by pam kueber on July 20, 2009
This is not my house. It is the first room in Huckleberry’s Chair Fetish – a midcentury modern shop near the campus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Regular readers will recall that I visited Lexington last Thanksgiving to meet up with Sumac Sue aka Judi for a look at her house, her neighborhood, a pink bathroom, an aqua bathroom — and yes, a little side trip to this mid mod furniture shop she had recently discovered. Even though it’s taken me a while to get to this post, it is not for lack of immediate love of the place starting with the name, Huckleberry’s Chair Fetish. First there’s the surname Huckleberry, it goes with Earlene – the proprietress. Then there’s Chair Fetish. Earlene is calibrated as nutso as the rest of us for this mid mod stuff. Her eyes had that wild look when she talked about her store and all its contents. Fetish. That just about sums it up. And I bet that putting it into the headline of this post is going to bring me a whole new slew of readers. Oh joy. Heck yeah there is more…
by Pam Kueber on May 16, 2009
The post about Madison Sarah and her hunt for a 50s or 60s home drew lots of comments, including a lovely note from Sumac Sue, aka Judi, of Lexington, Kentucky. Her comments were really moving, so I asked her if I could make a post out of them – and asked if she could send pictures to go with. She kindly did, and even added some more info at my request. A long post – but well worth the time to read and think about. Sumac Sue is a former newspaper reporter – so the girl can turn a phrase! Maybe other readers have similar stories about their neighborhoods that they would like to share? Send in your stories and your “walking tour” photos and I’d be happy to make this a regular feature. Thank you, Judi (Sumac Sue), for getting this started! Heck yeah there is more…
by Pam Kueber on December 1, 2008
Over the past year of blogging, I’ve decided (and henceforth declare) that the true epicenters of main street middle class mid century modern are: Columbus, Ohio, and Rochester, N.Y.
Last week I got a little closer to the source when I visited family in Louisville. I filled the week not only with nephews, nieces, enchilada dinners and just plain visitin’, but also with some serious retro renovation recon.
That’s me with Sumac Sue, aka Judi! I’ll be reporting on the visit starting this week — with some breaks for reader questions/spotlights — including:
- My visit with Sumac Sue: Judi is one of the original retro renovation readers so I had to visit! She boldly knocked on doors and got us invited into three neighbors’ homes for some serious retro recon. My little sister Jenni joined us!
- Cindy’s pink bathroom: Cindy has a time capsule pink bathroom. She is an eclectic, artsy decorator – and her bathroom is a delightful mash-up of retro, girly, bohemian, Victorian and even Hello Kitty….
- Amy and Gary’s aqua bathrooms: “You can have them. Today.” That was Amy’s response when we cooed over her two time capsule bathrooms filled with aqua tile and fixtures. By the end of our blitzkrieg, she agreed to put the bathrooms in front of readers for suggestions on how she might keep the retro fixtures yet still update or decorate the bathrooms for resale. Readers – we have a chance for an intervention this week!
- Mr. Bartlett’s 1954 time capsule: Original kitchen, den, sofa and draperies, bathrooms. 70s wallpaper. Heaven. That’s Jenni on the right.
- Antiquing in Louisville: 5 floors of antiques at the Louisville Antique Mall and a mid mod treasure trove down the street on Barrett Ave. I’m developing a true lust for Outrageous Oriental!
- Huckleberry’s Chair Fetish in Lexington: Earlene Huckleberry is a life coach who got bit by the retro bug just one year ago – and she’s now in full fever just like us! Her shop in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Lexington is tons of fun.
- And a visit to the home of the Dishmaster in Mitchell, Indiana: Can you believe that the home of the Dishmaster in Mitchell, Indiana, is just one hour away from my mom’s house atop Hog Waller, Kentucky? Pam and Fran take a road trip!!!
