Products and ideas to remodel your mid century home in authentic vintage style
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postwar homes – “modern” and “modest” alike.
I'm Pam Kueber, your mid mod mad guide. Read more
Yes — we are all dedicated to Save The Pink Bathrooms — but that quest is just emblematic, of course. We love midcentury bathrooms of all colors – blue, yellow, pinky-beige, grey, green, salt n pepper… I recently spotted some great images from Tiki Lisa’s blue bathroom (after the jump), and it got me to thinking… Let’s pull together all our blue bathrooms for a comprehensive look at this classic midcentury color. 22 bathroom inspirations in all. Heck yeah there is more →
A PLANTER MOLDED RIGHT INTO A TOILET TANK LID? Well, this is a new one to me… found in this ad for a 1964 Eljer Estate toilet. And of course – LOVE it. Has anyone ever seen this? Let’s all be on the lookout. Like spotting rare and endangered species in the (retro)Amazon. Carry your cameras, readers! Heck yeah there is more →
There’s nothing I like better than a pretty, midcentury toilet. This 1959 Ellis model from Eljer has wonderful lines, and came in 7 “decorator colors” including this great shade of pistachio green that is heading in a straight line toward avocado.
The text says that the toilet, along with coordinating bathtub and wallhung sink on chrome legs, were designed by the Dave Chapman firm. Chapman was a well-known industrial designer and seems to have had a long career with Montgomery Ward, in particular. See his IDSA bio here. Eljer has existed since 1904 and along with Crane, is today part of the American Standard brand. I keep an eye on Eljer’s product line … As far as retro renovation choices, they have one wall-hung sink (Murray II) and several simple toilets (with some of my favorite names: Titan…Diplomat…Patroit!) worth a look.
These vintage Eljer ads all featured exotic half clad genie women… this one is from 1956. The sparkly blue fixtures are wonderful, too. This is a very classic 50s color.
I have been on a tear, of late, researching laminates. Considering how Greige and Granite-y 99% of what’s out there is, I want to provide Retro Renovators with the broadest researched selection possible of designs that have a more historical, retro appeal. After I learned that Formica’s butcher block laminate has been in production since [...]
So here is a little piece of trim made to fit between the edge of your countertop and the edge of your stove, to prevent all manner of food from dropping down between. Hmmm, a handy dandy that I didn’t even know I needed, but which I am pretty sure would make DH, a neat freak, very happy. [...]
UPDATE (Oct 2011): Click over to –> this story to get an update on all three sources for boomerang laminate. Where to find a retro Formica countertop for a red, black and white kitchen? Pamela recently wrote to ask: Hi! I bought a home a couple of years ago … it’s a 10-year-old FL ranch, [...]
If you are looking for retro-style laminate for a kitchen or bathroom countertop, you have some blinding research ahead of you. Unless there is a home-run-out-of-the-park solution — like the boomerangs, crackle ice or dogbone still available — it’s going to be a hunt-peck-and-forage to find something that’s “close enough” to original laminates from the [...]
As follow up to my post yesterday – with a round up of all the laminates for bathroom counters that are on my radar today – I also recently found this great little history of laminate in the 1950s, from Wilsonart. 2011 update, Wilsonart has taken story down, but here are a few highlights: Laminate [...]
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