Retro Renovation

Nancy is a new reader from Carlisle, Mass, who wants to restore her gorgeous pink GE steel cabinets. Drool drool. I really wanted pink, but my husband (and the decorating gods) won out and we have aqua. Here is Nancy’s question:
Hi Pam, I love your site. I’m just beginning to explore so I [...]

12 Comments »

Speaking of Sleeping Bee Alice, she sent along this comment and photo recently:
I wanted to pass along this graphic that is the bane of my kitchen decorating planning… I love this dishwasher and want one!!
Sorry, Alice, the only solution I know of…is to build an existing dishwasher in this way. Either jimmy something using pantry [...]

1 Comment »

Hey, look, another mention of the words “retro renovation” - this time in a clist ad. Cincinnati area - asking a whopping $10,000 for this kitchen. Nice. But if they get that price - it’ll be a new record as far as I know.
Original GE 1950’s era complete turquoise metal kitchen cabinet group. Mint condition! [...]

1 Comment »

I’ve been emailing with Massachusetts Ellen for a while, about her quest to re-create her parent’s 1955 kitchen. If anyone knows of Crosley cabinets for Ellen - please comment here!
My parents had a 1955 Crosley kitchen. It was the state of the art kitchen - actually the set from the 1955 Crosley Bendix dealers’ [...]

1 Comment »

Forum reader U.K. Alison asked if someone could help her ship vintage steel cabinets overseas, so I made sure she knew about English Rose cabinets first. I keep losing this information — and keep having to ask Scathing Jane for it — so I thought I better post it for infinity and beyond. Thanks, Scathing [...]

8 Comments »

Just a sweet and simple 40s “American” kitchen today. In my recent survey, readers asked for more from the 40s. This photo is a great example: Sweet, clear colors that are very much of the era…the cabinets, still simple and white… And as we’ve discussed before, notice the not-all-that-subtle use of patriotic red-white-blue color [...]

2 Comments »

Be sure to see today’s NYT, which spotlights one of our favorite brands of vintage steel kitchen cabinets, Geneva. More press sure to accelerate interest in these gems!

5 Comments »

Omaha Jessi sends this tip:
This apartment building is currently in the process of “upgrading” their kitchenettes. Pictures are here http://www.capitolhill-apartments.com/gallery.shtml If you’re in Omaha or near it and are looking for a pink steel kitchenette, give them a call as you may be able to salvage what they are taking out.
Thank you, Jessi! These look [...]

3 Comments »

We found the provenance of Dana’s kitchen cabinets yesterday — 1953 Crosley’s just like the ad! Yummy! Now, she’d like some ideas for appliance, flooring. Readers, feel free to join in this new ‘intervention’ , and to get us started, and in the spirit of the vintage Crosley advertisement — here goes:

A black and [...]

8 Comments »

So earlier this month, I had some back-and-forth emails with Dana. It included one of the funniest things I’ve heard yet — about coffee-clatching girlfriends trying to stop a true-at-heart retro renovator….It all started with:

Dana: Pam, How can I tell what cabinets I own? They are metal and in great shape, but I have no [...]

9 Comments »