Orange kitchen cabinets — yes! I call this vintage color “bittersweet”, and it makes me want to repaint my vintage kitchen orange! The lovely Mitzi of Vintage Goodness fame picked up this 13-page catalog of Youngstown steel kitchen cabinets at a tag sale, and before she resold it, she scanned it to share with other Retro Renovators. Heck yeah there is more →
13 pages of Youngstown metal kitchen cabinets
Posted by: • September 15, 2010
37 photos from Joe and Nikkis retro California honeymoon
Posted by: • September 14, 2010
The Orbit Inn in Palm Springs… Tiki Ti’s in Los Angeles… original Disneyland… The Hearst Castle… the Pacific Coast Highway… the Tonga Room in San Francisco… The Madonna Inn — yowza… the painted ladies from Full House? Following up on the story about their retro wedding in Wildwood, New Jersey, well of course Joe and Nikki had a retro honeymoon. Heck yeah there is more →
1970s ballroom in Michelle’s Minnesota time capsule house
Posted by: • September 13, 2010
Our first midcentury house with a ballroom. Yes, a ballroom! I’ll say it again: A ballroom! Minnesota Michelle writes:
Dear Pam,
My husband and I weren’t even looking for a new house. We were quite happy with our 1956 Marvin Anderson Rambler. There was only one problem: My husband’s menagerie of vintage pinball machines and jukeboxes was taking over the 2,300 sq. ft. One day his best friend was browsing the MLS for homes comparable to his own and found this beauty for us. The home was bank owned and had been vacant for a few years. We were sold on it when we found out it had a ballroom as DH and I met ballroom dancing. After speaking with the original neighbors we were told that an Iranian family had custom designed the home to be a “mini palace.” It was certainly an adjustment going from 50s mod to 70s opulence, but we’ve grown to love it! Heck yeah there is more →
Make your own Save The Pink Bathrooms tee shirt — Retro Renovation TV
Posted by: • September 12, 2010
After seeing the Save The Pink Bathrooms tee shirt that reader Taylor designed and wore to my first-ever Save the
Pink Bathrooms talk this spring, gosh, everyone wanted one. So I made this video showing how to do it. This was actually the first video I made with my new camera… the idea was to launch RRTV on the right foot with the proper note of ridiculousness… alas, it just took me a while to finish it. Heck yeah there is more →
America’s most amazing 19-year-old collector? 75 photos!
Posted by: • September 11, 2010
When I first really started using my room in middle school, it was nothing like it is today. The walls were bare, the carpet messy and there was barely any furniture. My first collection was my posters. They were cheap and accessible — a theme that most of my treasures have. Over time I started pulling stuff out of the basement, garage, closets, everywhere. I started attending more yard sales, then discovered the wondrous world of estate sales. Goodwill and other local thrift stores were another great place of discovery (and still are today).
13 new retro modern style laminates from Formica
Posted by: • September 10, 2010
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 and Weft, in my mind, is a clear play on vintage Linen laminate (the most popular design in midcentury America). Heck yeah there is more →
Historic photos of Valerie’s 1954 Milwaukee home — and her pink bathroom
Posted by: • September 9, 2010
There are archeologists among us — and of course they love the treasures in their 1954 home, including photos from their 1954 home’s original construction… and their original pink bathroom. Valerie writes: .
“I started reading your blog in April while shopping for my first house in Milwaukee. My husband and I actually bought a home built in 1954 on a lovely wooded lot. We are the second owners, however, the only room that appears to be essentially unaltered is a bathroom. You will be happy to see there is a lot of pink! Heck yeah there is more →
14 great scenes from 1940s kitchens, bathrooms, appliances & more
Posted by: • September 8, 2010
One of the things that Aunt Pam had me do when I visited and learned the blog this summer, was to start to go through her vintage decorating magazines. This cleanings pick: Advertisements from five 1940s home decorating magazine. This job was actually very entertaining (most of the jobs get gives me are), many of the advertisements were very comical. Heck yeah there is more →
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