It’s coming up on the one-year anniversary of RetroRenovation.com — and what’s especially exciting, is that reader projects are coming together — you are sending in “after” photos! Yes, we all know it takes that long for the decorating gods to deliver us their solutions. Here’s an update from Lawrence Bill and his floor-tiling projects: Heck yeah there is more →
bathrooms
Kitchens – Countertops

Retro Renovation’s Countertop & Metal Edging Design Tips from pam kueber on Vimeo. Laminate countertops with metal edging are among the most popular choices for homeowners updating the kitchens in their mid century homes. In this video, I show you the Formica Skylark boomerang countertops in my aquamarine kitchen… We take a look at the [...]

I’ve written before about mixing countertop surfaces in your 40s 50s or 60s kitchen. But I recently came across these great photos and thought they would be very helpful. The photos show: How to lower cabinetry to create a place to roll out your pie dough (of course). Put a slab of marble here — [...]

A reader wrote to ask how to bring the luster back to her vintage laminate countertops. Paste wax, maybe? To get the answer, I turned to expert Grace Jeffers. She is the writer, design historian and materials expert responsible for restoration of the Ralph Sr. and Sunny Wilson House – including its gorgeous Mondrian-style kitchen, [...]

Formica last month introduced several new laminate designs that I think could be great for a Retro Renovation kitchen countertop or even a bathroom vanity. In particular — I’m loving the new “dogbone” design, and the new Warp and Weft designs. Dogbones are a classic midcentury motif — as in “dogbone sofa” … and Warp [...]

Many thanks to Whitney, who just tipped me that Wilsonart has introduced 11 new colors of boomerang laminate. There now are a total of 14 colorways — the most of any manufacturer. I am quite liking the “butterscotch” above — looks like you could use this in a kitchen with yellow kitchen cabinets. There is [...]
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Renovate Safe
Renovate Safe! Get informed about the environmental & safety issues in your vintage home. #1 RULE: Consult with pros. More info: EPA asbestos website ... EPA lead website ... Consumer Reports safety blog ... U.S.F.A. – electrical fire safety.



















