Hold on to your horses Retro Renovation readers — thanks to a tip from reader Hannah, who is constantly alerting Pam to fabulous vintage items listed on Etsy (xoxox we love you Hannah — will you be our Valentine?) — we were able to get permission from Etsy seller MichelleAndHerDog to bring you 70 pictures of vintage Wilsonart laminate samples — now being offered as key rings. There are several gorgeous patterns — including 17 sparkle and satellite colors. Oh what I would give to be able to order that aqua glitter laminate today. So c’mon folks, the gallery is loaded up with 70 samples to see — let’s take a cheery walk down retro laminate sample lane, shall we?
From what I can gather, the difference between glitter and satellite seems to be that satellite has some “veins” of glitter intermixed through the sparkles.
Below is a listing of the names from the swatches featured in our slide show, sorted by category:
Glitter
- Aqua glitter laminate
- Beige glitter laminate
- Charcoal glitter laminate
- Cocoa glitter laminate
- Coppertone glitter laminate
- Flame glitter laminate
- Frosty pink glitter laminate
- Powder blue glitter laminate
- Pumpkin glitter laminate
- Red glitter laminate
- Wintergreen glitter laminate
Satellite
- Beige gold satellite laminate
- Aqua gold satellite laminate
- Frosty pink gold satellite laminate
- Powder blue satellite laminate
- Primrose gold satellite laminate
- White gold satellite laminate
Spinet
- Blue spinet laminate
- Charcoal spinet laminate
- Coral spinet laminate
- Grey spinet laminate
- Light yellow spinet laminate
- Pink spinet laminate
- Light green spinet laminate
Wood
- American walnut laminate
- Black walnut laminate
- Bleached mahogany laminate
- Blonde Ash laminate
- Blonde Maple laminate
- Brown pickled birch laminate
- Flaked limed oak laminate
- Light grey ash laminate
- Maple laminate
- Oriental walnut laminate
- Light American walnut laminate
- Platinum walnut laminate
- Rattan laminate
- Red striped mahogany laminate
- White birch laminate
- Tan limed oak laminate
- Spice brown walnut laminate
Pearl
- Dark grey pearl laminate
- Green pearl laminate
- Light grey pearl laminate
- Red pearl laminate
- Yellow peal laminate
Linen
- Green Irish linen laminate
- Grey fine linen laminate
- Grey Irish linen laminate
- Red Irish linen laminate
- Yellow Irish linen laminate
- Tan fine linen laminate
- Tan Irish linen laminate
Marble
- Grey and coral marble laminate
- Light pink marble laminate
- Light tan marble laminate
- White marble laminate
Solid
- Solid beige laminate
- Solid black laminate
- Solid charcoal laminate
- Solid cocoa laminate
- Solid flame laminate
- Solid powder blue laminate
- Solid pumpkin laminate
- Solid red laminate
- Solid white laminate
- Solid wintergreen laminate
Other patterns
- White batik laminate
- White festival laminate
Any way I could get some of this frosty pink sparkle laminate for my bathroom remodel? Pretty please?
The gallery below is all loaded up with these sparkle and satellite patterns as well as the popular Irish linen, a cool spinet pattern, pearl, marble, wood and solids. Let the fun begin.
A huge thanks goes out to Etsy seller MichelleAndHerDog for letting us feature the photos of her fabulous laminate samples.
Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge and you can also read my captions… move forward or back via arrows below the photo… you can start or stop at any image:?
Jen says
Just found the countertops in my knotty pine basement. Cool!
Kate says
OMG I have had such a great time on this site. I am a new owner of a MCM and found out so much information already and every link surprises me. I have the aqua glitter in my pantry. It was also in the kitchen but has been covered with granite overlay. I love my aqua countertop. I feel so fortunate to have found my MCM time capsule and I will be on this site often to help with the restoration. Thank you so much!
pam kueber says
Welcome! Yes, we do have some fun here!!
Carole says
Wilsonart needs to consider re-issuing some of these colors! I’d buy the Aqua Glitter or Gold Satellite in a heartbeat!
I used to make necklaces out of laminate samples, way back when. How fun as key rings.
Paul says
My house was built in 1966 and is decorated with White Gold glitter speckled laminate in the kitchen (countertops and range backsplash) and White Spungold glitter speckled laminate in the bathroom (I don’t really know if its Textolite, Wilson Art, Formica, or another brand). In addition, the basement shower is encased with White Gold glitter speckled melamine tile wall panels–albeit they are in poor condition due to moisture issues. I am the second owner of the house–and like the first owners–I am choosing to keep many of the original fixtures and appliances such as my white porcelain Kohler sink, lavatory, and bathtub with Kohler 3-blade chrome faucets, a Rheem-Richmond shelfback lavatory (faucet spout and handles are inside the basin–not on top) in my basement shower room, Mansfield toilet (with two small cracks in the base–so should be replaced), wood paneling (one small wall upstairs and throughout basement), gold bottle glass panels between my kitchen and dinette, interlocking squares divider between my front foyer and dinette, GE coppertone-colored drop-in range and ventilating hood, copper-colored kitchen cupboard hardware, plastic ribbed ivory outlet covers and light switch covers, and brass-colored door hardware in the remainder of the house, exposed maple bedroom floors, two Electrolux canister vacuum cleaners (models R and G), Weather Shield awning windows, mailbox, front door light fixture with gold glass, wooden screen doors, and masonite siding. If you live in or near Minnesota, check out Bauer Brothers Salvage in Minneapolis. They have tons of old fixtures and appliances in a large warehouse (not temperature-controlled, though). If you live in a different region I recommend searching for a salvage company in addition to Restores, antique stores, and thrift stores in your area for restoration projects.
pam kueber says
Wow!
Rick says
My folks had white glitter (Formica) counters in their very basic spec ranch house from the early ’60s. I’m thinking the one bathroom had pink glitter. It was one of the earlier homes in the development and we kids would dig through the building trash nearby; A scrap of countertop or tile or in some rare cases, tile/counter top samples like Pam shows were ‘finds’ to be kept and collected.
Jane / MulchMaid says
Be still my heart: Flame Glitter!
taraG says
I have the Frosty pink Kitchen Cabinets, as well as a white oes with a lavendr sink in bathroom, looking to sell if anyone is interested?
Sarah g (roundhouse) says
Lavender sink?!?! I have a lavender toilet and tub combo but I had no idea a lavender sink existed. I would love to see a photo, to see if it could fit in my bathroom! Please post your info in the forum? ( not familiar with this, but it’s the way Pam would like us to do this)
Sarah g (roundhouse) says
Please post it under other retro stuff, bathroom stuff
pam kueber says
forum: https://retrorenovation.com/forums/
rae says
oh wow! i have white glitter laminate in my bathroom and the contractor we got a quote from is telling me we need to tear it out because today it would be considered bottom grade! I think I need to mention to him that is still looks great at least 50 years after being installed! i would love to have pink to replace it with though!
pam kueber says
Lucky you, to have glitter laminate!
Chris says
Michelle — you are SO SMART to think of sample key rings. SOOOOO smart! One of these days, I’m going to think of some way to make some money! This is too cool!
I love glittery ANYTHING!
Scott says
Where the pleasure center of my brain used to be there is just now a small pile of gold glitter.
I swear if this stuff was still available today I’d laminate every single countertop, wall, and ceiling of my house with it.
Scott says
PS All you folks with glitter laminate in your houses just make me Wintergreen Glitter with envy! 🙂