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A “Country Retro” pink bathroom design for Megan

Posted by: • July 31, 2012
Reader Megan has a design dilemma — how to mesh her classic pink and black tile bathroom with her country style. For help with this week’s Retro Design Dilemma, I turned to Pam, since retro and country are two styles I’ve never tried to blend before. She jumped right on it, explaining that Mary Emmerling is one of her design goddesses. Emmerling was the longtime creative spirit behind Country Home magazine up until a few years ago — and a huge driver the country style that has always popular in America. Pam says: Country style is likely still #1 in America. So how to meld country — with classic Mamie pink retro? Read on to see what Pam suggests…

14 vintage TV lamps light the 2-story foyer of the new Red Lion Inn guest house, Maple Glen — 25 photos

Posted by: • July 31, 2012

vintage tv lamps fill a wallLast week I took a wee road trip to Stockbridge, Mass. — the next town over, here in the Berkshires — to see the new guest house at the Red Lion Inn. My goal: to be first in world to showcase the fabulous foyer that features not one, not two, but 14 vintage TV lamps lighting up the two-story entrance way. Above: That’s Stephanie Gravalese, the marketing manager who gave me a tour — she was as delightful as the TV lamps. Except, there were 14 TV lamps as sconces, so that was some competition.

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How to sell a midcentury house full of original features — we hear from three experts

Posted by: • July 30, 2012

This blog is fundamentally about helping owners of midcentury and vintage homes find the products and services they need to renovate, refurbish, remodel and decorate in a style that is sympathetic to their house’s original style. It’s for folks who want to be in these house. But sometimes, yes, we must move out of the house we love. Fairly regularly, I get the question, more or less stated:

How can I sell my midcentury home — with all its lovely original features — when real estate agents seem to be telling me that what buyers want today are new kitchens, new bathrooms, granite countertops and neutral decor?

I’ve written before about what I think to look for, when buying a midcentury house. But to help answer the question about preparing to sell, I turned to three real estate agents who specialize in selling midcentury homes — modern and modest alike. The agents are in different parts of the country: Martie Lieberman in Sarasota, Florida… Robert Searcy in Houston, Texas… and Alyssa Starelli in Portland, Oregon… for their opinions. They did a great job with my open-ended question. Read on… and then we’d love to hear what readers think — especially if you have recent experience as a seller, or a buyer of an original condition midcentury home.

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Vintage bathroom tile — 171 photos of readers’ bathroom designs

Posted by: • July 27, 2012

Uploader now closed. Thank you, readers, for all the photos of your bathrooms — 171 in all, and lots of fantastic references and ideas here!

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Video: My affordable beige tile bathroom. Yes. Beige.

Posted by: • July 27, 2012

So I had the bathroom clean… I put on makeup… The good camera was all set up on the big tripod… and DH was on the scene to help me shoot this video all about my bathroom renovation — completed with affordable beige ceramic tile from Home Depot. Then, the camera froze up, and we couldn’t get it back on. So I grabbed my little Canon that also shoots video — and, well, the show must go on.

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Vintage Vera “Farmer’s Market” at Crate & Barrel

Posted by: • July 26, 2012

vintage vera farmers market dishtowel at crate and barrel

vintage vera neumann farmers market potholder crate and barrelSo know that we’ve given you a complete history of Vera Neumann, what’s new out there in the stores this summer? The big news seems to be the Vintage Vera “Farmer’s Market” collection at Crate & Barrel. You know I love the rich cobalt blue — my 2012 Retro Renovation Color of the Year. The orange, chartreuse and grass green — all lovely, as well. There are more pieces to the collection. A great hostess gift or quick, pretty-cheap-and-cheerful kitchen pick-me-up.