Pam’s Kitchen

Escape from NY: I found this set of 1963 Geneva aquamarine kitchen cabinets at a cooking school once run by nuns in New York City. We removed the cabinets and brought them back to my house in Lenox, Mass. The contractor and DH thought I was nuts -- but it turned out great. Photo copyright Kit Latham

We don't take ourselves too seriously here. Photo copyright Erica Berger

Welcome to Retro Renovation — your daily dose of mid century renovation resources… design inspiration… fun finds… and a growing community of people all interested in cherishing their postwar 40s, 50s 60s and 70s homes.

I’m Pam Kueber. This is my kitchen — and my blog. Doing all the research to renovate my 1951 colonial-ranch house in Lenox, Mass., is what got me into this online escapade. In the course of my endless hunt to find products and design ideas sympathetic to my house’s undeniable mid-century bones, I got…. obsessed… I learned a lot… and I figured, why not share all my finds with other folks undertaking the same journey. And now – you have arrived!

This blog has lots about *modest, mid-century, middle-class* homes — ranches, Capes, Colonials, split-levels, contemporaries, bungalows. I also write about sleek *mid-century modern homes*… I love them all, but admit that I tend to worry more about the modest homes (themselves full of charm) being at more serious risk of being gutted, with regrets to follow later. Interestingly, both mid-century modern and mid-century modest homes shared many of the same technological features and design cues (like pink bathrooms) inside. For further info see my Mid-Century Modest Manifesto and my micro-site SaveThePinkBathrooms.com.

What do we gab about here? Well: The design aesthetic of retro interiors, exteriors, culture, people, steel kitchen cabinets, colors, pink kitchens, pink bathrooms, hudee rings, pecky cypress, illustrations with people playing accordians, wallpaper, pinch pleat curtains, mint-in-box items — and readers’ fabulous jewel box houses, too. Get ready to be sucked into the retro vortex.

If you need ideas — or just love the era — be sure to check in for daily updates on new products to recreate that retro style…design tips…vintage finds…history…and more. To email me, click here.

Meanwhile, if you want to read more about my kitchen saga:

- I find my cabinets – at a cooking school formerly run by nuns in NYC
- The kitchen reno starts — lots of pics of the old kitchen here
- The kitchen comes together #1
- The kitchen comes together #2
- I sell my leftover cabinets to a man from Milwaukee
- Bo Sullivan of Rejuvenation identifies my light

Important for anyone undertaking a renovation: We all care very much about managing environmental and safety issues properly, so when undertaking your restoration project, be sure to familiarize yourself with and use recommended best practices. For example, the EPA hosts a  website on lead paint in the home and a website on asbestos in the home. Consult professionals regarding these materials, and also about the proper disposal of debris, etc.

Press Coverage

January 2010

• Knoxville News - Maribeth’s 1970s retro renovation
• Finalist and 4th place winner in Apartment Therapy’s annual contest to name the best home design blog

June 2009

• New York Times – time capsule homes

April 2009

• Press release on updates to the blog.

March 2009

• Interview with the Eugene, Oregon Register-Guard on retro revival and home show talks

• Our tour of the St. Louis 1995 time capsule home covered by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

• The blog spotlighted in story on the Dishmaster in Desert Living Magazine

Dec. 3, 2008

• Pam talks with the National Kitchen & Bath Association about retro kitchen design popularity

Sept. 29, 2008

• On blog talk radio with Mitzi and Walt.

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March 2008
Pam’s kitchen on Apartment Therapy
© Kit Latham
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April 2008
The blog on Shelterrific
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Fall 2007
Pam’s kitchen in Cranbrook Academy video about Eero Saarinen

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November 8, 2007 — News Release, PRWeb
More Homeowners Choosing ‘Retro Renovations’ — New Website Caters Exclusively to Increasing Number of Mid-century Remodels

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Thanks and Credits: Many thanks to the many folks who have helped, and continue to help, make this blog possible. Including:

• Margaret Roach, for all your support. AwayToGarden.com, Margaret Roach Media.
• Suzy Massey, for design support. PhoenixMassey Studio.
• Brad and Scott for keeping the online bogeybots at bay. WebDevStudios.
• Erica Berger, for making me look good. Erica Berger Photography.
• Kit Latham, for helping me get into the dot.com world. KitLatham.com.

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