In 2010, I will try and hunt down and feature the entire series of mid-century kitchen design vignettes produced by the American Gas Association. They are all so elegant — like a design board, pulling together a few simple elements to showcase key inspiration elements for a particular kitchen. The gas stoves are wicked awesome, too. Heck yeah there is more →

I think that our readers in Eichler homes and other mid-century modern homes will like this bedroom. This design is from 1954. The slate blue and orange color combination is stunning, and the “simplicity” of the design is so elegant and yet, comfortable. Heck yeah there is more →

A 73-page mid-century Lightolier catalog — now that is some serious eye-candy for whiling away a few hours on a sleepy Sunday. The awesome Gretchen has scanned this entire catalog and posted it as a set on Flickr. Go take a look, I promise it will blog your mind. Also be sure to check out Gretchen’s Eiclerific blog.

IT’S TIME FOR ANOTHER INSTALLMENT of a vintage Armstrong interior from my large collection of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, Inc. advertising comps. This one: a small, very efficiently designed 1954 yellow kitchen. And the cabinet style shows that authentic retro doesn’t have to be all radius-edge slabs — this is an important reference / proof for even me!   Heck yeah there is more →

I‘M FASCINATED by the midcentury midwest furniture companies. I have this suspicion they were more interested in quality than transient styling. Willett was based in Indiana, and they made some really nice stuff. With real wood. My guy Royal Barry Wills also designed a line of furniture for them…. This Willett ad is from 1952…the 40s period was coming to an end…recall, 1953 started The Fifties. Can’t you just imagine how proud a family was when they bought this furniture? The sofa — it’s such a classic. And it was not cheap: $495. That’s $4,014 today!