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Decorating ideas for Tracy’s knotty pine kitchen — Readers, chip in!

Posted by: • May 17, 2010

Tracy wants our ideas on how to perk up her knotty pine kitchen. What do you think, Retro Renovation Squad? Tracy writes:

Hi Pam! My husband and I bought a 1962 ranch house in Nashville about 3 years ago and I’ve been wanting to somehow “update” the kitchen but still keep the mid-century feel. It’s a knotty pine kitchen with aqua formica countertops and a sort of aqua, peach, and ivory speckled linoleum floor. Everything is in really good shape and functional and the layout works for us. The thing we’re having some discussion about is the knotty pine on the walls and cabinets. I’m not a huge fan of it. I mean, I like it, but I just don’t like so much of it. Honestly, I’m not really sure what direction to go with it. I was wondering if you or your readers could make some suggestions of things we could do to kind of brighten the room up without changing the character, which we appreciate and love.

Thanks,
Tracy

Heck yeah there is more →

Vintage heart pine vs. today’s knotty pine

Posted by: • March 9, 2010

When I originally discussed using knotty pine in kitchens, there were comments expressing concern about the wood’s appropriateness in the relatively humid kitchen environment. When I was at the Southern Spring Home & Garden Show last week, I ran into this company, Union Church Millworks of Covington, Virginia. They had some really gorgeous woods on display including “vintage knotty pine,” so I asked Kim Bennett Powers, the sales and consulting manager on hand, the knotty knotty pine question. Heck yeah there is more →

A knotty pine kitchen — respectfully retained and revived

Posted by: • February 23, 2010

A recent surge of animosity on some other blogs aimed at knotty pine kitchens has been upsetting my karmic balance. However, the retro decorating gods have made it all better (for now) by delivering flickr friend Eartha Kitsch, who just last week finished freshening up the knotty pine kitchen in her 1956 new-old house. Today, she shares her secret to reviving the cabinets, tells about her stove quest, and shares lots of photos. That’s her with DH (dear husband).

EK writes:

Hey Pam,

Thanks for asking about the fancying up of the knotty pine kitchen in our 1956 ranch. : ) Heck yeah there is more →

Knotty pine kitchens – a look that’s due for a comeback

Posted by: • April 5, 2009

vintage-knotty-pine-kitchen

I LOVE KNOTTY PINE KITCHENS. They were very popular in the postwar era — they fit with our interest in both western ranch and early American interiors… they were were affordable… and the material was available.

Heck yeah there is more →

Recreate Don & Betty Draper’s 50s Mad Men kitchen

Posted by: • August 18, 2008
You can recreate this kitchen - easily!
Image copyright AMC

Yes – if you love Betty’s knotty pine, 50s kitchen – you can recreate one for your own home. And if you’re not into scouting for vintage items – don’t worry, you can do it with all-new products and materials available today.

The keys to this kitchen are the knotty pine cabinets, of course…the laminate countertop with metal edging…the cabinet hardware…and the wallpaper. Pull them together with new or vintage appliances – and a goodly number of knick knacks — and you’re in business. Supply your own lechery, heartache, intrigue and backstabbing. Here is the checklist:

Here are links to previous posts with more detailed information about a number of these resources:

Knotty pine kitchen and more – in this month’s Old House Interiors

Posted by: • August 8, 2008

Old House Interiors - photos by Steve Gross and Sue Daly

The August issue of Old House Interiors features a Catskills cabin including several rooms decked out in 1950s knotty pine kitchen. I adore knotty pine, and if I ever finish off my attic – it’s getting knotty pine paneling finished with amber shellac.

Knotty pine was very popular in the postwar era – due to our country’s continued fascination with both colonial and our western-ranch heritage…because it was easy to DIY (in an era of much DIYing)…and because it was inexpensive.

One of the interesting points from the story – EVERYONE loves this cottage and the owner’s builder-friend is going to start replicating the look (and the small house) in other, new Catskill cottages. I’m tellin’ you, that whole 50s live small, live cosy and unpretentious thing – it’s big!

Pick up your copy of Old House Interiors in bookstores (like Barnes & Noble), or call the editorial office for a copy: (978) 283-3200 during ET business hours. Photograph(s) by Steve Gross and Sue Daley for Old-House Interiors.

Seems like everyone has knotty pine memories — what’s yours?