Cindy finished a project: Pinch pleat drapes and valences for her adjoining living room, kitchen, dining room and entry in her 1960s mid-century modern house. The draperies are so happy, don’t you think? Cindy is, too, and she has photos — and tips based on her experience — to share. Heck yeah there is more →
Cindy adds pinch pleat draperies to her 1960s mid-century modern home
Posted by: • June 10, 2010
Nutone Heat Vent-a-Lite with white powder coated grille
Posted by: • June 9, 2010
This NuTone model #9093WH Heat Vent-a-Lite has a retro look, what with the white powder coated grille. I think the idea is to use this in small spaces that need a little extra space heating… like a basement bathroom. The write up actually indicates four functions (if I am reading it correctly): Light, nightlight, ventilation fan or fan-forced heater. These can be controlled via a wall switch with separate on/off controls for all four functions… Or, it may be used with any standard in-line thermostat to control the heat cycle. I can’t speak to the quality — things don’t seem to be made like they used to — but if you have a bathroom you need to warm up fast in the a.m., this might be a solution worth looking into. Remember – I have another post that identifies kitchen ventilation fans – two models that both look quite spiffy. This Nutone #9093WH looks to be widely available at big box retailers or even Amazon.
Vintage door escutcheons: A new MIB stash uncovered
Posted by: • June 8, 2010
Escutcheon made by the Han-Kow Tassle Company, Chinatown San Francisco, (1915-1978)
Little by little, Joy is unearthing the dusty hardware treasures lying in wait for us out back at Anderson’s Classic Hardware. Her most recent find: A nice big stash of vintage door escutcheons — back plates that go behind your door knob. Click here to see all the items Joy has uncovered, including these escutcheons. Oh, did I mention that she says there are More? Also know: Liz’s Antique Hardware has a good selection posted on ebay. To launch the slide show, click on the first thumbnail then move forward via the arrow below each image:
Graham and Monika’s mid-century modern bathroom remodel
Posted by: • June 7, 2010
It is so gratifying to see readers finishing their projects and to hear that the blog helped. I have to say, Graham and Monika still are cuter than their bathroom, and that’s sayin’ a lot because this bathroom rocks! Graham writes:
Hi Pam,
I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work in creating and running this website. We recently remodelled our bathroom and your ideas and suggestions for everything from fixtures to tile to accent pieces really came in handy. In fact, a majority of the items that make up our bathroom were items found in links on Retro Renovation. For example, we used Dal Tile Terrazo floor tile, our wall tile is custom 1″ X 6″s made by B/W Tile, we went with a Villager tub, a Cimarron Toilet, and we went with the Mississippi fixtures for our sink and tub. So as you can see the we really utilized a lot of the information on your website. Heck yeah there is more →
How to fix Crane faucets
Posted by: • June 6, 2010
Crane sinks and toilets were the cream of the crop back in the day, but after 50 years even they can use some fixit TLC. Lucky for us, there is a resource who has made it among their specialties to repair Crane faucets, and they are friends of the blog: Bathroom Machineries aka deabath.com. Disclosure: These folks are currently advertising on the blog… thank you very much!… but I am featuring this info regardless, no quid pro quo. They get so many questions — including readers that I refer to them — that Sales Manager John recently sent me a link to the page they have created to help do-it-yourselfers or their plumbers repair vintage Crane faucets – including the Crane Diana, Criterion, Drexel, Elayne, Marcia and Westland. What a nice service – vintage Crane groupies rejoice. Thank you, John!
Returning to the magical land where everyone knows how to spell “Kueber”
Posted by: • June 5, 2010
So my dad was born and raised in this really tiny farm town, Aneta, North Dakota. One hour west of Grand Forks, 2.5 hours north of Fargo, in the middle of the big wide Dakota prairie. I visited as a child, but not again until recently. In 2004 I went to see my Grandma in the nursing home. A few years later, I returned for her funeral. The association with Grandma’s last days are sad — but also happy, because the place meant so much to her. And I have to say, I fell in love with Aneta, too. I’m heading back there in two weeks to attend, for my first time, The World’s Largest Turkey Barbecue. Oh, and it’s no normal The World’s Largest Turkey Barbecue, it’s the 50th Anniversary. As my cousin Timmy said to me yesterday on the phone, it is going to be Epic. It is going to be Monumental. Heck yeah there is more →
232 images in my 1950s slide show
Posted by: • June 4, 2010
It’s vintage eye candy overdose on the blog today: We’ve been busy bees here at the official offices of RetroRenovation.com (aka Pam’s computer cave crammed with MIB crap, collage ephemera and Astro’s stuff) and have just this week uploaded a bunch of images from three years of blogging into the 1950s gallery. 232 images there now, to be exact. They are not really organized, so it’s a potpourri, just keep hittin’ that -> arrow and see what little delight is next. Click the image(s) above … or here … to see the 1950s gallery (which will, voila, get organized by the Kueber elf someday soon, she promises.)
Starburst tiles from Ann Sacks and Barbara Barry – simply gorgeous
Posted by: • June 3, 2010
These 4″ field tiles — etched atomic starbursts — are stunning. And the selection! They are available in 1-starburst, 2-starburst, 3-starburst and 4-starburst designs — and in 20 gloss colors — 16 matte colors — four crackle colors — and there’s even a “blossom pink” that if not *Mamie* pink, is headin’ in that direction. This stuff will make you swoon. Heck yeah there is more →
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