Remodeling, decor and home improvement for old homes
This might qualify as the most boring home renovation post ever in the history of the universe, but, hey, it actually has historical precedent — in my house. Yes: Plain white fiber ceiling tiles. That’s what was originally installed — and still is on the ceiling of our basement bedroom, which now serves as my husband’s office. Heck yeah there is more →
Further demonstrating that the entire world has gone, and continues to go, retro-crazy, the Sundance catalog arrived the other day with vintage style Kork-Ease cork sandals splashed all over the back cover. Oh, yes, I had these circa 1972 and wore them to death. I may just have to get a new pair of these classics. My only concern: Breaking my ankles in the 12 seconds it will take me to fall off them.
This adds to growing our retro vintage shoes collection:
A rare sighting in vintage metal kitchen cabinets: a swing-out, lazy-susan-style door set into a blind corner in this set of vintage metal Genevas. Even mega expert 52PostnBeam says: “I’ve seen something like that only once before … and you know I saved a photo of it! purty neat.” 52PnB’s blue cabinet seems even wackier, because the door doesn’t appear to go all the way to the kickplate/floor. The ivory or white set that I spotted is in a listing over on our steel cabinet buy/sell Forum. Ergh, I can’t find the listing now, and I can’t get the PDF to pdrats. It’s in there somewhere….
This year I want to give even more visibility to the fabulous activity under way among all the retro house bloggers featured on the blogroll. Above: Uncle Atom is carving his own tiki totem pole — making us all look like slackers and giving our usual go-to-decorating-overachiever TroySF a run for his money. That said, you ain’t getting me near any chain saw. Read on to see some of the great stories from 7 other house bloggers… Heck yeah there is more →
Wow, this may be the rarest vintage steel kitchen we’ve seen yet: A Youngstown Servi-Center, which was originally posted on real estate agent and reader Sarah Snodgrass’ blog, At Home in Brookside, Kansas City. That’s Sarah –> … I always like me a smiling face on the blog. Anyway, this Servi-Center IMMEDIATELY caught my eye because of that whole set up on the backsplash. Even super-expert-of-the-universe 52PostnBeam was impressed. I ping her right away and just to underscore what nuts we really are she writes: Heck yeah there is more →
Today, a reader guessing game. DH and I went to a Big Box store late last week and came home with a Big Box. What do you think is in it? I’ll add a new clue every 5 or 6 guesses. Your first two clues: (1) It’s in a big box, and (2) I could buy it at a Big Box store. Update, we have a winner… click on thru for the answer — would you have guessed it? –> Heck yeah there is more →
You know I think that “Color of the Year” proclamations by Marketeers are baloney — they are just trying to sell this year’s color to replace last year’s color. So, instead, I’ll point to a color from our mid century past that was pretty darn good enough all along: Retro Renovation First Annual Color of the Year: Orange. There’s plenty of vintage available in this color — give it a look and if you like it, snatch it up for a fraction of what it would cost to buy new accessories in whatever “today’s must-have color” is. Of course, my fundamental color advice is: Use whatever color you like. Colors are wavelengths of energy and affect people differently. Find the ones that tickle your electrons and don’t look back. Heck yeah there is more →
I decided to make an annual award. It’s the Retro Renovation “The Hard Way Award,” and the 2010 honor goes to: Sue for her kitchen renovation — and the fact that she documented the seven-month journey in chilling detail. Do you have what it takes to overcome the obstacles of home renovation, doubled yet again when trying to go period-retro including using vintage materials? Read Susan’s story about creating a vintage style kitchen to find out. You rock, girl!
© 2012 Retro Renovation · Theme design: Phoenix Massey Studio · Powered by WordPress, Genesis, and WDS
Become a fan