Look what has been unearthed NOS now: A vintage relaxation unit. In fact, this may be one of the rarest NOS finds yet – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a relaxation NOS, although I’ve seen several in their natural habitat. Here’s a vintage brochure. The ebay listing photos are deceptive, though: Instead of two extra rolls of TP, that space on the upper right is for an ashtray! 
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Vintage NOS bathroom Relaxation Unit, BIN on the bay
Posted by: • June 30, 2011
Transform a vintage coffee percolator into a lamp
Posted by: • June 30, 2011
My friend Susan Schneider of Shandells.com and I concocted another upcycling project: Transforming vintage percolators into table lamps. We came up with the idea when we did our first video — “Put a Bulb In It.” Susan — a professional lamp-maker — then used my percolator, found two more on her own, and turned out these adorable lamps. Heck yeah there is more →
Anne Taintor June caption contest — enter by Thursday night!
Posted by: • June 29, 2011
Oops, this almost got by me: Anne Taintor’s June caption contest ends Thursday night. She wants “sweet” rather than “sassy” for this sweetheart photo. Get your caption in quick — Good luck!
1959 time capsule house in New Zealand — never lived in!
Posted by: • June 29, 2011
Jordanna over on our Facebook page spotted this incredible story — the third time capsule house we’ve seen that was never lived in. The first one was a 1955 bungalow in St. Louis, (second story about the Retro Renovation reader tour here)… while the second one was a gorgeous 1962 house also in the Midwest… now this one is in New Zealand — and it includes some retro styling cues and names that I’ve never seen before: An interesting bathroom layout… a “Mercer Maid” stainless steel drainboard sink — which I believe the New Zealanders are calling a “kitchen bench” … and the Neeco electric range top. I also love the built-in valances in the living room and the hand-made parquet flooring — yum. Exotic foreign retro! The newspaper that featured this story — The Bay of Plenty Times — I want to live alongside “the Bay of Plenty”! — could not give me permission to host any of their photos on my site (np, I respect their wishes re: copyright), so jump on over to their story to see lots of delicious photos — and to read why this house was never occupied (look for the link below the photos, to the right-ish). Thank you, Jordanna!
A short history of Hudee Rings from the president of Vance Industries. Including: Sex sells!
Posted by: • June 28, 2011
After reader Jon tipped me off the retro-fabulous products available at Vance Industries here and here and here, I was contacted by the CEO and co-owner of the company — Bill Rapp – who offered to provide some history about Hudee Rings and how they came about in the kitchen countertop industry . One of my favorite kinds of story: Finding out – first-hand from someone who was there, right in the midst of the industry – how a unique product introduced in post-WWII America came about. Oh, and who doesn’t love a tale that throws in some sex for good measure? (We don’t get to that much here on this blog. Memorable: Naked nudie jigsaw.) Bill and I had an hour-long phone conversation – read on for this history of “sink rims” or “sink frames”, as Bill officially calls them. You’ll learn why they are called Hudee Rings! Heck yeah there is more →
12 places to buy aluminum awnings — including from three companies in business since 1946, 1947 and 1948
Posted by: • June 27, 2011
There’s almost nothing I like better than finding a company that’s been in business for more than 60 years — and with a product that is more relevant today then ever. Craft-Bilt, based in Souderton, Pennsylvania, started selling aluminum awnings in 1946 and from the looks of their website, they are marketing the same design today as then. They offer three styles of aluminum awnings (shown above) – for windows, doors, even patios and carports. Heck yeah there is more →
