Buckle up, readers. Here is one of the most beautiful, glowy, dreamy vintage kitchens yet, and the story is still unfolding. This 1956 kitchen — with top-of-the-line St. Charles steel cabinets, in a soft gray with aquamarine countertops — first appeared on our metal kitchen cabinet buy/sell Forum (now defunct). Bonnie listed the cabinets for sale. She recently bought this house — a gorgeous c. 1900 Southern Victorian near Nashville — and she is going to create a 1900s-era kitchen for it. Within days of the listing, reader Pam snapped them up, with plans to put them into a house she recently purchased. Stunned by these beautiful photographs, I got permission to feature them from real estate agent Starling Davis and from Showcase Photographers. I also was connected to the original owner — Mrs. Starling Davis, mother of the real estate agent — who lived in this home for 50 years, from 1956 until a few years ago — and who, with her husband, had the kitchen designed and installed.
Mrs. Davis told me that when her family bought the house, it was a shambles. They renovated the entire home, including putting these grey St. Charles cabinets, aqua countertops, and turquoise stove into the kitchen. She said that her husband is the one who knew about St. Charles. He asked to put these in. The wallpaper and flooring as shown, is original. Mrs. Davis says the gray has a “touch of pink” in it. The cabinets are in perfect shape, except for a small gash in one place.
The side-by-side refrigerator, Mrs. Davis says, came later. She believes it was the first modern side-by-side available. Her husband bought it as a surprise — and he had it painted soft gray to match the cabinets before installing it.
Please, readers: No woe-is-me’s that Bonnie is not keeping the kitchen (I will expeditiously edit/delete such comments). I totally understand her desire to create a period-authentic 1900s kitchen. We are so happy she chose to list the cabinets on our Forum — and that an RR reader, Pam, snapped them up! Good retro karma! Thank you, Bonnie!
All the photos above are of the kitchen and the adjacent breakfast room. What else can I say? Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Now, the four stunning bathrooms also installed in 1956:
This ivory-yellow bathroom, with its ivory colored fixtures, was Mrs. Davis’ bathroom. I marveled with her about how “glowy” this room was — she credits the wallpaper. Exquisite taste. This takes my breath away. I’ll even take it over Mamie pink. Gasp! Yes!
An angle on the vanity. Louver doors are good and righteous things. Mrs. Davis says, “We took good care of everything.” Well, yes, you did!
Beige tile, Mrs. Davis says. Notice how they did the shower entry — they tiled up three tiles before mounting the shower door. Louver doors again on the vanity. Hexes on the floors, as in the ladie’s bath and the blue bath coming up. Mrs. Davis says the fixtures are Crane. In her bathroom, though, they are American-Standard.
Blue bathroom. There Is Nothing Wrong About Tiling Your Bathroom Countertop. Wallpaper = yes. Peek into the hall to see the louver closet doors. I am going to do a follow-up story on this room alone, there are numerous design secrets within that Mrs. Davis told me about.
Even though the foreground of this photo reads blue, this is a very soft green tile, Mrs. Davis says. With a pink sink (remember Nora’s time capsule pink and blue bathroom?) Metallic wallpaper…. towel rings with bows on top… a little tile-in nook shelf above the vanity… a door with applied trim…. and teensy mosaic tiles — on the floor. This is the most amazing house ever.
Thanks again to Mrs. Starling Davis for talking to me about this house… to realtor Starling Davis, to Dan Raper of Showcase Photographers for permission to feature the photos, and to reader Bonnie and Pam, for helping with this story. Guess what? More to come.
Louisa says
I love this–so beautiful, so timeless.
More, please.
Wonder which Crane bath fixtures these were?
Stacey says
Beauty, beauty! Mrs. Davis certainly did have fabulous style. But I can’t wait to see the cabinets’ new digs in buyer Pam’s house.
This reminds me of a bathroom my mom designed for our split level in 1963. Heard tell it was lavender (I’m too young to remember). The builder told her she was making a mistake and would never be able to sell the house. When my parents sold the house in 1967 (oh, the hey-day of corporate transfers), they sold that house quickly! And the wife said it was the lavender bathroom that clinched the deal!
TappanTrailerTami says
Mrs. Davis has exquisite taste (and a wonderful husband!). To each their own though, because even though I am more of a “purist” and completely understand Bonnie’s desire to return the kitchen to the house’s era, I would have had an astoundingly difficult time making the decision to remove this kitchen! Kudos to her for saving the cabinets and to Pam for buying them.
Can’t wait for the rest of the stories/photos!
hillary says
Insanely gorgeous rooms. Kudos to Mrs. Davis and her husband, who clearly had excellent taste, chose quality materials, and took beautiful care of their home.
Dawn says
I love this story. EVERYONE wins! Everyone gets a chance to be restored to their OWN time period. I love it! These pictures are fabulous. She must have been a spectacular housekeeper for it looks almost like it was installed yesterday!! Good luck to all on their renovations!
Trouble says
I totally agree with the owner going back to an earlier kitchen. The whole story and the transaction is just how it should be! One of our own got the set to use in the proper setting.
Although I will say that the MC kitchen has been there since the ’50s, so I don’t mind it in a turn of the century home either!
Chelsea says
My heart skipped a little when I saw this beautiful kitchen… I am excited to see the remodels of both this kitchen & new owner of the cabinets! And those bathrooms are gorgeous, Mrs Davis certainly knew what she was doing!
Natalie S says
Beautiful! How could you ever have a bad day if that is your home.
Jason says
Have Mercy! Picture me giving the tour…THIS is my TUB and THAT is my SHOWER. Better yet it’s a beautiful real tub, not a plastic oval that blows air. I love this all – it’s so gorgeous and I even though 50s at the time, still in itself is appropriate into a 1900s home, not too mid mod, etc.
I love my ranch, but my Dad has a 1900s 4 square on our farm, I am the 4th generation of my family there and one family lived there before us. It and my other grandmother’s farm house had updates in the 50s and this shows that type of integration which reads 50s to us and we love it, yet still works with the 1900s. I’m sure the period work they intend to put in will be also quite beautiful.
Amy says
Is the owner selling any other fixtures or appliances? I live in the area and am very interested.
pamela lyle says
Amy-
Type in vintage kitchen on Nashville Craigslist for appliances. They are beautiful! I bought the cabinets but appliances won’t fit. Seriously gorgeous though : )
Tracy DeHart says
WOW!! This is the prettiest kitchen I’ve ever seen. And the rest of the house is amazing too! Makes me proud to live in Nashville…haha! Pamela, just wondering if you’re keeping the aqua countertops. I assumed you are, but if not, I’m in the market for some!! 🙂