There is no Lowe’s in my picturesque county, so I don’t get to snoop there very often. I tend to prefer its products to those of Home Depot. Over Labor Day, though, we visited friends an hour away, and zipped into Lowe’s with them very quickly on Sunday afternoon. I quick-like went to look in kitchens and baths and then, raced through lighting. Sure enough, I spotted the Danish Modern pendant light, above, $159. I didn’t get a chance to examine it for visibly apparent quality. But at a glance it looked nice. When I got home, I went to Lowe’s website to see if I could find any more new-midcentury-style lighting, and came up with 10 more examples. Heck yeah there is more →
11 inexpensive retro lights from Lowe’s
Posted by: • September 16, 2011
Wood kitchen cabinets in the 1950s and 1960s – “unitized” vs. “modular” construction
Posted by: • September 15, 2011
If wood kitchen cabinets like Nancy's were built using "unitized" construction, they likely cannot be removed and re-arranged.
Over time, several readers have asked whether they can dis-assemble their mid-century wood kitchen cabinets, then re-assemble them in a different configuration. Well, the answer seems to be: Maybe, Maybe Not. Over on her blog, Kelly’s Kitchen Sync, Kelly Morisseau has a good explanation of “unitized” construction, which I am betting was used by a great many “merchant builders” with access to their own, local kitchen cabinet fabricators. If you have cabinets built this way, chances are you will not be able to remove and rearrange them successfully. Keep reading, though, because “modular” boxes were also available, you may have these. –> Heck yeah there is more →
Breaking news: Crestview Doors introduces 6 decorative, midcentury-style wall screens / room dividers
Posted by: • September 14, 2011
This news just out: Crestview Doors announced just this morning that they have introduced six styles of mid-century inspired decorative wall screens to the market.
“Redi-Screens™ may be used as doors, partitions, or room dividers, but it is their striking and luxurious look that sets them apart from anything else on the market,” says Christiane Erwin, President and CEO of Crestview Doors. “Crestview Doors recognizes the demand for home décor that is functional and classically beautiful. Redi Screens™ can separate spaces and create privacy while enhancing the overall visual aesthetic of the interior landscape.”
5 Anne Taintor original collages — art for the pure joy of it
Posted by: • September 14, 2011
It can be a dream come true when you are able to turn a passion into a full-time job. But, one of the perils is that — over time, as you must deal with all the messy realities of making money — you can lose the unfettered satisfaction of just doing what you love, for yourself, the way it all started. So, during my interview with Anne Taintor featured yesterday, I was happy to learn that she still heads to her “playroom” to make art just for herself — where, she says, “I can spread out and make collages that have nothing to do with magnets and flasks and coin purses.” Today — Anne shares five of her original collages with us. Above: “They Were Determined to have Fun.” – click on through for 4 more –> Heck yeah there is more →
An interview with Anne Taintor
Posted by: • September 13, 2011
Her new Twist line…
Her “very bad attitude”…
Renovating a 1783 house…
And: Enter by Friday to win a $25 giveaway
Anne Taintor - Self Portrait
Anne Taintor – inventor-queen of sassy captioned retro art – has just introduced an all-new line of novelty products, “Taintor with a Twist.” 
This new line – which includes refrigerator magnets, luggage tags and more – moves beyond her famed 1930s, 40s and 50s illustrations to introduce “a new design and a new generation of smart, impertinent ladies who have stepped out of the kitchen into the bold and glamorous world of the 1960s.” The new products feature classic art from The Saturday Evening Post — stunning illustrations that were created by the Cooper Agency, a Madison Avenue firm that produced much of the magazine’s original art.
The new 'twist' line features original 1960s art from The Saturday Evening Post. These illustrations were created by The Cooper Agency, a Madison Avenue firm.
I am Anne’s biggest fan. So I jumped quick and asked if she would do an interview for Retro Renovation, and she quickly agreed. You’re gonna love it, I promise –>
Decorating a 1960s kitchen — 21 photos with even more ideas from 1962 kitchens
Posted by: • September 12, 2011
The best way to get ideas to decorate or remodel your mid century kitchens is to — go back the experts who designed them back in the day. My reference library continues to grow weekly — and today, I’ve pulled 21 kitchens — with 21 photos from 1962 — to examine for ideas and inspiration –> Heck yeah there is more →
Wavin’ Flag
Posted by: • September 11, 2011
Mid century lighting – upload photos of your lights and grow our gallery
Posted by: • September 10, 2011
To date there are 111 photos of all varieties of original lighting fixtures from 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s houses in our gallery of Vintage Midcentury Lighting. Over the next several days I’ll open the public uploader – and invite you to upload photos of either (1) the original lighting in your house or (2) the lighting that you have installed. For this gallery, let’s keep it to lighting installed in the ceiling – chandeliers, pendants and ceiling fixtures, as well as swag lighting. I’ll do a separate “lamps” collection at some point.
Do you love the lighting in your house? Share it here –> Heck yeah there is more →
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