How is this one, Retro Renovation readers? I recently scored a full box of est. 1960-65 era GE Textolite laminate samples, absolute mint condition unused. This is the first bunch — the others aren’t so over-the-top FABULOUS, but still are great gauges of what to look for. OMG. What else do I need to say. We can all eat our hearts out, together, on this one. This post originally ran on Jan. 4, 2008

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Several readers have asked me how to install the stainless steel countertop edging from New York Metals. In this post, I’ll take you step-by-step through the process that we used to install the metal edging in my kitchen.

I had my countertops laminated by an outfit recommended by by contractor. They made all the countertops and backsplashes separately, ahead of time, and then, when they came to install them in my kitchen, they put everything together.

To review…The edging is comprised of three different pieces.

This is the little cove molding piece you use to mask where the countertop attaches to the backsplash. The part that “shows” is the 5/16″ part. You shove the 15/16″ part back down behind the main countertop:

This next piece, the 1-5/8″ snap-on molding, goes along the edge of the main countertop.

The question I have been receiving is, how to you handle the corners.

Answers: On the OUTSIDE corners, you snip the the metal lip that sit on top of the countertop and along the underside and miter it; the fat 1.5″ part of the metal bends easily to make the turn:

On INSIDE corners, you cut the whole piece, also making miters on the lip that sit on the counter and underside.

Now, somewhere in my stash I saw 50s DIY instructions on how to then weld… spotweld?… sauter? the mitered edges for a clean finish.  Who knows which word? Lord knows which of 400 magazines this little article in. But I’ll keep an eye out. In any case, we did NOT weld anything and honestly, it’s fine. It kind of looks worse in the photo above than it is in real life. The miters are just real tight. Hey, if anyone is out on retro recon, with a camera and sees welded corners – grab the shot and send it in.

Finally – the 1″ backsplash…corners, miters…are handled the same way. In spots where the backsplash edges are visible vertically as in the photo below – back by the wallpaper – we made the bend then just secured them with a bead of glue. No screws were used.

Contractor Kevin, along with the countertop guys, were quite trepidatious about the whole thing coming in. This was the first time any of them had done this, their dads had done it 50 years ago! It really was a breeze, though. And as with the rest of my darling beloved kitchen – all the naysayers who thought I was nutso – were totally won over in the end and LOVED IT!

Above – Reader Amy asked you to “end” the countertop against a well. Here’s Option #1 – you run the backsplash all the way around.

Above – Option #1 e.g., where the countertop ends against a fridge, we wrapped the countertop in 1-5/8″ molding there – no backsplash.

Hope this all makes sense. This techy stuff is not my forte.

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Hi Pam,

Since you just had a post on laminate counter tops I thought you’d enjoy seeing my original 1959 gray cracked ice laminate in kitchen and matching kitchen table!! When I walked into the house during the showing I knew this was the home for me. I wish I knew how to remove discolorations but I’ve heard its almost impossible.

The counter banding is also cool, chrome with a black rubber inlay. I was recently reading the fall issue of Atomic Ranch magazine and saw an article about a home where the kitchen has the exact same banding. I’ve never seen it before buying my home last October.

I live right here in Florence, MA.  About an hour from you.  My home is still in the process of being retro-regressed to its  original splendor but luckily not much had been done to update it so most of the  rooms are still original. The bathroom is the biggest exception because they  tried to update it using Home Depot generic products which included replacing  original tiled walls with laminate sheeting made to look like marble. REALLY  BAD!!!!! I plan on having it re-tiled again and brought back to 1959 aesthetics.

Incredible laminate pattern, jsnugbear, thank you!

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High-res scan - click to enlarge

Okay, this is the last day of my little fixation with retro laminates. (For now.) As you know, I am a devotee of the Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern palette, both interior and exterior.  So, I have gone through Arpa’s line of solid-colored laminates and for the most part, been able to line up 10 colors that are pretty darn good matches to the 10 SW mid mod interior colors.

Virtually all of these colors were used on postwar kitchen cabinets by about 1955, lilac and rose red/pink flamingo a little later.

A few notes:

• The Rose Red appears to be a really great match for the S-W Pink Flamingo. On my monitor, though, the color does not show up true. The kitchen below is a better capture of the true colors. And click on the kitchen for that complete, Rose Red post.
• I really could find no good Arpa match for SW Pearl Gray. The Arpa alabaster is much lighter, but tonally in the right direction.

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This week I heard from Jeff, who uses vintage speckled laminate for his banjo finger boards. I just think that is so cool… you know I am part Kentuckian. P.S. Can someone tell me how to get the accent mark over the ‘e’, as in lame’ … as I am dying to write lame’ laminate?

Note to all readers…and I need to make the speckled laminate issue an FAQ because I constantly get the question: No one makes it anymore. Discontinued by the last maker just three years ago, alas. And I believe, but I need to verify, that the technology to make it is no longer even in use. Requires ’sandwiching,’ while now everyone ‘laser prints.’

Meanwhile — Jeff needs salvaged countertops. And I know with so many retro renovators out there prowling Restores and estate sales and dumpsters – we can help Jeff find more of this treasure and put it to good use. Read on – and contact Jeff via his website if you find a stash that can head his way! E.g.: Sumac Sue, what about that countertop salvaged from your neighbor’s demo that didn’t work out, despite Wayne’s heroic efforts?

Following are Jeff’s emails…kind of strung together. Tee hee. Strung together. Get it?

Hi there, I am searching for some gold fleck/white formica. Do you know of any? I use it in my instrument making. I have contacted Formica and found out that they are no longer making it. I have been collecting this Formica for years and find it from folks doing renos. I make banjos and use it for the fingerboard surface.

I live in Toronto…I have had over 10 counter tops shipped:) They can be cut into shipping sizes… I only need 20″ lengths..Yeah it feels good to recycle the material.. As long as it is not scratched up I can use it… I have a way of removing it from the counter board,

IF you EVER get any or know of any white with gold fleck counter material….salvaged…please let me know!

Thanks for the post!

Jeff Menzies
www.menziesinstruments.com
New, Used & Vintage Acoustic Instruments

Meanwhile, take a look at this 50s laminate countertop. It’s from a new reader, Anna, who shows more of her groovalicious ranch house on her blog, MoModerne.com. FYI, she had her vintage steel cabinets done at Maaco.

Conversation:

“Oh my gosh, I love it, who DID your kitchen?”

Answer:

“Maaco!”

Tee hee.

Anna’s blog is also now on my blogroll for anytime reading. I’ve been adding to the blogroll pretty religiously lately, with the goal of getting all retro house blogs catalogued in one easy-to-find place. If you have one and it’s missing – be sure to let me know.

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Following up on Monday’s exciting post about the Arpa USA palette of solid-color laminates, let’s take a look at how to use this material to recreate this 1959 Ma Bell kitchen. It would be oh-so-easy! Elements include:

• Laminate cabinetry using Arpa’s “Jardin” colorway.
• Cabinet pulls: Rejuvenation’s new midcentury “sharp arch”, in satin chrome
• Countertops are also laminate – I like Arpa’s “Off White” but there are 4 whites that could work – Off White, Snowbound, Dover White and Downy — that you can eyeball in your kitchen – and test adjacent to your appliances.
• On the floor, I’d put Armstrong’s faux-brick vinyl sheet, Saguaro in birch white
• And if you can scrounge them up — this kitchen also deserves a pink stovetop, built-in ovens, and even fridge…Reader Ron might be able to find you some
• If you can’t find pink or don’t want vintage -  the Sub-Zero with appliance white panels and the old-style vent at the top, makes for a mighty fine authentic mid mod look. Pair it with a vintage range.
• For a sink – stainless steel from Elkay, they have lots of great designs straight from the era.

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I have been working on retro laminates lately – and originally thought there were only these big five: Wilsonart, Formica, Pionite, Nevamar and Arborite. But – I’ve now discovered a 6th company – Arpa USA. They have a terrific-looking portfolio — of solids, in particular. Some of the greens come darn close to that famous 50s pistachio… there are some pinks that are pretty good… ditto, blues. And, if you’re looking for that 60s Brady Bunch orange – Fiesta, baby, you’ve got it!

I emailed Arpa and asked if they could send me their ring of solids…and they did! Very exciting as this is the first product that I’ve ever asked for as a blogger – and received. I have several more posts planned on some of these colors and how to use them for retro kitchen and retro bathroom renovations. Thank you, Arpa USA!

Website: Arpausa.com

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During last week’s laminate ramblings, I stumbled on this incredible 1959 house in Texas – it’s the original home of the founder of Wilsonart laminates, and it’s now owned by the company, serving as their archives and a space for corporate events.

All photos: Courtesy Wilsonart – who were fabulous, very responsive! Thank you, Diana Z.!

The story of the Wilson House’s salvation is right out of a retro renovation suspense novel. 10 years ago, when there was little appreciation for this type of mid century modern design and certainly not for something as pedestrian as laminates, the company decided to sell the house. But, it needed to gut it first due to the “problem” interior. The house had been built as a showcase for the use of laminates – so the stuff is everywhere but the ceilings and floors. It’s truly incredible.

Then — someone brand new to the company is taken over to the house on the very day they are going to start demolition.  She has historical sensibility – and passion – and stands in front of the bulldozer. Well, there was no bulldozer. But she did stop the demo…convinced the company to keep the house…and went on to lead the restoration of what is now the youngest-ever National Historic Landmark.

Her name, by the way, is Grace Jeffers - and I will do more features on her soon. She is my new idol (along with Courtney and so many of you readers!) She has gone on to many other fabulous projects in the world of man-made materials.

Holyoke Cindy was the first one to mention here that laminate kitchen cabinets are a great solution for our midmod kitchens – and she is absolutely positively right. Cindy’s kitchen is totally appropriate to her early 60s contemporary…and this Wilson kitchen, with its Mondrian influences, undeniably gorgeous, is further proof that laminates are a great and worth alternative for our retro renovations.

Thank you, Grace. You did a good thing.

Click here for a history of the house on the Wilsonart website, and here to a New York Times story circa 1998 on the Wilson House – well worth it.

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More today from the Wilsonart laminate history archives. In the 60s, laminate colors got, at one end of the spectrum richer and earthier – and at the other end, pop-art bold.  Some of the defining trends from the period, this article says:

• Color TV was introduced in 1965, bringing us closer in touch with design inspiration from other cultures.
• The Mediterranean look – more specifically, Spanish Colonial — gave us both colors and textures like faux leather. “Corinthian leather!”
• The op-art, pop-art world was a-flutter. Hence, the iconic oranges, yellows and lime greens of the period.
• We loved faux everything. The future is Plastics.
• Oh yeah: Squint and you can see avocado green and harvest gold… two colors that stayed with us well into the 70s.

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Isn’t this laminate vanity terrific? Pink – and Speckle Sparkles – and those Atomic handles – oh my! It’s from Roezee on flickr - thank you, R! – who reports that the label reads:  “Star Vanity Bathroom Furniture for Modern Living.”

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