Retro Renovation» cabinet hardware

Inexpensive hardware for 1950s and 1960s kitchen cabinets

pam kueber — Tue, 17 May 2011 08:22:05 +0000

No doubt whatsoever: In the five years that I’ve been doing this blog, the availability of fixtures and hardware and decor to renovate our mid century homes has exploded — and I don’t think it’s near over yet. Things that were rare and expensive are now becoming abundant and inexpensive. Remember, though: You still tend to get what you pay fore. Jon of Jon & Trixi of avocado sink fame and of wanton hacking away at cement board covering vintage laminate countertops fame sends in these latest tips on inexpensive kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls of both the atomic and mid-century modest variety, writing:

Hey Pam!

So, a little tip for you and possibly the readers! We’ve moved on to the cabinet portion of the kitchen — which is exciting, that’s the bit I’ve been the most thrilled about changing. We’ve been hitting every store in the universe looking for the best possible hardware, from the “big box” stores like Lowes and Home Despot to little family-owned hardware stores. Mostly, the hardware is all “modern” and awful — we were thinking we’d have to shell for expensive stuff from one of the online “retro” places that specializes in period cabinet hardware.

But no!! A trip to our local Ace Hardware (which has become our second home in the last few weeks!) reveals that Ace, interestingly, has a TON of retro cabinet pulls, and the best news is THEY ARE CHEAP. The “retro” places are charging eight to ten bucks a pop for their hardware, but check this out:

The “radar dish” cabinet pulls! I’ve seen ‘em online here ‘n’ there for 8 bucks a piece, Ace has them in several sizes and finishes for about 2 bucks each!

T he “hammered iron” knobs and drawer pulls! This is what was in our house originally, and what my folks had in my house growing up, they’re HIGHLY retro!

And these……as well as these nice little retro items

These standard chrome drawer pulls — I’ve seen ‘em in a hundred mid-century and 60s houses:

And I notice the Amerock corporation website — the company that makes all these pulls — has a ton more! 30 pages of pulls, knobs, backplates and more, and in a ton of styles designed to exactly match
your house’s original pulls. They’ve got bathroom towel bars and rings and such, too, in nifty retro / chrome styles.

Check it out!!

Thank you, Jon. When I was in Kentucky recently, I actuallsaw a lot of these pulls — or derivatives of them — at a Home Depot in a suburb of Louisville. The retailer is “Liberty Hardware.” And I bet they are from exactly the same factory in China, because one of my Early American samples — which I have right here on my desk — appears to be IDENTICAL to your black-hammered pull. My other sample, is almost exactly the same as your “burnished gold”, but lacks the burnishing. My recollection was that these were also very inexpensive, around $2 each. Here is the link to Liberty Hardware’s cabinet knobs and pulls.

Finally — See my complete category of all researched Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinet Knobs and Pulls here.

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900 pieces of vintage Weslock mid century kitchen cabinet pulls

pam kueber — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:01:07 +0000

Over on the Retro Renovation Facebook Fan Page, Michael posted this fabulous find:

I just bought a couple cartons of new-old-stock mid-century hardware from an estate sale. I’m going to use some of the knobs/plates on my closet doors and kitchen cupboards, but since there are over 900 pieces I’m going to have to sell the rest. What’s the best site for selling this type of thing? eBay? Somewhere else? Thanks!

Wow! I’ve never seen vintage kitchen cabinet hardware quite like this before. I told him “ebay.” He says he’ll send the link when all this NOS deliciousness is available for purchase. Thanks, Michael!

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Mint-in-box 1960 Progress Lighting from Rejuvenation

pam kueber — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:00:07 +0000

Here is a hot tip for anyone doing a major project: Rejuvenation also sells antique lighting, and I noticed on their website yesterday that they have a good-sized stash of circa-1960 lighting from Progress Manufacturing, unused and in its original boxes. And — there are multiples available. Note: Even though it’s unused MIB, Rejuvenation says they rewire this lighting – another good reminder for all of us to rewire anything we find and use vintage. Last but not least — 33 vintage copper-plated cabinet pulls with atomic backplates also are in their antique hardware section — a wonderful number — a gorgeous design — snap ‘em up, someone!

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