2010 November — Retro Renovation

Persian tile flooring — in a resilient sheet

Posted by: pam kueber • November 6, 2010

I’m reviewing what new in various flooring alternatives and finding some new possibilities to consider for your retro style kitchens, living rooms, hallways and more. I am really pleased to have discovered this Tarkett Fiber Floor, the Antonia design, available in Taupe Brown or Navy. It’s a resilient sheet flooring — really easy on the feet, super easy to keep clean, likely among your least expensive choices — and hurray: this Persian or Moroccan (?) or Moorish (?) tile design an authentic choice for mid century interiors, especially from the early 1960s onward.

Here’s just one reference photo — from a post I did showing some 1968 home interior designs. Obviously, this is wall tile – but you saw this stuff even more frequently on floors, I’ll hazard.

Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 7

Black and white checkerboard floor tile – in resilient vinyl

Posted by: pam kueber • November 5, 2010

If you are designing a diner style kitchen, laundry room or even basement, you might want to consider this black-and-white floor tile in resilient sheet vinyl from Mannington, Armstrong, or Tarkett. Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 27

How to design a mid century kitchen — instructions straight from 1949

Posted by: pam kueber • November 4, 2010

Update: I have added this clip to the blog even though it doesn’t fit. I cannot get it on any smaller…. Thanks to Bo Sullivan, who works with Rejuvenation Lighting, for the tip on this 1949 film created to help postwar homeowner owners create the efficient kitchen of their dreams. It’s interesting to understand the context for films like this. After World War II, housewives did need educating on how to design a modern kitchen. But I think the bigger purpose of this propaganda — and it IS propaganda — was to incite homeowners to part with their hard-earned war-time savings. Heck yeah there is more →

Comments 51

We hear from Nora following her pink kitchen and pink bathroom fame

Posted by: pam kueber • November 3, 2010

Christopher sent in the fabulous story about Nora (right) and her time capsule house (our most popular story in October and added to my list of top-10 all-time favorites.) I received this note from him yesterday:

Pam,

Francisco and I were so excited to see the post about Nora’s kitchen and bathroom. The response was amazing. ”You mean there are people out there who like my old wall oven? It’s a relic,” Nora told us. The warm words of encouragement and appreciation really made Nora’s day. All her friends and family have been directed to your website. Last night Nora sat down and composed the following letter for your readers:
.

“I’m Nora and I am so overwhelmed by all your beautiful compliments. I feel ordinary, but after reading your kind words I feel special to be recognized by all you beautiful people. Thank you all so much. I love you and appreciate all your compliments. You gave one lonely, old lady a purpose to go on.

Thank you,

Nora”

How wonderful to hear from Nora! We love you back, Nora! And thank you, Christopher and Francisco, for introducing us, and for following up with Nora. You two get the good karma award of the month.

Comments 31

Vintage Masketeers birds – and the WWII spy story of their owner

Posted by: pam kueber • November 2, 2010

George writes:

I with great joy saw a print of you in the middle, with two ladies on each side holding three seagulls. I have the exact three made by the Masketeers, Inc. of Belington, W. Virginia. They are from the early 60s. The wood is black walnut,with the wings of anodized aluminium. These came from a dear friend’s home, which was built in 1949-1950. The label is still perfect on the back, and I am placing these on Ebay as she is now in assisted living and I am selling her items. A small note, she was one of 200 women in WW2 (NAVY), that key punched data accumulated from Japan’s coded messages. The punched cards by these ladies were loaded into, at that time, an unknown super computer. These ladies did indeed helped bring Japan to there knees and end the war. They received only a ribbon, highly secret, then three years later the medal. It is a great story, as this being a time that women were not recognized.

What a wonderful story, George – thank you for sharing, I’ll be on the lookout for your ebay postings. And readers, be sure to check out the “original” post on the vintage Masketeers seagulls or, M R Dux…? The most hilarious comment string in Retro Renovation history.

Comments 11

Hush Puppies reintroduces its 1958 classic shoes

Posted by: pam kueber • November 1, 2010

Thanks to Bob, from Zeeland, Mich., who sent the tip that Hush Puppies has reintroduced shoes from its original 1958 line. I did some more research, and learned that this reintroduction is all the more noteworthy because Hush Puppies is credited with introducing the first line of “soft, suede casual” shoes in America, in 1958. Heck yeah there is more →