Retro Renovation» By the Decade

Gorgeous vintage Ventahood in stunning Seattle midcentury modern house

pam kueber — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:50:42 +0000

I bumped into this 1958 kitchen over on our Forum, which helps readers buy and sell vintage steel kitchen cabinets and other salvage items to remodel their homes in authentic period style. Reader Nicole recently bought this single-owner, Seattle house. Alas, there is water damage to the cabinets. She is replacing them with a like design and selling this gorgeous vintage Ventahood exhaust fan. I initially contacted Nicole just to get more photos of the fan. But, crikey, she then also sent more photos of what proves to be a stunning house with stunning views to the Pacific. Mouse on down on for eight more photos and for a bit of Nicole and her husband Jeff’s story ->

Nicole says:

We just bought our house and are working on some renovations, but keeping it in line with the 1958 feel.

We bought it from the original owners, and have all of the plans, can you believe it?! We were looking for a house with a view – plus open floor plan.

It was designed by Ralph Anderson, a famous Mid Century Modern architect in Seattle. We had lived in a bungalow and a tudor (both rehabs)… We walked in and we fell in LOVE. We had to have this house..

I’ve added photos of the house, and one of the kitchen photo is an AWESOME one of the ventahood!

We are not, unfortunately, (able to keep the kitchen) — some of it had water damage. But we are keeping the cabinets in the garage, and ordered the closest looking ones we could!

We have vintage chevron pulls that we got at the Re-Store and are keeping the sweet red lights. Plus, other vintage lights. The Ventahood (is for sale here): http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/app/2794818079.html

And the Oven (is for sale here): http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/app/2825017337.html

Let me know if you need anything else, and am thrilled to have you feature it!

It is a Beauty!!!

Thank you so much, Nicole, for sharing these photos. And thanks also to ImageArts Photography for making these photos available and giving me permission to use them here on the blog for our archive-of-great-houses; you do gorgeous work.

Now. Nicole: “It is a Beauty!!!” — even with three exclamation points and a happy face — seems like… the understatement of the year. Ummm, will you adopt me? Do I spy with my little eye: sliding doors in the foyer wallpapered with metallic wallpaper? DAGTH. I also adore the Arabesque tiles in sunroom (?) — Nicole says they are resilient. And what’s that wood on the back wall of the kitchen behind the dinette. As the New York Times said, you know we have an “…inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae of home décor…”

I am so happy you are renovating in harmony with the home’s original style. Also, props for working to find a new home for the vintage pieces. Now that we have the “before” photos of your kitchen, we will be eagerly waiting for the “afters” to come soon. No pressure, dear.

One more thought, readers: When we talked recently about creating “timeless kitchens” the recommendation to do “medium-tone wood cabinets” came up. Here’s a great example of what I think, is a great piece of advice.

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Come on people now, smile on each other, everybody get together, try and love one another. Right now.

pam kueber — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:36:49 +0000

I have been away. I was at a conference. Then I was at mom’s in Kentucky. Now I am back home. I have running around like a maniac. Alas, I have overdone it. I have a cold & flu, or some such. So today, a simple message of 70s luv. Straight from the guest bedroom at Mom’s house. I think this was mine, circa 1975. I futzed around with the image in Lightroom. I am not sure I was ultimately successful. But like I said, I am claiming exhaustion. Check back at noon, though. Something new coming. Did you know — I am now publishing twice daily, Monday-Friday. First thing in the a.m., then again just before noon. More RR daily to stoke your fires.

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Satanic vintage wallpaper, yellow Preway fireplace in 1973 deck house

pam kueber — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:55:28 +0000

Yikes. Satanic 1970s wallpaper. This is among the strangest things I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure I could keep this in my house, it’s so creepy. But yay on reader Suzanne who will be keeping this … invaluable … original piece of her house. Also see her fab foyer and the school bus yellow vintage Malm Preway fireplace.

Suzanne writes:

My husband & I bought a wonderful 1973 Deck House. Lots of 70′s goodness - spiral staircase, scroll iron railings, Malm fireplace… we love it. The entire house was originally painted kind of an adobe color except for the downstairs bathroom.

We have the strangest wallpaper that I would love someone to shed some light on. It’s black silhouettes on a cream background & it’s kind of a toile/folk/asian/demonic combo. Beheading, devils, chicken men… Yikes! Creepy or not, when we redo the bathroom, I’m keeping it!

Thank you so much for taking a look at these. I would love to know if anyone has seen this before or knows the history.

I also added some random shots of the interior of the house.

I’d love for you to look at it. Thank you & thank you for this website, I LOVE it!!!!!

Thank you, Suzanne.

Update: Reader Josh identified this wallpaper within one hour of posting, he said:

It’s ‘Devil Paper’ from Waterhouse Wallcoverings.

Seems like this is a reproduction of a very old design — pre-1890. I’ve emailed for more information, including price. Thank you, Josh, BIG GOLD STAR!

Thank YOU, Suzanne. Great house, lucky you.

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