Retro Renovation

Femme 1 asked last week what kind of dinnerware I used. And the answer is: Blue Heaven (pictured at the bottom.)
To be honest, I don’t know much about it, only that it was made in the 60s. I found a whole bunch at an estate sale about two years ago, and after my kitchen was [...]

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In vintage ads from 1957 and 1961, I picked up on these awesome Chinese Emperors as decorative art for living rooms. Aren’t the colors and graphics extraordinary? To be sure, Asian influences became very common around this time.
Palm Springs Stephan clues us into their history, and where to get them. Very cool.
Note, I swear I [...]

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I was so enamored of the Rose Red and Pink wallpaper in yesterday’s 1956 room, that I went hunting for modern day proxies. This “Brentwood Rose” damask pattern would look very inviting in a foyer or dining room — rooms where this kind of cheerful flamboyance would not be overwhelming because of the measured amount [...]

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I have two of these braided Capel rugs, and I love them. They are very durable, versatile and affordable — and fit my 1951 colonial ranch home’s decor just fine. Remember, while we may associate modernist ranch houses with the 1940s 50s and 60s, in reality postwar homes were a mix and match…inside and out…of [...]

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Drum roll, please: Announcing 4 new vintage 1950s Atomic wallpapers from Bradbury & Bradbury, launched on RetroRenovation.com today.
Finally, our days of wallpaper deprivation are coming to an end. The images speak for themselves: These papers — along with Atomic Doodle, Googieland and the four 1940s papers that B&B introduced last month — are a tremendous [...]

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Stephen J. Bauer, artistic director and owner of Bradbury & Bradbury, kindly agreed to answer some questions about B&B’s new line of mid century wallpapers. I hope you find it really interesting…and fun. Hey, I’d sure like to have a couple of margarita’s with this guy! Thank you, Stephen, I owe you one!
1. Stephen, [...]

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Following up on yesterday’s 40s papers — here are the two great 50s vintage reproductions from Bradbury & Bradbury. I love Atomic Doodle, it reminds me of the vintage paper that I was able to finally hunt down for my kitchen. On the other hand, my BWW web genius advisor took an immediate shine to [...]

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RetroRenovation.com is very excited to host the first unveiling of four, new atomic wallpapers from Bradbury & Bradbury — scheduled here, for Nov. 15!
Be sure to tune in next Thursday morning to get the first look anywhere at the new papers that are going on sale.
As a special treat, we also will have an extensive [...]

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I thought I had died and gone to heaven…I fell off my chair…when I first saw that Bradbury & Bradbury, long renowned for its gorgeous art wallpapers for Victorian and Arts & Crafts homes, has introduced a line of mid century modern wallpapers. I’ve known this company for 15 years, since I began restoring a [...]

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I know that Pottery Barn and the like want you to buy those tabbed draperies, or the ones that simply slide onto decorative polls. But this is definitely not the right answer if you are in a mid century home! You need pinch pleat draperies, and that is that! In addition to looking so much [...]

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