Retro Renovation » Exterior

A Way to Garden

pam kueber — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:00:09 +0000

Margaret Roach of A Way To Garden

It was 60 degrees in the Berkshires yesterday. Spring spring spring is in the air, and you can smell the mud. I’ve already start making plans to get my hands seriously dirty in the garden, especially out back where I will be entering Year 9 of Landscaping The Forest. These days, I have the best inspiration yet in Margaret Roach and A Way To Garden. Margaret is a kindred sister blog-a-lot, and she and I alternated as pep talker and pep talkee as we both muddled through our dark cold days of winter blog refreshes — blog refreshes are what you do when you can’t garden. Her updates turned out great — and oh my, her site is a treasure trove. Go over and dig in — there are tips for pruning, mulching, growing tomatoes, making pickles, great shrubs, great perennials and more more more. She also has an acerbic weekly cartoon, lots of critter tales, a demon cat who would trounce my retro wonder dog, and oh — a drop-dead mouthwatering gorgeous garden, of course. Go, Margaret!

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Random multi-color slate flooring — an authentic mid-century choice

pam kueber — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:00:45 +0000

Jeff recently reminded us that random multi-color slate flooring is a wonderful choice for a mid-century home. To be sure, I see this floor all the time in homes I visit from the 40s 50s 60s and 70s. It’s usually in porches, breezeways, or foyers — spots that require a very durable, waterproof flooring material. (But, I do not see this in kitchens and bathrooms. This floor is, I believe, traditionally used as a transition between the outside and inside, rather than a floor you’d want to live on all day long. That said, in a big open concept contemporary in a hot climate, I can see it being used throughout the house.) Jeff is purchasing his at Vermont Slate Depot, where as today, 10 sq. ft. costs $16.75 plus shipping. I also have seen this floor at my big local stone supply store, the same place everyone buys their patio pavers. So, you may be able to get it locally, as well, and save on the shipping. Design tip: That white grout shown in the photo is not what I’d choose. It will show dirt instantly. I’d have to eyeball it, but at minimum would start with medium gray.

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Mid-century “Early American” street sign

pam kueber — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:59:51 +0000

You know I do love my Royal Barry Wills’ houses. This one has a wishing well, a cupola with a cricket, a knotty pine den and Early American kitchen wallpaper. But best of all: the sweetest ever vintage street sign. Will the list of things I find to covet never ever end? Good job on the real estate agent who included this photo in the listing.

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Hunker down with favorite seed catalogs

pam kueber — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:00:24 +0000

My friend Margaret is the go-to-goddess of gardening with her luminous blog, awaytogarden.com. She has an extensive list of favorite seed catalogs, and with old man winter now upon us here in New England, she recently launched a discussion of her favorite seed catalogs, old and new, and asked her readers for theirs, as well. Forget the visions of sugarplums…I’m spending my long winter nights dreaming of spring and all the little pretties to go into my garden. Image: Select Seeds Cosmos “Rubenza” – a top-10 in 2009 seed.

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Vintage doorknob escutcheons — a major find

pam kueber — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:00:19 +0000

This is a major find: Many readers are hunting decorative vintage doorknob backplates, formally known as escutcheons. Now, it seems that Liz’s Antique Hardware has scored some major inventory, and is featuring it all on ebay. There are numerous styles, mostly from Schage and Kwik-set, it appears. These are not cheap, each at about $95. You may be able to “wait it out” to find one for less… but you may be waiting a good long time, and as they say, time is money. You might want to check with Liz’s to ensure that this will “fit” your door, as I am not sure whether these are considered “one size fits all.” A very exciting stash, to be sure.

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The Peek-O Revolving Home Viewer — peep hole in production since 1949

pam kueber — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:02 +0000

Missouri Michael over at Cul-de-sac Shack is now entered into our reader of the year contest for this fantastic find: The Peek-O Revolving Home Viewer — also known as a “peep hole” or more formally as a “door viewer.” What a wonderful story about determined sleuthing: Michael showed his cool front door on his blog. Folks asked about the peep hole. He disassembled the whole thing (the “hole thing” get it? tee hee). He found a Patent Number. Went online to the government’s patent website and found the “Peek-O Revolving Home Viewer,” which was patented on Dec. 20, 1949. Then, he did the google thing and found the manufacturer, who still makes Peek-O’s today, 60 years later. Is this a great country or what.

The Peek-O original to Michael's shack

Yes, the Peek-O is still in production — made right here the U.S.A. by Home Protector Manufacturing Co., Inc., which has its plant in Whittier, Calif. The Peek-O is available in eight finishes (shown bel0w), fits doors 1-2″ thick, and is advertised as “the best door viewer available today.” Michael also found a website that sells it for about $50. I won’t feature the link — you gotta go over to Michael’s blog to get it. The peep hole also has 140-degree visibility, which sounds freaky but functional. I am SO PROUD of you, Michael and your retro recon tenacity! You get an exclamation point! The Peek-O now goes right up there with the Dishmaster, Hudee Rings, and Pecky Cypress. Long live the Peek-O!

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Sundrella aluminum patio umbrellas – in production since 1956

pam kueber — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:00:12 +0000

Some days I am just so gosh-darned pleased with myself, and today is one of those days — due to this discovery. Last weekend at the Ohana Luau on the Lake tiki fest, David and I drove a mile into downtown Lake George to check it out. There were lots of groovy 50s and 60s motels, so we took a long walk exploring. At one of them I spotted these really cool aluminum patio umbrellas and, oh my goodness, did they not ever look like they came straight from the 1950s? Well, it turns out that — they are straight from 1956 — and they are still in production — and you can buy one if you want.

The company that manufactures and sells them is named Sundrella (yes, with a “d”), and it’s been based in Phoenix since 1956 — when it got started building this very same 701 aluminum umbrella (above). In fact, according to Kaycie, a most wonderful manager in the retail area at Sundrella, the company built only 701 umbrellas for the next 22 years, until 1978, when the current owners bought the company.

The new owners then began expanding the product line to include chairs, tables and other outdoor funiture. There’s a broad portfolio today.

All these many years, its main clientele has been commercial outlets — hotels, motels, resorts, and for a long while but not lately: McDonalds. “Oh yeahhhhh,” I hear you all saying right along with me: “McDonalds. I remember these now.” Can you believe they are still available?

You might see a new one like this at a Dairy Queen – still an active customer. Did you know that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns Dairy Queen? I LOVE DQ!

Okay, not to burst your bubble. But, these do not come cheap. Kaycie says that the factory-direct pricing through year-end is $517. And then, there is shipping. These suckers weigh in at 55 lbs. and need to be cemented into the ground. So, gulp, sit down when you hear the shipping cost. These are serious umbrellas.

Nonetheless, they are wicked cool.

They are MADE IN THE USA, hurray. They are all-aluminum and don’t rust. Just shine them up yearly with: Turtle Wax. The 40 “veins” can be powder-coat-painted in your choice of 18 mix-and-match Charlie Brown sweater stripe colors. And Kaycie says there are even some discontinued colors — like turquoise and peach — still stashed away. Turquoise? Peach? You know we are all over those.

If you want some retro seating to go with, Kaycie recommends the Arroyo line (above). These were the first designs following the 1978 acquisition.

These are vintage chairs at the same place in as the umbrellas, along the hotel/motel boardwalk in Lake George. These babies last forever, and in fact, Kaycie says they get folks coming in all the time with chairs that are 30 years old and just need new vinyl straps. If you’re into retro renovation, I bet you’re into reduce, reuse, recycle, too. It pays to buy stuff that lasts — and it’s amazing, really, the quality you often see in postwar products of even the most humble origins.

Sundrella website.

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Mid-century galvanized metal patio set

pam kueber — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:01:20 +0000

I live in a dinky New England village, so we often go over to Northhampton, a fun college town, to shop for the day. My super favorite store there is Retro Genie. Jean’s focus is vintage clothes, but she also has bits of furniture and kitchen stuff, too. I loved this vintage metal patio set, with the mill finish (like a 50s screen door) and original umbrella. I’ve never seen one like it. Jean says it all folds up, the table, too, and that’s certainly a plus when you have to find a place for everything in the garage for the winter. P.S. See those three pairs of vintage canvas shoes – black, red, navy? I now proudly own them. I am such a sucker for MIB. Do not ever believe a single word that I write about “restraint.” Except, I guess I didn’t buy the patio set. I am so proud of myself.

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Elizabeth adds a fabric awning

pam kueber — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:59:14 +0000

Elizabeth added a retractable fabric awning to the back of her house about a month ago. She wrote me: “What a difference it will make in my use of the backyard…. Why did I wait so long to do this?? That is the big question.” Thank you, Elizabeth, the awnings — and the garden, especially — look so beautiful, so inviting.

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Mick’s backyard drive-in theater

pam kueber — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:00:56 +0000

So what are you doing this weekend? Mick most likely is entertaining friends at his Flamingo Drive-In, the amazing backyard theater that he created behind his 1943 cabin. Ain’t got no plasma, ain’t got no hot tub — just good old-fashioned lawn chairs, a projector and click on through to see a little classic Hollywood glamour, too…

Mick writes:

Hey Pam!

I was wondering, what are your feelings on 1950’s fountain side tables? Any idea where or who come up with the idea?

I’ve also attached a picture of the Home Theater I’ve built in back of my 1943 Cabin…

So of course, I ask Mick to send more. He tells us:

The back yard strays from traditional 1940’s and is a summer tribute to the 1950’s.

I LOVE the vintage lawn chairs and have 26 vintage pieces, the oldest being from 1929, and one chair legended to have come from the 1931 Worlds Fair in France! If you’d like more picture of the Drive-In let me know!

Thanks!

Mick

Wow, Mick, that it really something. I am really impressed. Regarding your question about fountain tables. I am not sure what that refers to. Like, those things that hung onto car doors at the drive-in, maybe? In all the excitement about your backyard drive-in, I forgot to ask you clarify… Thanks for sharing these great photos!

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