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Mid-century Midland, Michigan – congrats to Retro Ruth and her newspaper feature

Posted by: • July 27, 2009

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Reader Retro Ruth and her husband Tom were recently featured in their local newspaper, The Midland (Mich.) Daily News. Home Editor Lori Qualls did a fabulous job capturing their retro renovation story. I helped Ruth reach out to the newspaper. I think this story is a hot one with lots of potential today … So, readers, if you think you have a good story to tell your local newspaper about why postwar homes are worth preserving and are willing to have you and your house featured, let me know and I’d be happy to help with the initial contact for you, too. Interested? Email me at retrorenovation [at] gmail [dot] com. Meanwhile, read Ruth’s story here – it’s terrific. And congrats, Ruth, you are rockin’.

Great retro renovation ideas from vintage Popular Science magazines

Posted by: • July 10, 2009

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Here’s another one of those stories that I thought twice about posting for fear that you’d leave RetroRenovation.com and never come back. The wonderful folks at Popular Science magazine have partnered with Google Books and made every issue of Popular Science way back to the early 1900s available online. I am just starting to make my way through these, and already, I can see plenty of original source materials for period-appropriate renovation ideas. I’ll start featuring them over time…Faithful readers, if you spot great stories that should be shared with others, please feel free to send me an email. Oh my goodness, what a treasure trove! Here’s the link. Do come back to me!

The history of the milkman: Who killed him?

Posted by: • June 3, 2009

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DID YOU STILL HAVE A MILKMAN growing up? (Do you look suspiciously like him? tee hee.) Historic New England has a really wonderful virtual-online exhibit about the history of milk home delivery from 1860-1960. The exhibit also helps explain some of the history of modern kitchens. Alas, we retro renovators know how the story ends. –> Heck yeah there is more →

A 1953 midcentury modern time capsule in Los Angeles

Posted by: • May 27, 2009

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SHAUN SPOTTED THIS WONDERFUL TIME CAPSULE, a 1953 home built by architect Eugene Kinn Choy in the Los Angeles foothills. The house, which is currently for sale, is large and expensive by most standards, but even so, I think that there are a lot of design touches on the interior that provide ideas for a retro renovation on any budget. In fact, the more that I look at this house, the more that I love its unpretentiousness. The new American dream, perhaps? Heck yeah there is more →

Meet Garth and Martha: Intrepid retro renovators in Dallas

Posted by: • May 13, 2009

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READERS GARTH AND MARTHA gave me so much information about their renovation project that I’ve split it into two posts. In this first one, Garth tells us about how they were not…no, they were not(!)…going to tackle another fixer upper when they moved from Maryland back to Dallas in November. Of course… they found a fabulous 1950 home and the rest…well, they’re now five months into their new, five-year project. In the second post, below, Garth details the saga to restore vintage Crosley metal kitchen cabinets.  Heck yeah there is more →

Tiki Lisa photographs 57 ranch home exteriors in her neighborhood

Posted by: • April 13, 2009

Reader Tiki Lisa did major retro reconnaissance in her neighborhood — and photographed these 57 midcentury exteriors. She’s sharing via this slide show linked to her flickr photostream. Great exterior details here — wood trim, shutters, brick work, roof slopes, paint colors, window boxes, and more. And,  I’m particularly in love with all the Cinderella ranch homes, also known as Storybook ranch homes. You live in a retro-wonderland, TL! Many thanks!

17 ideas to add curb appeal to your 40s, 50s or 60s house

Posted by: • April 10, 2009

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Midcentury homes come in all styles and sizes – generally with either “ranch style” or “colonial style” elements. The house above: A real mix of the two, and the exterior touches really give it…stature, even despite its small size – just 1,000 s.f. There is so much you can do to add great curb appeal to your postwar ranch, cape, colonial, bungalow, or split. Read on for 17 illustrated ideas… Heck yeah there is more →

“Cooking Up a Retro Revival” in Eugene and Portland, Oregon

Posted by: • March 18, 2009

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The Lane County Home Show in Eugene, Oregon, was a terrific experience. Despite being jet-lagged and overdosed on a particularly luscious brownie sundae (my Saturday night excitement), it was absolutely exhilarating to talk about midcentury modest homes…the audiences at my talks were fantastic and clearly so considerate of doing nice things with their homes…and the staff of the show – Karen (center), Emily (left), Bijan (right), along with Helen, Jaye – everyone – made me feel so at home, and were topnotch professionals who ran a great show.

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On Monday, I returned to Portland where I spent the day touring Rejuvenation (including Satellite Modern)’s factory and store. That’s Tim Wetzel, Industrial Designer – and a Retro Renovation regular (left), along with Bo Sullivan, Historian, who led me and Portland reader Elvis aka Jane on a TERRIFIC tour. Oh yes — I was joined by Elvis aka Jane! That evening I met with members of the Portland MidCentury Modern League for dinner and a talk at Country Bill’s restaurant on Woodstock. A wicked fun day all around!

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I’ll have lots of coverage over the next several days about my visit to Eugene and Portland.

To start, here is a link to the Eugene Register-Guard story about my talks: “Cooking Up a Retro Revival.”