Retro Renovation

Hi Pam, Since discovering RetroRenovation.com it has become a “must go to site” each morning! Thanks for all the information and enthusiasm you provide.
I am about to update some aspects of my 1960s bathroom and two of your posts this week caught my eye - I never thought much about my shower base and was [...]

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Oh the pathos of it all:

metal kitchen cabinets/countertops - free (Oceanview, Alaska)
“Vintage” metal kitchen cabinets and stainless steel countertops
just removed from a rental unit that is being remodeled!
Free…please hurry and come get them.
They are stacked up by the dumpster.
Address is 400 Dailey, but dumpster sits on Gregg Avenue.
From Klatt Rd. turn south on Johns Road, [...]

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An additional idea for your 1948 kitchen, Catherine: Steve Bauer of Bradbury & Bradbury points out that their new 40s papers include some maroon in them. This one in particular, might look great in your vintage Youngstown kitchen with its maroon-accented tile. Hey, how could your little ones not grow up glass-half-full in a “Sunnyside” [...]

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I have 100+ draft posts in the wings - and this is one of them. New reader Anita says that she’s been looking through the site for retro cabinet pulls - so I thought that I’d better get this one up. It’s a beautiful - admittedly expensive @ $23.90 — atomic pull from Crown [...]

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A timeless 1964 kitchen to celebrate the weekend. Reasons to like this one:

Beautifully put together - an airy white background graphically punched up with wood cabinet doors, cone-shaped light fixture, seat cushions and even napkins. Meanwhile, you see right through the wire chairs, continuing the airy and open feel.
The large-scale wallpaper on the door to [...]

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Zeinab found this really cool off-the-floor dishwasher about Sleeping Bee Alice’s retro dream. From looking at the Fagor website, I think the d/w also can be installed as part of this neat $1,199 cooking center.

And there’s a cool cooktop center, too. Not sure whether it really fits my retro rubric, but I like the concept.
Zeinab [...]

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Lawrence Bill sent me a link last Sunday to a New York Times story about staying neutral with your decor - especially the very basic, expensive stuff. In the very broadest sense, I tend to agree. A basic rule is, the more expensive the thing is - the more conservative your choice should be. [...]

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Yesterday Palm Springs Stephan answered a question on his post about vintage Palm Springs homes by detailing how the Hollywood elite built - and lived there - pretty modestly all things considered. So I remembered this photo that I had of Doris Day in her 1966 kitchen. And, even though it’s an ad, for [...]

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I know that a number of readers are on the watch for retractable kitchen lights. So they’ve probably already seen this one listed on ebay.
Design tip: The point I want to make about this, though, is one I often make: That while many of us may be looking for “modern” accessories rather than “colonial” [...]

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I’ve had this image for some time, as it illustrates quite beautifully some nice tips about creating built-ins — built-ins, of course, being essential in a retro renovation!:

“Built-in” means a nice solid wall on both sides. There’s definitely something about the solidity of a nook like this.
Really nice how this design uses wallpaper on the [...]

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