From the category archives:
Flickr friend Java1888 is just the best. He found a 1941 paint brochure — 60 pages long — from Sherwin-Williams, and has posted the whole thing on his flickr photostream. These kinds are guides are treasure troves of inspiration about how to decorate historic homes. Heck yeah there is more…
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READER JSNUGBEAR adds his paint colors for a ranch house to our growing list of real-life reader stories. In addition, he has been a great reporter and taken lots of before, during, and after photos that show the transformation. Jsnugbear aka John also gets to show off his vintage cloth awnings, I am jealous. Above: A shot of the house, completed. And, do I spy with my little eye: Don Featherstone flamingoes to celebrate a major major item crossed off the “to do” list? 
Heck yeah there is more…
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I‘VE ALWAYS ADMIRED THIS HOUSE three blocks or so from mine. The salmon-beige paint with the red brick looks terrific, I think. On Monday, I grabbed my camera, took a walk over, and knocked on the door in true retro recon style — to find out the brand and name of the paint. They were home and happy to respond to this unexpected request from a stranger. Of course, I live in a small town so we identified a mutual friend within seconds. Heck yeah there is more…
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Here’s an inspiring story from readers – Samantha and Dave – who told beige to bite the dust and instead painted their Colorado bungalow / ranch a fabulous shade of Burma Jade — jadeite green — from the Sherwin-Williams Suburban Modern palette. A note on the brick detailing on this house. By the early 50s architects and builders were looking to create a “long and low” ranch house feel on designs of every ilk. Adding a half-wall trim like the brick that runs along the front of this house — and in some cases beyond, as in this house — accentuates the horizontal, even though this house appears to be pretty much a square box. A classic classic mid-century house design trick. Click thru for Samantha’s explanation of their journey. Heck yeah there is more…{ 26 comments }
Drats and double drats. A couple of months ago I stumbled on a source for this great information about how to recreate – yes – an authentic midcentury roof. The solution is: classic three-tab shingles from Owens Corning…and look what a great match some of the colors are, to the 1954 advertisement above. Heck yeah there is more…
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Oooooh, look at this great color chart – for Motorola television consoles in 1956. Click directly on the photo to get to the flickr photostream of What Makes the Pie Shops Tick – who has some additional images of vintage Motorola’s straight from the 1956 catalog. But back to the color chart — I liked this in particular, because it provides a good reference for paint, stain and finish options for anything wood – furniture, cabinetry, even paneling. Thanks, Pie Shop!
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Are you looking forward to repainting your midcentury ranch or contemporary home once the weather warms up? I recently connected with the nice folks at The Eichler Network, and saw that they have identified a palette of original exterior paint colors and accents used on Eichler homes, which were built from the late 1940s through the early 1970s.
The 11,000 homes that Joseph Eichler built in California have been very collectible, and The Eichler Network runs a website and magazine to connect Eichler homeowners with service providers specialized in helping them with sensitive updates.
This paint color research is particularly helpful – because the Eichler experts also have translated them into Benjamin Moore (BM) colors easily available today.
Eichler paint palette and other color stories
All about Joseph Eichler
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What colors to use in your 40s 50s 60s or even 70s home? This timeline of Kohler colors is really quite wonderful. It provides a snapshot of why certain colors were common during the wartime years and immediately thereafter… on into the 50s when true exuberance emerged… the 60s with its pop and hippie influences…and the 70s when harvest gold and avocada reigned supreme! The whole postwar period – defined as about 1946 to 1963 was an era when America was really finding its own way from a design perspective. Color does not just “happen” – it’s part of a complex story of social, economic, and demographic factors all interwoven. History. Just like our kitchens and bathrooms and lights — all of it!
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Related posts:
1. Mamie Eisenhower: Unwitting creator of “Mamie Pink”
2. Wilsonart’s snapshot history of 50s laminate including colors
3. Wilsonart’s snapshot history of 60s laminate including colors
4. Complete archive of our midcentury paint color posts
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Special thanks to Scathing Jane for reminding me about this Kohler timeline! She is ALL OVER this era, I am really impressed – and grateful for her continuing help!
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| From Metal kitchen cabinets |
I recently found this image of 10 original paint colors for St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets. I believe that these are circa 1957.
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Following up on yesterday’s post about Nancy’s (popular!) kitchen project… and on our Monday blue Television Kitchen… here are kitchen cabinet paint colors straight out of 1953. Lots of good mix-and-match ideas.
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Do not rip it out -- yet. Once you understand the mid century aesthetic -- well, it is very interesting. And rather than gut your vintage features, you might decide to preserve certain aspects...This 1959 American-Standard bathroom is so beautiful, and that vanity-sink is one of the best ever.
