Retro Renovation

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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Last Saturday I invited readers to help wallpaper the world by sending in images of their favorite vintage wallpapers. We had three contributors — all wonderful examples and stories.

From Sumac Sue:
Hi. I was looking for a kitchen wallpaper that featured coffee pots, and I stumbled onto this one. I can’t imagine using it in my [...]

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I have decided that this is my favorite wallpaper of all time. Colors. Flowers. Geometrics. Gold sparkly. All in one!
Which leads to today’s special feature, a Retro Renovator community post. Wanna give it a try?
So which is your very favorite vintage wallpaper?
First, find it on one of our favorite sites:

Rosie’s Vintage Wallpaper (my personal favorite)
Secondhand [...]

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More wallpaper! Another site that Femme1 found, rosiesvintagewallpaper.com. Also very expensive — but so terrific. Truly - these graphics are the epitome of warm and wonderful 50s design. Today we surround ourself with a few more small novelty prints, some bathroom, and even more kitchen motifs. Including my favorite: COFFEE! Thanks, Femme1!

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At some point this year, there will be a quiz, so please pay attention. Now what was my sole New Year’s resolution? To rid all retro renovators of any latent fear of wallpaper, and embrace this most wonderful of decorative gifts, of course!
In the continuing hunt to help Sebastian, Femme1 also found this site, hannahstreasures.com. [...]

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In searching for more wallpaper choices for Sebastian and his yellow and black 1955 bathroom, Femme1 has found an incredible stash on a website in Sweden. In the 1950-1965 section, there are 180 different styles alone, including many in multiple roles!

Hi again, Pam!
I was looking around for wallpaper for the post about Sebastien’s bathroom (what [...]

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Sumac Sue’s questions about what to do with her pink tile bathroom led me to recommend wallpaper, and to launch my 2008 quest to ensure the retroworld conquer any fears and embrace this most important decorating tool.
So here are some of the wallpapers from my Miller’s Art Supply of Pittsfield, Mass. basement collection - any [...]

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My one and only new year’s resolution: To ensure that all retro renovation readers overcome any possible latent fear of…. Wallpaper. As the advertising above so clearly states, miracles happen when you add wallpaper to your decorating mix!
Case in point: My kitchen. Clearly, to pull everything together … to take the kitchen over the [...]

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Now doesn’t this make you want to be 10 again - when no one questions why you would want a bedroom that is sweet sweet sweet?
The wallpaper is Lily of the Valley by Thibaut. I also love it in the yellow. This is so perfectly vintage 40s, 50s — even 60s!

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Click image to enlarge
Wednesday night, 6:15 p.m…..I kind of had a bad day today, the very first bad day in a long time, as I am a pretty upbeat person and generally take everything in stride. So… when I turned to write the blog, I looked for something that would make me very happy. And [...]

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