We know that many of our readers love 1940s decor. To be sure, there’s a lot to like! For example, this 1940s kitchen — with its lovely green cabinetry, bits of red scattered about the room and that fantastic linoleum floor — is just calling me to come inside and spend an afternoon baking pies. For some, creating these kinds of rooms is easy — others may need a little help, especially if the room they start out with is less than ideal. Luckily this week’s vintage catalog provides lots of ideas and inspiration. The catalog was directed by Hazel Dell Brown — an amazing historical figure, the longtime queen of interior design at Armstrong.
This vintage catalog is formatted to feel like a scrap book of ideas that Hazel Dell Brown has collected over time. She has “hand written notes” scrawled in the margins and little sketches here and there to illustrate her ideas. What a charming format for what is basically an Armstrong linoleum sales brochure.
Linoleum floors were common in 1940s decor
The catalog contains several ideas specific to linoleum patterns — which were super common in 1940s decor. Hazel points out that this flooring can come to the rescue when a room’s furnishings are undistinguished. Remember, in 1944, we were at war. Materials were scarce. From the sounds of this catalog, folks were making do with the furniture they had and adding spiff around the edges.
The catalog also shows different ways that linoleum can be used — including on kitchen counter tops. Today, we hear often from readers who find remnants of vintage flooring in closets and at the bottom of cabinets.
Precautionary Pam notes: I also want to relate that in her book “Linoleum”, Jane Powell says that while linoleum is known today for its use of renewable resources (cork, linseed oil, namely), heavy metals such as lead may have been used in the manufacturer of old linoleum. So — Precautionary Pam repeats: Be sure to test the materials in your old houses for vintage nastiness like lead, asbestos and more — get with your own properly licensed professional to determine what’s in your house and its layers, so that you can make informed decisions about how to handle. Be Safe / Renovate Safe.
But now on to the meat of the catalog — the decorating ideas. Today, some of these decorating ideas may seem… over the top. But remember, this was war-time. Homemakers likely only had paint, fabric and — yes, flooring — to spice up their interiors. Look at ‘most any magazine of 1940s decor aimed at the middle class, and the ladies were painting and stenciling and embroidering and slipcovering. There was a lot of applied embellishment. You made do.
And here’s another example of the Pennsylvania Dutch style — shown with a brick patterned linoleum floor that amplifies the warmth from the fireplace across the entire room. Oh, how we wish we could get this floor — and even more so, the famous #5352 — today.
The use of warm and rich colors in this space — combined with the symmetrical arrangement of furniture — make for a calm, cozy and inviting living area. Of particular note — the way that linoleum inlays were used in conjunction with a small area rug to visually create one larger area rug. Using a small cloth rug with a less expensive linoleum floor inlay underneath is a smart way to “have a bigger rug” without the added expense.
This example of a linoleum inlay works with the design and furniture layout of the room. We instantly know that the focal point of the room is the dining table and chairs — because it is in the center of the room and has been “pointed to” with the linoleum inlaid floor. It is only after we have taken in the table that our eyes wander to the red draperies, the pie cabinet and yes — the red ceiling. This room is so 1940s decorating style. It makes me want to paint a ceiling a bright color. What a fun idea.
Here, Hazel cleverly uses curtains to add a space in the master bedroom for the new baby. Once again, notice the repetition of the scalloped shapes in the valance, on the curtains and the table skirt. One of the key elements of design is repetition, and Hazel shows us how.
Four 1940s bathroom designs
The bathroom above is my personal favorite from the catalog. The die cut rosettes and scalloped design that are inlaid into the floor are so sweet — to me, the epitome of 1940s decor. Notice how both the flowers and the scallops are repeated throughout the room — making for a cohesive and feminine space. There is an Armstrong linoleum product on the wall — “Linowall” — too.
The star and ribbon inlay in this bathroom’s linoleum floor is so much fun — it is also interesting to note that the mirror seems to have been painted with a ribbon to coordinate. And, check out the vanity — is the counter simply made of layers of glass?
This sunny bathroom has a space for everyone — gym locker style — but is made to feel like home with thoughtful decoration, cheery colors, hanging greenery around the window and personalized names to label each family member’s individual space.
Here’s another thoughtful bathroom, packed with storage — notice how the tub is pretty much “built in” to the storage in front of it. This actually seems like a pretty darn good idea.
Two 1940s studio apartment designs
Look at all the function that is packed into this well designed and decorated space. This design — which is an extra bedroom the homeowner wanted to rent to generate extra income — made a room for rent into a one room apartment instead. A day bed — used for seating or sleeping — eating area, kitchenette, and office space as well as room for storage. With this design, Hazel teaches us that good design can add value. Awesome wallpaper accent wall, Hazel! And, the medium blue paired with chartreuse and just a touch of rose — gorgeous. This is a lovely, lovely room.
This last room is yet another example of remodeling a single space into a room that serves many purposes. This example is described as an unused attic space that was converted into a livable one room apartment — complete with bathroom and kitchen. You hardly notice the sloped ceiling due to a masterful visual trick — using a dark and bold wallpaper to accent the straight and tall walls at the end of the room — and painting the slanted portion of the ceiling a light-reflecting cheery yellow. Keeping the color scheme simple also unifies the various functional spaces and makes the room feel larger than it is.
To see all of Hazel Dell Brown’s thoughtful decorating solutions to common problems, view the slideshow below.
Special thanks to MBJ Collection and archive.org for making this vintage catalog available via Creative Commons license.
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:?
Jennifer says
We currently have the style # 08, emerald green marble “Marbelle” linoleum in our 1942 colonial revival’s entry hall. It has held up great. Anyone know the best wax to use on it? I want to make it shine again!
Marie Gamalski says
Hello Jennifer….????,I use “Holloway House” quick shine multi surface floor finish, I get it at Target online or in store…. makes my floors shine like glass! I have pups so I use it quite often, little claw scratches you know!!????…hope that helps, I’m not adept enough to add a pic….
Dan Hermann says
Actually, I believe the Colonial Revival goes back even a little farther, to about 1900, when Stanford White adopted it for a major commission.
CR, like everything else, can be done well or badly. When I was a kid in the 50s, growing up in Chautauqua Institution (Google it), it was all the vogue to take these fabulous Victorian homes and “Colonialize” them. Some real atrocities resulted. Always the way, ain’t it?
I find many of the CR houses of the late 30s thru the early 50s interesting, because most of them were a stripped down version of the original Colinial style. Very distinctive.
Anyhow, for this guy who’s still fixing up a very Deco, or Streamline Modern, as it were, apartment from 1937, up here in the Bronx, these images are a real treat, and tremendously useful. The design ideas of the actual war years have gotten very much lost in the shuffle. Thanks, Pam!
Dan Hermann says
BTW, tho the linoleum may not be available, there are a lot of wall paper patterns that are very similar that you can find on Ebay. Not cheap, but they’re they kind of thing where only one wall’s worth or less can make a big statement.
Catherine says
I love the brightly-colored ceilings! One tiny detail I’ve been zeroing in on as I’m preparing to paint my new (to me) 1940’s minimal traditional is visible in the living room picture with the black tree-motif fireplace: the narrow crown molding is painted to match the walls, not the ceiling. Currently in my house it is done the other way around and it has looked unbalanced to me since I first laid eyes on it. So I started looking at ads and designer illustrations from the period, and in each case a narrow crown molding like that matched the wall, other painted trim on the wall, or a color in the wallpaper pattern. Some of the illustrations were of Dorothy Draper designs, so I figured she knew what she was doing, and I looked up her book Decorating Is Fun!, in which she gave exactly that advice for the average home. (She did treat wider crown moldings with higher ceilings differently, with lovely results.)
House Beautiful has a slide show of seven of Draper’s designs that would be appropriate in middle-class homes at http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/dorothy-draper-designs#slide-1.
Jay says
Thanks for the link! DD had a distinct style well suited for that era. She was responsible for the redecoration of the Green Briar Resort in the 40s/50s when they undertook a major redecoration/expansion.
thatmidcenturyfella says
I love these looks. They really took chances back then! My favorite look is the baby/master bedroom. I would use the baby nook for a fun reading space or even hide a television set!
tammyCA says
I knew that Early American Colonial gained popularity with the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg…just didn’t know it was actually in the ’20s. It was such a popular decor (with lots of pewter ware) in the ’40s that a lot of the movie stars had it in their homes..always love seeing their homes in the vintage magazines. I also think patriotism during WWII kept it popular. “I love Lucy” also had EA especially in the Connecticut house.
Maude says
I am sure that eventually linoleum will come back in style. I also love how the green and yellow bathroom has the parents and children’s names painted on the little locker closets… so cute.
Maude
Toni says
I’ve mixed a bit of the ’40’s kitch into my 1880’s house. If only they would bring back the floral linoleum rugs.
Greeney says
I LOVE the emerald green Marbelle Armstrong linoleum! So much classier than any modern linoleum I’ve ever seen! I would love to have that floor in my house!
oh Holland says
Exuberant interiors!
Growing up in the 50s, my folks had pretty modern decor, but I remember some Pennsylvania Dutch touches on painted furniture punctuating our home. Today, I’m still fascinated with stylized hex signs.
Caren says
I think I have a couple pieces of the 5651 pattern!