Jon & Trixi are back, with an update on the continuing un-remodel of their 1962 kitchen. They have slowly been (1) peeling away circa-2005 disprovements and (2) replacing millenial flip-this-house crappola with vintage goodness, all in the service of (3) reveling in their kitchen’s innate avocadoness.
Jon writes:
Look what went in this weekend! The avocado sink!! FIFTEEN HOURS it took, but it works and doesn’t leak!
You will recall that, when we first met Jon and Trixi, Jon explained about finding the sink. Well, in case you don’t recall, here is exactly what he said:
(OH — one last thing — if any of your Minneapolis readers are wanting a pink bathroom after the Pink Bathroom article in the Star Tribune a few weeks ago, point ‘em here: City Salvage. … We got our sink for super-cheap — the guy is dying to get rid of that stuff. We haven’t bought it yet — waiting for this next pay period, but our plan is to head there on Saturday. The guy told me there wasn’t a lot of call for avocado sinks, so there wasn’t much risk of it selling before then. It had a hudee ring!! A little bent up on one corner but I have high hopes I can gently hammer it back. But we have a working vintage Frigidaire fridge — in Avocado!! Goal: all matching avocado appliances.
Over to the right of the sink, you most surely did spy a Vance Industries, hudee-rimmed, built-in trivet slash cutting board. Here’s a close up:
Jon explains:
At long last!! It looks smashing! And one of the two “mystery holes” has been filled! All that’s left in countertop land is to install our avocado sink and get a NuTone Food Center happening. And then we’re FINALLY on to the cabinets. I think we’re gonna see the hugest change once we start working on those!
My goodness, Jon & Trixi, you surely hath become king and queen of the hudees. We look forward, your royal hudee highnesses, to seeing the next installment of your kitchen adventures.
Hi Jon and Trixi,
Thanks for the updates on your progress! I have never seen the Vance Industries built in cutting board/trivet before — (yup, learn something new every day when I log on and tune in…). I really, really like the “treasure” of the original flooring that you uncovered – (avocado is one of my favorite colors). The new sink matches perfectly and I love the hudees! They can sometimes be a pain to put in (I know, it took me 3 hours with a friend to put in my first bathroom sink) but they are so worth it!!! It looks great! Can’t wait to hear more and am anxiously awaiting the next update! All hail to the King and Queen of the Hudees!
Hey I’m in Minneapolis! Thanks for the City Salvage link. Diggin’ the avocado–I’m looking for avocado and burnt orange for my ’68 rambler too.
Can’t wait to see more pics, especially of the cabinets.
oh man…i had one of those built in cutting boards once …
im afraid i cant share the enthusiasm for those metal rings around the board and sink … they are a real catchall for food crud, crumbs, grease and general nastiness … be prepared to clean scrupulously
I have to second that emotion, Brad. This is the first one I ever removed and wow to call it a science experiment under there would be kind and the lady who owned this house was a clean and tidy soul. Mine was in the bathroom so I shudder to think what she found under the one in the kitchen when she removed it.
I love avocado! Hey it is a neutral – and goes so well with so many other vibrant colors.
Avocado is a totally under appreciated color! That sink is awesome!
I agree, BlueJay.
I keep hoping against hope, keeping my fingers crossed, that someday, avocado green will once again grace our homes.
Hey you two! This is awesome! I’m only a couple hours from Minneapolis (and lived there until about 5 years ago – now in LaCrosse.) I recently saw one of those all-in- one oven and upper toaster oven units in our local Habitat store in avocado green! It made me smile and although the head dude has been really unaccommodating about accepting 50′s-60′s stuff, that thing was GONE when I went in the next day to check on it! (Maybe he’ll start listening to me and take more of this great stuff!!) I will surely keep my eyes peeled for more avocado for you. I’m polarprincess on the forum, so feel free to shoot me an e-mail with what you’re looking for. I have a massive brown hood vent that I probably won’t be using in our kitchen remodel (saved it from a neighboring house.) I think that house had avocado too, so if you should think you might want a massive brown hood, I’ve got one for you! Hey- can you enlighten me about the small holes that are in front of the sink in the formica? Was that from the previous sink? It’s fun to watch your progress! Keep the updates coming, we’re all cheering for you!
Kersten,
I asked at the La Crosse, ReStore, and they said when they get in the vintage stuff it never lasts longer than a day, so I don’t know why they won’t accept more.
Guess we are stuck Craigslist and going to the Minnyapple for our stuff.
Hey, thanks for the kind words, folks!!
Polarprincess: the small holes are where the remodelers had screwed down the wonderboard, which is a kind of drywall stuff that they laid down before putting down the layer of marble tiles. It basically acted as a “cover up the hole where the cutting board and Nutone Food Center was” layer. Unfortch, they were pretty diligent in screwing down the stuff, so we were left with a ton of holes. THANKFULLY, there’s this stuff — http://www.kampelent.com/seamfil.php — which still exists, and does a marvelous job of covering up the holes, at least from a distance.
PS: for Minneapolitans — we actually got the sink at Bauer Brothers, which is just across the river from City Salvage. They have a scary ton of colored bathroom stuff, including purple (!) and blue (!) and yellow!
Oh, and as far as avocado stuff — we have one of those kitchens with a countertop range and a double oven in a kind of cabinet thingy to the right of it. I see those combo oven / toaster oven thingies in avocado a lot, but NEVER cooktops or double ovens or range hoods!! And I’ve been looking.
Jon: There are range hoods in avocado green, you just have to keep looking. My parents’ 1973 ranch had an avocado green fridge, dishwasher, trash compactor, and range hood. The cooktop was white, and the double wall oven was black. Over time, the avocado appliances wore out and were replaced with black. the range hood was the last to go. It was still functional, but was sent to the the local autobody shop for a repaint – black to match everything else.
People thought we were crazy when we moved into our 1967 ranch in 1995 and didn’t tear out all the avocado appliances, countertop and floor (just like Jon & Trixi’s). I don’t love avocado, but I liked it. Now we live in a 1957 ranch that had the kitchen completely replaced in 1992 with 80′s-90′s country. Other people say it’s cute, but to me it’s ugly and doesn’t match the mid-century feel of the rest of the house.
Regarding the clearning maintenance of the hudee ring, when I intalled mine in the kitchen, I put down a seal of clear silicone to prevent all the issues that Brad mentioned. It’s now been in a year and I’ve not had one problem with crumbs or any other gunk collecting in the edges. Jon and Trixi, I highly recommend doing that and you won’t have a problem. I would imagine after a period of time, I will need to reseal it, but that’s better than using a toothbrush to clean between the ring and countertop. Your floor is to die for! Great job in staying true to the green. I have avocado countertops and love them.
We installed our 1963 Kohler hudee-rimmed double sink about 5 years ago. No silicone or nothin’ like that. Never ever a problem with dust bunnies or worse. But then, someone in my house is a clean freak.
We indeed have the bead of clear silicon in both the cutting board and the sink!! And I’ve noticed it repels crumbs like nobodies business. The key, I’m told, is to use a credit card to push the caulking under the ring — it seals it AND you can’t see it. Works like a charm.
Brilliant idea, wish I’d known about it a year ago. I should have said earlier but your sink looks beautiful!
Oh, and Janice, I should say I *love* your kitchen!! It was part of the inspiration to keep the avocado — you showed clearly that it can be embraced and still look phenomenal.
Thanks Jon! I’m glad I could play a part in saving some wonderful details in your kitchen. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
It’s looking great guys! I wouldn’t worry about the countertop – at the worst or best? you can get new laminate, I paid under 800 for my Wilsonart HD which is top of the line installed, granted it was probably cheaper than most would find because the guy has a small countertop shop, but still you can get some orange or green or boomerangs eventually!
And Pam – this was before your site discovery and when I was trying not to go all retro, so although I went with white appliances because that was more 50s, I didn’t pick a retro pattern counterop. One of the newer stone looking ones, which I still love. But now I wonder about a boomerang:) And maybe I should have done some square VCT tile for the floor instead of my Armstrong vinyl which also looks like stone – funny how you can go one way or the other on a look depending. I did think about getting a used Frigidaire Flair range, but Mommom who had the original and why I love them said nah just get a new one. So her and I have framed owners manual prints instead:)
I grew up with avocado and orange. You can’t have avocado without orange. Avocado wall to wall carpet, avocado custom draperies, orange brocade side chair and ivory upholstered “distressed” fruitwood Italian provincial sectional sofa. My mother was the master of decorating on trend. Nothing kitsch- just high style 50′s and 60′s.
Our house had avocado-colored carpeting when it was built, according to the original owner — and there’s a sample of it in the basement closet, too! We’re gonna pair the avocado in our kitchen with tomato red. I think it’ll look super fresh together.
Love it! I bought my house a year ago and it was built in 1974 and it has an avocado sink in the kitchen. We temporarily took out the sink and hudee ring. Cleaned the hudee ring and sink, re-installed the sink and put a new drain on it. We couldn’t be happier with the results either.
It’s taken us most of the year but we have matching appliances. A 1962 Frigidaire Flair oven, 1971 side by side fridge and a 1978 dishwasher all in avocado. The washer, dryer, dishwasher front panel and microwave I had professionaly painted in avocado but the others were made that way. Everything works great and it looks awesome.
Like you, Jon and Trixi, the cabinets are next. They’re cool 70′s cabinets but very beat up. We’re going to try the Rustoleum Transformations this summer.
Good luck!
p.s. There is a beautiful matching washer/ dryer set in avocado on ebay. If I lived closer to Colorado I would buy them.
OMG Ethan!! As in my comment earlier I love a Flair! I <3 a 40" double oven frigidaire flair! I swear I might still buy one and put it in the garage lol.
“…replacing millenial flip-this-house crappola with vintage goodness”…that is such a perfect way to sum up what this great blog is all about! thank you PAM!
ps – I remember the day, circa 1988? that our avocado fridge finally stopped working and had to be hauled away. My mother was upset. She tried to buy another one of the same color, but was told “lady, no one makes those things anymore”…
Oh my, your drawer pulls are the same as mine in my new/old house! I have the best time seeing stuff from my house on this blog.
Ah, alas, we’re replacing those when we rip out the laminate — not to say they aren’t lovely! I don’t mind the 70s burnished-brass-look at all. We had the 60s version of same in our house growing up!
Obviously the bent corner turned out fine. The sink looks great. It is amazing how good the counter top looks. Ours is pretty worn, but we are going to live with it awhile to decide what to do with it. Just like in your kitchen, it also covers the backsplash, where it is in much better shape.
Gotta LOVE avocado! I have the original 1960 oval avocado sink in my 2nd bathroom, but sadly the toilet has been replaced. The sink is cracked on one side too, but since it is the only working sink in the house right now we use it. I’d love to find another avocado toilet and try and repair the sink. Kudos to you for going with that fabulous color! So 60s!
MMMM…avacado appliances. I have an avacado GE electric doule oven free-standing range, think that it is a 1978, but not sure. I have this beauty that I call Ms.Green for 30 more days until the new LG arrives. I am redoing my parents avacado kitchen. Avacado sink is still in place! The last time they did anything to their kitchen was probably 1981.
I grew up in this avacado kitchen and although, I love retro. I am ready for the new. Glad to hear that someone appreciates the avacado kitchen.
Jon and Trixi, thank you very much for making that kitchen beautiful again. It’s tragic when people ruin things like that to replace it with lame eyesore awfulness.
I am super lucky because my Grandma has lived in the same house since the early 1970s and hasn’t changed anything. And she is one of the most resourceful/frugal women I know of, so she has not 1 but 2 (non-working) avocado refrigerators and a avocado freezer in her garage (she uses them as cabinets them so they hold tools, etc.) Her avocado stove and dishwasher still work. And her floor is that same beautiful laminate that you guys uncovered. If her house ever goes to someone who doesn’t love mid-century modern, I think I’m going to strip the whole thing from light fixtures to shag carpet.
we just saw a nu-tone at the rebuilding center this weekend. if it’s there when we go back do you want us to grab it? i don’t know what parts etc are supposed to be included or if it’s still there. (portland, or).
We are closing on a home next week that has vintage avocado appliances in it. All appliances have Never been used. They were bought in hopes of selling that home 30 years ago, but the sellers never pursued selling it until now. Are these things even worth any money or should I just sell it for scrap metal?
Where do you live? If it’s anywhere near Oklahoma City I will buy them from you. Whatever you do, please don’t scrap them. Some of us are madly in love with avocado appliances and all things avocado/ 70′s.
Jon and Trixi,
Great job installing the sink and the cutting board/hot plate. Other readers might like to know that one way to replace part of a damaged laminate counter is to install one of these and trim them out with chrome.
The whole place is just shaping up to be gorgeous.