of course. Read on for Steven’s explanation and source list… and for a slide show of 9 more photos of this inspiring space. Heck yeah there is more →

We have a winner: Congratulations, Robin!

Posted by: • May 29, 2010

Update, Monday, May 31: We have a winner — congratulations, Robin L.  — who has been notified and is whoopdedoo happy. :) 100+ entries in this month’s contest to win a “Love The House You’re In” custom collage … JUMP HERE to enter (and read all the wonderful entries). (Do NOT enter on this post.) Deadline: Monday 6 a.m.

United we stand, on that fine line between genius and insanity, precipitously balanced on a pink faux fur MIB Counsel bathroom scale

Posted by: • May 28, 2010

Edwin writes:

Pam,

Okay, I am really getting out of control. Check out what I just bought. I think I am losing my mind, lol, though I am having a blast losing it.

Edwin in Charlotte

Heck yeah there is more →

This ‘n that from here & there

Posted by: • May 27, 2010

Mason jars made into a pendant chandelier — how pretty. These are in my Pottery Barn catalog, just arrived, $129 for the set of five. Or: I bet we could find tutorials online to learn how to do this ourselves – safely, of course.

Susan Schneider of Shandells in Millerton, NY, can make a lamp out of Anything. She also has an exquiste collection of ephemera, which she transforms into objects like tissue boxes, night lights, matchbooks and lampshades, of course. Above: Vintage seed calogs from the 1800s and 1900s on a wood tissue box base, trimmed in copper. $48 from Shandell’s on etsy.

“Do You Live in A Town?” Colour Me wallpaper by Mini Moderns. I love this stuff. It comes in black-and-white and you color in everything with crayons. I MUST have a room of this (foyer? powder room? office? before I die.) And you KNOW that I am so partial to anything with a house in it.

Woah, just $14.50 for this mint-in-box Scranton Showers shower curtain from petuniapie on etsy.com. Will it last past 9 a.m. Eastern once it’s shown on the blog? Sorry, West Coasters.

Here’s another Scranton curtain – same seller – same price. Musta come from the same place.

Last time I was at Ron’s he had this wonderful vintage GE electric stove… It was in pristine condition. Oh, and it had a self-cleaning oven! Woah, how I wish. If it had been white, I would have bought it for my kitchen. I think he wanted $275. If you are interested: Google Berkshire County Used Furniture, Pittsfield, Mass. and call and see if it is still there, tell ‘em I sent you.

Remember when I did all those posts about Sanderson’s reissuing a bunch of vintage wallpapers — eveyone loved those swallows… Well, at the time their PR folks sent me this vintage image. It’s from 1968, all wrapped in chintz. So cool… may I will have Erica Berger replicate me in this  pose with some of my vintage fabric next time we do a photo shoot? We’ll have to leave my head free, though, too freaky otherwise.

Tone-on-tone graphic red wallpaper used as a backsplash paired with aquamarine cabinets in a 1963 Frigidaire ad. Hmmm, this is giving me ideas.… Dare I go this mid mod mad?

52PostnBeam spotted this wonderful door and posted it on the Forum — teardrop-shaped window inserts for a mid-century door.

Prison upholstery shops & four more handy tips for renovators

Posted by: • May 26, 2010


Reader Johnny Ringo sent me five tips to consider for the blog:  New ideas on sources to try for getting chrome replated, refrigerators repainted… and then there’s the bit about the prison upholstery shops, which I didn’t quite believe but then I googled it and gosh darn wouldn’t you know. Johnny Ringo writes: Heck yeah there is more →

EVERYONE tells Guy & Rosanna to update their 1960s time capsule– but they find us, instead!

Posted by: • May 25, 2010


Another time capsule saved. More new Retro Renovation friends. Guy writes:

Hi Pam,

Hello -First, let me thank you for your site. I just closed on a 1960s “time capsule” house and I was so glad to find that there are others who like that kind of thing! The 1960s decor is why my wife and I bought the house, then EVERYONE (relatives, inspectors and electricians) mentioned how the house would be great once it was updated.  We started wondering if keeping the house “as is” was a good idea. Then we found your site and realized WE WEREN’T ALONE! Thanks!!

Heck yeah there is more →