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Christine’s salt-n-pepper pink bathroom

Posted by: • October 1, 2009

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It is actually quite amazing to see the diversity of pink bathrooms. Case in point today: Christine’s pink bathroom — which features light pink on the wall tile, carnation pink for the bullnose and tub/shower surround, and look close (after the jump), the field tile has little salt ‘n pepper flecks. I love those. The granny smith apple green paint that Christine chose to set off her pink is wonderful. Why — this bathroom is so Lilly Pulitzer (Fall ’09 dress, left) — so TODAY. One more thing happy thing, her comment: “When we first looked at the house I told my husband that we’d only have to live with it for a couple years. Well, after finding your websites and hearing stories of other who love their pink bathrooms, I’ve come to love it.” Heck yeah there is more →

Vintage style drinking glasses

Posted by: • August 4, 2009

vintage-style-glassesWe all love our vintage glassware, I know that. But for everyday family use, especially tall drinking glasses, I use glassware that is less precious. Next time around, I think I am goint to buy this Anchor Hocking “Central Park” glassware in this ivy color – almost an avocado. It has a nice retro feel, and Anchor Hocking is pretty affordable, as I recall. Link here.

Samantha and Dave paint their mid-century house jadeite green

Posted by: • August 2, 2009
mid-century-house-after-painting-burma-jadehouse-before-paintingHere’s an inspiring story from readers – Samantha and Dave – who told beige to bite the dust and instead painted their Colorado bungalow / ranch a fabulous shade of Burma Jade — jadeite green — from the Sherwin-Williams Suburban Modern palette. A note on the brick detailing on this house. By the early 50s architects and builders were looking to create a “long and low” ranch house feel on designs of every ilk. Adding a half-wall trim like the brick that runs along the front of this house — and in some cases beyond, as in this house — accentuates the horizontal, even though this house appears to be pretty much a square box. A classic classic mid-century house design trick. Click thru for Samantha’s explanation of their journey. Heck yeah there is more →

More photos from Alice – a Retro Renovation re-run

Posted by: • May 30, 2009

Remember Alice and her yellow Geneva kitchen in Richmond, Virginia? We’ve stayed in touch, and she sent some additional photos of her time capsule house. Heck yeah there is more →

47 colors of tile from B&W tile

Posted by: • April 22, 2009

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Palm Springs Stephan is a wealth of info, and provides this info on a Southern California company still producing the 50s pink tile so common during this era. Don’t use any other pinks – they are not right! I am so excited at this find – a big one for the retro renovation community. Heck yeah there is more →

Antiques in the Berkshires – midcentury treasure hunt

Posted by: • April 7, 2009

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If you are looking for antiques in the Berkshires… and want to find some great midcentury stuff… be sure to stop at Berkshire County Used Furniture on 4th Street in Pittsfield. My friend Ron — who helped me get the kitchen cabinets out of Gotham — runs this treasure trove. Ron empties out houses ’round the clock, it seems. He takes everything — so you never know what you will find at his store. I swear, if I were doing another kitchen, I would for sure buy up these avocado green GE appliances — they were in fantastic shape.  Read on for 13 photos in all… including an 40s  Kenmore washing machine… and a Witco tiki throne.

Heck yeah there is more →

In praise of vintage Daystrom dinettes

Posted by: • March 13, 2009

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1953-daystrom-dinetteThese days I am quite in love with cozy vintage dinettes — like this 1953 Daystrom model. Daystrom, along with Arvin, seem to have been the two really big names in dinettes back in the day – and both seem to have disappeared from the screen altogether today.

This lovely green dinette – amidst the aqua-pistachio kitchen with its wood and white and wallpaper – has the feel of the coziest place in the world, don’t you think?

The Eljer Ellis toilet … great 50s style for the bathroom

Posted by: • March 5, 2009

1959-eljer-bathroom-ellis-toilet

1959-eljer-bathroom991There’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.