How is this one, Retro Renovation readers? I recently scored a full box of est. 1960-65 era GE Textolite laminate samples, absolute mint condition unused. This is the first bunch — the others aren’t so over-the-top FABULOUS, but still are great gauges of what to look for. OMG. What else do I need to say. We can all eat our hearts out, together, on this one. This post originally ran on Jan. 4, 2008

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Hi Pam,

Since you just had a post on laminate counter tops I thought you’d enjoy seeing my original 1959 gray cracked ice laminate in kitchen and matching kitchen table!! When I walked into the house during the showing I knew this was the home for me. I wish I knew how to remove discolorations but I’ve heard its almost impossible.

The counter banding is also cool, chrome with a black rubber inlay. I was recently reading the fall issue of Atomic Ranch magazine and saw an article about a home where the kitchen has the exact same banding. I’ve never seen it before buying my home last October.

I live right here in Florence, MA.  About an hour from you.  My home is still in the process of being retro-regressed to its  original splendor but luckily not much had been done to update it so most of the  rooms are still original. The bathroom is the biggest exception because they  tried to update it using Home Depot generic products which included replacing  original tiled walls with laminate sheeting made to look like marble. REALLY  BAD!!!!! I plan on having it re-tiled again and brought back to 1959 aesthetics.

Incredible laminate pattern, jsnugbear, thank you!

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High-res scan - click to enlarge

Okay, this is the last day of my little fixation with retro laminates. (For now.) As you know, I am a devotee of the Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern palette, both interior and exterior.  So, I have gone through Arpa’s line of solid-colored laminates and for the most part, been able to line up 10 colors that are pretty darn good matches to the 10 SW mid mod interior colors.

Virtually all of these colors were used on postwar kitchen cabinets by about 1955, lilac and rose red/pink flamingo a little later.

A few notes:

• The Rose Red appears to be a really great match for the S-W Pink Flamingo. On my monitor, though, the color does not show up true. The kitchen below is a better capture of the true colors. And click on the kitchen for that complete, Rose Red post.
• I really could find no good Arpa match for SW Pearl Gray. The Arpa alabaster is much lighter, but tonally in the right direction.

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