Remember Bronwyn and Greg? They finished the updates to their 1950s kitchen earlier this year, and Bronwyn sent me photos. This is a compact, galley-style kitchen — a style that I know many readers share. Bronwyn and Greg kept the original cabinets and a rockin’ O’Keefe and Merritt stove that came with the place. They added new, retro-style appliances, Formica Skylark countertops, a backsplash and above — the Dishmaster M2000 faucet. In fact, it was Bronwyn who first told me about The Dishmaster. Heck yeah there is more…
Reader Erika Rae found these instructions about how to clean St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets, enameled right inside of one of her cabinet doors. I presume these instructions still hold. Errr, umm, does anyone know where to get St. Charles Cleaner & Polish? Heck yeah there is more…
Urban Outfitters features bedding, shower curtains, cloth curtains and wall art, all based on archival designs by Alexander Girard. I particularly like the shower curtains, and they are now on sale from $20-$25. The quilts — which also have matching shams — are pretty groovy, too. Urban Outfitters – Alexander Girard.
Maribeth’s kitchen points to another excellent idea for retro styled kitchen cabinets: Have your kitchen cabinets built out of MDF, then paint them. Heck yeah there is more…
Meet Maribeth, her darling daughter — and their 1977 contemporary / ranch house in Tennessee. Maribeth has seized the opportunity and given this house, an original time capsule, a fresh dose of 21st century flair. And yes, avocado appliances! Not only did Maribeth embrace them, she engineered a neighborhood swap to get a matching vintage dishwasher, too. Maribeth writes:
This is a RetroRenovation rerun originally published Nov. 9, 2008.
10. Camp sees everything in quotation marks. It’s not a lamp, but a “lamp”; not a woman, but a “woman.” To perceive Camp in objects and persons is to understand Being-as-Playing-a-Role. It is the farthest extension, in sensibility, of the metaphor of life as theater.
- Susan Sontag, Notes on “Camp”, 1964
Dan the Man at the Houston Architecture Info Forum recently linked to RetroRenovation.com with the following comment:
Here’s a neat blog on mid-century residential design. It tends towards the kitsch, but it recommends many resources and materials for appropriate renovations…
While I am truly grateful for the reco, I found myself reacting harshly at being called “kitsch” and the disparaging connotation. Hmmm. So what is kitsch…and should I care at being lumped in? I went over to Wikipedia to study etymology…
I don’t know what I was thinking, I did not buy these playing cards at the time capsule estate sale. This is just the kind of thing that I love almost the best.
Some fun stuff in here: Check out the Sexton Genie Bottles, very cool — but line ‘em up, that’s the way to display them! I also spotted a MIB vintage Sears medicine cabinet with lights…vintage Ethan Allen fabric…a Moe Sputnik light (!)…and first up, 7 double rolls of metallic Birge wallpaper. For a foyer perhaps…
This is a vintage Chambers gas range. I am seriously in love with it, and want it so much that I could burst. For now, though, it is staying in the time capsule house. I am guessing — 60s. Any experts out there who can tell me for sure? Heck yeah there is more…
Your house has all kinds of features that were state-of-the-art ... and beloved ... when it was first built. Learn about them, and you may just decide to keep them.
Remember Bronwyn and Greg? They finished the updates to their 1950s kitchen earlier this year, and Bronwyn sent me photos. 
This is a compact, galley-style kitchen — a style that I know many readers share. Bronwyn and Greg kept the original cabinets and a rockin’ O’Keefe and Merritt stove that came with the place. They added new, retro-style appliances, Formica Skylark countertops, a backsplash and above — the Dishmaster M2000 faucet. In fact, it was Bronwyn who first told me about The Dishmaster. Heck yeah there is more…
Urban Outfitters features bedding, shower curtains, cloth curtains and wall art, all based on archival designs by Alexander Girard. I particularly like the shower curtains, and they are now on sale from $20-$25. The quilts — which also have matching shams — are pretty groovy, too. 
