Retro Renovation » kitchens

Yellow Geneva metal kitchen cabinets

pam kueber — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:59:06 +0000

Scathing Jane spotted this big, pretty set of yellow Geneva steel kitchen cabinets for sale in Pittsburgh on craigslist. $500. Isn’t yellow a delightful color for kitchen cabinets? Thanks, Jane, and 52PostnBeam, too, for all the volunteer work you do posting kitchen cabinets and vintage plumbing items onto the Retro Renovation Forum.

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Linoleum floors and countertops brighten up Dave & Frances’ 1938 kitchen

pam kueber — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:00:25 +0000

Dave and Frances bought a wonderful single-owner 1938 home last year, and have just finished up some modest yet gorgeous updates to their kitchen. The most dramatic improvement: Marmoleum linoleum for both the floor and countertop, edged in stainless steel. Dave writes:

Hi Pam,

Just thought I’d drop you a note. Thanks to inspiration from your site, we just recently, i.e. in the last 24 hours, finished rejuvenating the kitchen in our 1938 house. It didn’t take much, the cabinets were in great shape and the 1958 GE range looks brand new (we’re only the second owners of the house), but the very neutral vinyl floors and formica had to go. We replaced the floor with a medium blue Marmoleum with a dark blue stripe and did the countertops with the same dark blue Marmoleum and the same stainless steel edging you did your countertops with. We finished off with a new Kohler sink with hudee ring.

Dave continues:

We’ve been in the house for right about a year. We outgrew our 900 sq ft 1931 brick house by the time our twin boys turned one and casually started trolling the real estate sites. We knew we wanted another brick house and were fond of the late 20’s through early 40’s architectures. We found this one at about 10 p.m. one night and I promptly drove over that night to check out the neighborhood. This house was about 2 miles west, right in the neighborhood we were most hoping to find something…. We put in a contingent offer and our old house sold the same day it was listed! This house is about 1,700 sq. ft. excluding the unfinished basement.

We bought it from a lady whose dad originally built the house and she had been living in it since she was 12. I even found a copy of the building permit in the basement dated 1939 with her dad’s name on it. We love it when old houses look old and have their original elements so needless to say we instantly fell in love with this house. My wife took a slight bit of convincing since the exterior architecture has a bit less whimsical character than our old house. Being late 30’s, it seemed to be gaining some of the minimalist traditional lines as opposed to the revival era cottage/tudor look of our early 30’s old house. The house was in impeccable shape. Prior to us moving in, the original owner had just removed red shag carpet covering the red oak hardwoods and douglas fir softwoods (upstairs).

I believe the only real non-original elements were kitchen floors and countertops and the light fixtures save for a fantastic deco chandelier in the dining room. We’ve gone through and replaced the non-original light fixtures with a combination of vintage and reproduction. We also replaced the switch plates and outlet plates with NOS brown bakelite plates, but many of the original brown bakelite tumbler switches are still installed and working. We haven’t taken many pictures of the inside of the house since we moved in, but I posted the staged real estate pics from last year if you would like to see them.

You can tell that the stove desperately needs a big white and chrome Big Chill fridge next to it, I’m still trying to convince my wife of that though… (Even so,) you’ll see my wife decided to get in on the whole retro thing with an attempt to recreate one of the campy vintage ads

If you’re interested, here are the particulars for the rejuve:

Marmoleum field color: “Sparkling Lake”, this seemed almost identical to the color in the Armstrong ad

Marmoleum stripe and countertop color: “Deep Ocean”, this too seemed nearly identical

James at Nielsen Bros. Flooring (Seattle) did the install work (James was very patient when it came time to do the metal trim)

Light over the Fridge: Rejuvenation “Atlantic” fixture with “Streamline 8 inch Opal” shade

Light over the Dinette: Rejuvenation “Arcadia” fixture with ”Streamline 8 inch Opal” shade

Kohler Triton Facet (K-7776) and Kohler Triton Cross Handles (K-16012-3)

Kohler Bakersfield White Sink (K-5834) — I found out the hudee ring is sold separately.. (K-6599)

Stainless steel edging from New York Metals — One nice hint, too. Wherever I ended up with cracks in the mitered corners and whatnot, I used silver/gray gutter sealant as a filler. It blends in fairly nicely with the stainless. Soldering would probably be best, but this was far easier.

We got inspiration for the color palette from a 1941 armstrong ad I found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/americanvintagehome/3331401646/

I asked Dave in our email exchange whether he had considered Bradbury and Bradbury’s 1940s wallpaper line. He responded:

It’s funny you mention the wallpaper. I was just showing my wife some of the deco wallpaper on their site last night. You can’t see it in any of the photos, but as you leave the kitchen toward the hallway and head out the back door, there is a wall about 6 feet long covered with some wallpaper from the 70’s. Some of their wallpaper there would be perfect.

Fantastic work, Dave and Frances — the linoleum with the contrasting trim is fantastic, the countertop looks great, and you know I love that Kohler sink. Clearly, you show how making just some minor updates made to fundamentally sound original features can make for a charming (and not too expensive) renovation that makes the house truly feel like your own. I do have two questions I forgot to ask: I was under the impression that today’s linoleum in not particularly recommended for countertops. What were you told about this issue? Also, did you have to adjust the size of the countertop substrate material in order to accommodate the increased thickness of the linoleum vs. laminate? Thank you so much for sharing — this story will be very popular with readers whose homes or styles tend more toward 1940s sweetness than 1950s atomic.

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Vintage heart pine vs. today’s knotty pine

pam kueber — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:11 +0000

When I originally discussed using knotty pine in kitchens, there were comments expressing concern about the wood’s appropriateness in the relatively humid kitchen environment. When I was at the Southern Spring Home & Garden Show last week, I ran into this company, Union Church Millworks of Covington, Virginia. They had some really gorgeous woods on display including “vintage knotty pine,” so I asked Kim Bennett Powers, the sales and consulting manager on hand, the knotty knotty pine question.

His response, which was very illuminating: In the 1950s, we grew our pine trees bigger… the centers got very hard as the tree aged, and we were able to use this center — it was called “heart pine” – for cabinets and other applications where we wanted hard, dense wood. It still looked knotty. Today, we do not grow our pine trees as big, so the wood never never gets as hard. So, much of the 1950s knotty pine really is a particular sub-category called heart pine. Kim says that Union Church Millworks can still get you vintage heart pine for cabinets or panelling or even floors — it’s reclaimed from demolitions and the like. But it costs something like $12 a s.f. vs. $3/s.f. for plain old knotty pine. While we didn’t have a belaboured discussion about it, Kim thought that even considering the differences then vs. now, today’s knotty pine should do fine in a kitchen. That said, there are other wood species that have a knotty look but which are naturally harder.

One more thing: Woah, the woods they had on display for floors, paneling and cabinetry: Gorgeous!

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Kitchen cabinets for a late 60s to 70s kitchen

pam kueber — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:00:11 +0000

A reader recently wrote to ask, “Would these cabinets be considered retro for my 1965 mid-century modern style kitchen?” Drats, I cannot find the email with his name, but my answer was: “Yes, I think they could work just fine.” These Merillat Essential Northport cabinets are laminate-on-melamine and actually, quite similar in feel to the circa-1975 cabinets that I took out of my 1951 kitchen. I’d say that they have a 70s look – but remember, the 70s really started in the mid-60s… well, the periods, they all mush together. I quite like the look of these cabinets — the full overlay door, with its tone-on-tone trim, and the fact that it needs no pulls, all convey a late mid mod feel.

Here’s my mood board for a late 1960s early 1970s groove kitchen. It includes the MerillatM Northport cabinets, Armstrong’s Saguaro vinyl sheet flooring, Bradbury’s Mod Generation Daisy wallpaper in Sunshine, and currently on ebay: rust-colored Club Aluminum, a Burke dinette and mod globe pendant lights. What do you think? Are we ready to bring back all the best of the 70s?

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Ikea kitchen sinks with retro style

pam kueber — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:00:58 +0000

I rarely feature products from Ikea, mostly because I do not live near one but also because so many other blogs seem to spotlight their stuff a lot. However, these two kitchen sinks recently came onto my radar. I will add them to the Product Guide for renovators to consider for their kitchen updates, and hunt and peck their site more diligently for appropriate and affordable choices for mid-century homes.

The white sink, the Domsjo, echoes the look of mid-century double-bowl sinks, and it’s nice and big. A key difference from the Kohler Bakersfield, which remains my top choice, is that the Ikea model has no hudee ring, only one hole and is a bit more modern in that ridged deck toward the back. But it is most certainly modern and nice and big like the oldies.

Remember: You can get this Dishmaster in a WALL-MOUNT configuration, too.

The Boholmen steel sinks are pretty cool indeed – and the price is terrific. This particular model is $146. I think this is way way cheaper that the Elkays — which are a longtime recommendation, and which include many more variations including double drainboard set-on-top-of-your-sink-cabinet sinks. The key challenge with this Ikea sink is where to put the faucet. If you set this into laminate, I would be concerned about the long-term durability of the laminate where it meets the faucet. Alternatively, you might try a wall-mount Dishmaster with this sink. Or, gasp: granite or Caesarstone or Silestone. Then again, if you can afford granite or caesarstone or Silestone, go look at the Elkay, too.

Links:

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16 vintage Kohler kitchens — and two mid-century kitchen sinks still offered today

pam kueber — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:00:12 +0000

Let me take you on a little stroll though kitchen design history from the 1930s though the 1950s — with this terrific series of images from Kohler. Vicki Hafenstein of the media relations team at Kohler is really helpful and responsive, and quickly supplied these vintage kitchen photos and illustrations to help with the etsy.com video. She is also hunting some pink bathroom illustrations for my talk in Charlotte. I really appreciate your help, Vicki! I also wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that Kohler makes two hudee-rimmed porcelain-on-cast-iron sinks still available today — they would be my top choices for a Retro Renovation kitchen. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that when I found my 67 vintage Geneva steel kitchen cabinets, the former cooking-school set also came with four vintage, 42″ wide, double-bowl, hudee-ringed Kohler sinks? One is now installed in my kitchen.

These first three images show old, farmhouse style sinks. I don’t really understand the design evolution of sinks. I am pretty sure they were all heavy cast iron, because that was the dominant metal-making technology. Honestly, these have kind of a “trough” feel to me, I am guessing they are in fact derived from designs originally used on farms. I need to do more research… The design above shows how the sink was not necessarily integrated with the cabinets.

Here we have a little evolution – the sink at least is tucked along the same wall as the cabinets, and it has legs. Look at the deep bowl, which also has a hinged top.

This looks like a bungalow kitchen. You see further integration of the sink into the cabinetry — a clear line in the evolution of “fitted kitchens.”

I love this illustration, which I am guessing comes from the 40s, I’d say. The way the linoleum (probably) counter is fitted to the sink — with that stainless steel strip — is a giveaway that this is an earlier-postwar-era kitchen. Did you know that Kohler also made steel kitchen cabinets at one point? I am pretty sure these are theirs.

This looks to be the same sink as the one above – without the drainboards. Late 40s and early 50s kitchens were much more likely to have built-in banquettes or dinettes and such. Kind of a carryover from bungalows. As kitchen design progressed, it seems we moved to stand-alone dinettes. Maybe this derives from the fact there could be less craftsmanship as housing construction boomed. Bungalows were part of the “arts and crafts” era — a return to hand-made and craftsmanship in a backlash response to mass industrialization during the Victorian era. With the etsy.com handmade movement today, I think we are seeing a bit of this same sentiment.

The same kitchen, perhaps — but in a real-life installation (as opposed to an illustration).

Same kitchen as above, it appears – with Shirley Temple lookalike. Hey, and notice all the mid-century modern geraniums.

Ahhhh, notice that the sink has “lost” its integrated backsplash, and it’s set into the laminate countertop with its metal hudee ring. More design evolution. It’s like… monkees losing their tails and becoming… human!

We are into the heart of 1950s kitchens now, I think.

Woah, look at this beauty! Early 50s? Honestly, I don’t cook much, BUT it still seems that I am doing dishes all the time. I would REALLY love to have drainboards like this to the left and to the right. So practical for managing the dishes piling up, going through production, then over to drying.

Like this! Except that today, we compost all of our carrot peelings. Right, people?! Obviously, it’s impossible to say because this is a black-and-white photo, but: That sure looks like a colored sink to me. Let’s guess.

This is one of the two images from my collection of vintage Kohler ads. Gorgeous mid-century kitchen, isn’t it?

And this colonial modern Kohler kitchen (also from my collection) — one of my favorites of all time, truly.

Modern! Can anyone give me a date based on the oven?

Finally, I want to remind everyone that Kohler still makes two, metal-rimmed, cast-iron-on-porcelain kitchen sinks available today. The Delafield sink has two bowls, the Bakersfield, one. The list price from Kohler’s website is shown in the images above — but talk to your local retailers, I bet you can do better. You can see all my mid-century kitchen resources recommendations anytime over on my Product Guides: Kitchens Page.

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A short history of steel kitchen cabinets

pam kueber — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:00:42 +0000

Since 2002 I’ve learned quite a lot about steel kitchen cabinets, which were crazy popular in post-World War II America. During the war, we worked hard, saved our money – and dreamed of the day it would all be over so that we could build happy homes with our families. The center of the home then, as now: The kitchen. And steel was the material of choice. Pulling together much of what I’ve learned and covered on the blog to date, I created an entire page dedicated to the history and design of vintage metal kitchen cabinets, along with an FAQ. 3,263 words. Short? Well, there are lots of pictures too. Read all about the history of steel kitchen cabinets.

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30 patterns for vinyl floor tiles from the 1950s

pam kueber — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:00:38 +0000

David asked the other day: “We’re planning our basement finishing project and looking at VCT tiling options in the basement. Does anyone know where to find design ideas for Vinyl tiles? I’m seeing a lot for ceramic, but not many for VCT.” You ask, I deliver: Here are scans from 1950s Armstrong and Kentile catalogs.

The thing I like about the designs in my 1955 Armstrong dealer catalog is that they show the percentage of each color required. The Kentile designs come from a retail brochure, so you will have to do the math yourself.

Also remember: Armstrong still offers the the decorative shuffleboard. Come on — you only live once — get the shuffleboard!

Finally — Please know, readers — these designs are provided with the intent that you will use them with new vinyl composite tile (VCT). Always be sure, when you move into a house, to consult with experts to test all the materials in your house, including flooring, for stuff like lead and asbestos — and make informed decisions about how to handle these issues.

READ THIS VIEWING TIP: I have inserted the images very large so you can see the designs well — I had to click on the image THREE times to get to the largest version. Then, use my back button to return to the post.

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Nate’s vintage painted rug

pam kueber — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:37 +0000

Nate writes:

Hi, We just bought an old house, and under a carpet in one of the bedrooms was a “something” — I am not sure what its real name is… It is 6 feet by 8 or 9 feet, and is a fantastic picture / mural. Looks like it is on masonite or some other fiber type board. The “rug” is not attached at all — we can pick it up and move it. It is not gummy at all, seems like just fiberboard, maybe 1/8 of an inch thick. The house was built back around 1900 as a schoolhouse, then sold, dismantled, moved and rebuilt maybe around 1935. The family we bought it from had it since the mid 50’s… I would like to … see if anyone knows anything about it. Thanks!

Nate, it’s hard to say what this is made out of – there are a number of possibilities. I recommend that you have it looked at by experts to (1) identify and value it, (2) discuss how to preserve it, and most importantly – (3) to ensure you know what materials it may be made of so that you can make informed issues about environmental and safety issues. In an old house, you want to check every surface for lead and asbestos, for example.

That said, here are some possibilities that I am aware of:

1. Impregnated and enameled felt: I have a 1954 catalog for Armstrong flooring, and it is mostly all tile and sheet. But, at the back, in a very small section, they they still feature several rugs like this, with the “Quaker Floor Covering” brand attached. In their description, they say the rugs (two shown here) are made of felt impregnated with a waterproofing and strengthening saturant. It then has sealants on the top and bottom, a leveling coat, then is painted with the design and baked. (“Impregnated… saturant… paint” = code words for get it tested to know what you have.)

2. Linoleum: While my catalog shows a kind of felt-painted-rug, bona-fide linoleum rugs also were produced… and it could be that you have one of those. Here is a link to Secondhand Rose and their discussion of linoleum rugs and the process with which they were made. By the way, I am pretty sure these are wicked expensive and then some. So much so that the price is not even mentioned, and they forewarn you of the difficulty to install. Read: Brittle. The linoleum or linoleum-style rug that I once saw at an estate sale was flexible, but very brittle. In fact, I could not buy it because it was clear that it would bust into pieces if it were not kept absolutely flat.

3. Other: You say your rug feels like it is on a piece of masonite or something stronger and less flexible than linoleum, so it could well be that you have something that I have never seen or heard of. (Most of my focus is on post-war decor, whereas these types of rugs, I believe, were more popular in the early 20th century.)

One thing is pretty clear to me, Nate: I bet your your rug is quite rare and valuable. Novelty and juvenile designs like this are always very collectible. And even with the condition issues, your rug has tremendous charm. Perhaps it belongs in a museum. Good luck, and many thanks for sharing.

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Mod Squad kitchen cabinets

pam kueber — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:00:28 +0000

Just about the time Rebecca asked me for some suggestions for renovating her 1964 Ann Arbor kitchen, I ran across these mod 60s 70s style cabinets online. These doors have a baked-on thermofoil finish, which enables durable, high-gloss colors. The orange looks very pleasing indeed … the “olive” by any other name would be called “avocado”… and their red looks pretty authentic 60s 70s. In fact, neighbors of mine — who updated their kitchen in the mid-60s in a very high fashion, high-end style — have red cabinets just like this. I declare this style and these colors: Smokin’ hot!

These mod squad kitchen cabinets — “Norara” door style with Pull #1 — are from Holiday Kitchens. Cindy used Holiday’s laminate doors for her kitchen and bathroom updates and is quite satisfied. I’ve been featuring a number of their door styles, and have a few more yet to add to our list of mid-century appropriate kitchen resources. Note: I keep an archive of all core resources in the “Product Guides” section — here’s the page for cabinets, sinks, faucets and more products available today for your retro kitchen update.

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