Retro Renovation » retro

Youngstown Kitchens Monterey cabinets

pam kueber — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:00:26 +0000

Finishing up my Youngstown Kitchens 1957 mini-series, here is their Monterey line. The unique selling proposition of this line: Sandalwood-colored steel base cabinets and doors…. with wall cabinets with Sandalwood-stained wooden doors on steel bases. Reading through this marketing material I see: Industry concern about color fatigue, oh no! “Give us a color we can live with for years” and “that goes with everything,” consumers asked, Youngstown explained. Again…as we’ve discussed before…the move away from enamel-painted steel, which was difficult to repaint (and likely getting more expensive), to wood cabinetry (which was easier to re-paint and also had the “furniture look” of adjoining spaces”, was under way.

At the same time we get a new beige color, we get a bunch of other neat-o features approved by all these folks.

I really like these angled slider cabinets that use the space between the countertops and the wall cabinets. I wonder why they never caught on… perhaps a kitchen can be jammed with *too much* storage… cabinets everywhere? Truth be told: The more storage space you have, the more stuff you accumulate, and stuff can become oppressive.

Here’s more detail on the slider cabinets.

Oven cabinet, dishwasher, garbage disposal. Those Youngstown dishwashers were really something.

Different cabinet combinations possible…

Lovely graphics.

And the complete front page. Love the coppertone brown oven. And dig the black lacquer Early American dining set. We haven’t talked about that. Yet.

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Vintage style drinking glasses

pam kueber — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:02 +0000

We all love our vintage glassware, I know that. But for everyday family use, especially tall drinking glasses, I use glassware that is less precious. Next time around, I think I am goint to buy this Anchor Hocking “Central Park” glassware in this ivy color – almost an avocado. It has a nice retro feel, and Anchor Hocking is pretty affordable, as I recall. Link here.

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Soffits: Midcentury kitchens need them

pam kueber — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:00:22 +0000

I AM AN ADVOCATE OF KITCHEN SOFFITS, or as some readers call them, bulkheads. The postwar era was all about the introduction and spread of “fitted” kitchens. Long runs of base and wall cabinets and countertops, with an integrated stove and sink and fridge. This “scientific” design was an outgrowth of the efficiency movement earlier in the century, married to the postwar industrial economy that needed to find consumer outlets for the built-up wartime production. To me, while they are an additional hassle and expense if you are renovating, soffits are a no-brainer for a 1940s, 1950s or 1960s kitchen.

Soffits aren’t only authentic retro, they: (1) keep the tops of your wall cabinets from getting filthy, (2) are the perfect spot for vintage wallpaper, and (3) can hold and hide wiring. One of the other great benefits of soffits is that you can use them to deal with a variety of design challenges.

In my kitchen, I made the refrigerator look “fitted” by bringing the soffit out 24” to meet its profile (whereas the adjacent wall cabinets are only 12-13” deep. I can also mention here that I specifically chose my wicked expensive Sub-Zero refrigerator because it is 24” deep (fitted) and 84” tall – the exact height of the wall cabinets. Yes, it cost a bundle. To pay for it, I chose to wait four years to get the new car that I needed, and ran my beloved Taurus right into the ground, yes indeedy. This is a great refrigerator for a retro renovation kitchen.

Back to soffits, you also want to continue running your soffit over windows and especially that one over the sink. That one: You can either keep the horizontal line or notch the soffit up. Like an arch, but keep it squared off. Put one-to-three can lights underneath.

Note, though, that I do NOT like those soffits that come out 24” over the sink or base cabinets. I had those in my last kitchen, I really thought they made the place feel smaller. I do understand how tucking can lights into the extended space can be beneficial. Even so, I am not a fan. (See below about ‘building in’ features like fridges with extended soffits, that’s okay.)

If you have soffits in your kitchen, you also can then use the same idea to fix other design issues. In this image, a 1961 Hotpoint kitchen, the wall framing the refrigerator is like a soffit and gives it that “built in feel” so important to this design.

Another example: To get my three pantry cabinets to fit just right, I had about 3 inches of vertical wall space remaining (far left of photo). So, we made a vertical “soffit,” which I also wallpapered. Interestingly, a lot of people say these three pantry cabinets and the way that they are built in are what really “make” the kitchen. Another a-symmetry thing, too: Three, much better than four.

Hope all this is clear. The point: Frame things in finished drywall – whether above in a soffit or to the side like a wall – and they look “fitted.”

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Six mid-century bathrooms, vintage 1962

pam kueber — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:00:20 +0000

There’s more to come in my series of vintage Hall-Mack bathroom hardware. But a pause here for some bathroom illustrations featured in the 1962 catalog. There are some really great ideas in these six mid-century bathrooms. Above: One of our favorite sink and vanity base combos, the American-Standard introduced in 1959. I think a reader just wrote to tell me that he or she had the sink in just this color. It’s terrific. And what about that fabulous toilet.

Look look look. The American-Vanity — longer. I have never seen this. I adore it! Also, I need to do more on yellow bathrooms, this is a wonderful color for a bathroom. This is a wonderful bathroom design in so many ways.

Very sophisticated. If you want a solid surface sink – Carrera Marble is authentic vintage. Note, I am told you must keep it well sealed, marble requires maintenance. Alternatively, there is a least one company that makes a Carrera Marble laminate.

These blue tile colors are available today, I believe.

I love the orientation of the tile in the tub surround. I am not sure you can get 1″x4″ tiles today. But you can get 1″x2″s in sheets and run them vertically like this….

The cover shot for my catalog. Note the greek motif on the bath mat. As we’ve seen and discussed before, Greek and Roman motifs really started to take off in the 60s.

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Where to buy a wall mount kitchen faucet: The Delta 200

pam kueber — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:54 +0000

HERE’S ANOTHER WALL MOUNT KITCHEN FAUCET for our retro recommendation list. The Delta 200 Classic Wall Mount Kitchen Faucet. Isn’t it wonderful looking? Such a quirky blast from the past. Spotted by Scathing Jane. If anyone buys one let us know how you like it. You can buy it directly from the manufacturer via my Pamazon store, for what looks like a pretty good price, $89. Thanks, Jane!

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Retro bling: Eyeglasses from Shuron

pam kueber — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:00:08 +0000

I AM OF A CERTAIN AGE, so I need reading glasses. A couple of years ago, I had some money left over from a flex spending account so instead of using $10 reading glasses, I purchased “real” frames with glass lenses. What a difference. I’m now in the market for a new pair or two, so I went trowling for what I could find with retro style. In virtually no time at all I found these Shuron frames available. This “Nusir Royale” design sounds like it’s been around for decades…it is available in a number of colors… I love the decoration… the company has been around nearly 150 years… the glasses are made in the U.S.A…. and I can order the whole eyeglass package from them online start-to-finish – further enabling my quest to never ever have to leave my computer cave again. Stay tuned, I am going to order a pair for sure and will let you know how it turns out. There are numerous other styles available, too, click here for the link.

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Great retro renovation ideas from vintage Popular Science magazines

pam kueber — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:29 +0000

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!

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The midcentury flower of choice: red geraniums

pam kueber — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:42 +0000

Longtime readers may recognize this photo, it’s one of my favorite images of idealized 50s family life ever. And ooooh, I like that colonial-modern kitchen, too! But look, it also includes pots of red geraniums on the window sill. In my detail-focused time travels back into retroworld, I have most definitively noticed a trend to include red geraniums in postwar kitchen designs. I have a few theories why: 1) Geraniums are big and bold – in synch with the times. 2) They are middle class… egalitarian. 3) They need sun, and we were California-livin’. 4) They look really good with cool colors like aqua and robin’s egg blue. 5) They also play into the patriotic sensibilities of the time. I run a flickr group called Midcentury Modern Red Geraniums - take a look at about 50 images in all. The majority of them come from flickr friend American Vintage Home, who has quite an online archive of vintage photography. Thank, you American Vintage!

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41 midcentury lighting ideas – post lanterns, lamp posts, wall lanterns and landscaping lights

pam kueber — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:00:31 +0000

HERE IS A REALLY GREAT SURVEY OF VINTAGE OUTDOOR LIGHTING, from my 1961 Progress Lighting catalog. I started with this photo because: Just look at the little umbrella landscape light. It is phenomenal! The careful addition of outdoor lighting can be one of the easiest and relatively cheapest ways to improve the curb appeal of your midcentury ranch house, Cape, colonial or contemporary. At minimum, think: High quality, well maintained wall lanterns adjacent to or above the entry door and garage, and a lamp post either at the front of the driveway or closer to the house next to a walkway heading toward the door. Landscape around the lamp post – this is also a great piece of ‘hardscape’ to launch a decorative fence. Light are “sentinels”. Use them to ultimately draw attention toward your front door…they are tools to make your house say a big, warm “Welcome.”

All of these lamp post styles are “around” — except, as far as know, for the decorative steel one, #3. I did feature a metal post for a mailbox that might be able to be adapted for this use. I also must say, I am not quite sure where to get a post that includes the hanger thingy shown above on all the posts. We had to drill ours in, it was a real hassle. Finally, on this topic – I know where to get a nice, heavy duty custom name-and-number plate to hang on your lamp post. We have one! It is so cool! Will do a post soon. A post post tee hee.

1961 post lanterns. SO COOL. LOVE that guy in the upper right with the house numbers included. Swoonable.

A couple more. The three colonial styles can *pretty much* be found today. See my Lighting Fast & Easy Page. I like the white and gold, so scrumptiously cheesy. Seriously, I really like it!

Oh, and here’s some more. Nice! These lanterns – hmmm, nothing like them available today, I fear. ?

Wall lanterns to match. Hanover (see Fast and Easy Page) make lanterns with the scrolly thingys, like the example at the top. This style goes over the garage, center. You need to make sure you fascia is tall enough. Be careful about scale. In fact, scale is a very Important issue regarding all these lights: You don’t want your lights to be too big, or too dinky. You want them to be just right. One of my biggest pet peeves is the houses today with their gargantuan wall lanterns. Ugh. You want people to see your House. Not your Wall Lantern. These are like jewelry. Agonize over this decision, please.

More outdoor retro lighting. P5970 at the left, middle: You can get this from Rejuvenation – see the Fast & Easy page. Love 5973! Tim Wetzel: Can we have this one, please?

The three colonial style ceiling fixtures on this page – ubiquitous in the 50s and 60s. Everywhere! Easy to find replacements today. But they can be cheap looking. Spend a little extra to get solid heavy construction. It will subconsciously comfort you even though the inexpensive big box store lights look the same. Also: I always see LOTs of outdoor lights at the Re-Store. Tim: We want P5978, too, please – a lovely ‘colonial-modern’ bridge.

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Scenes from 22 blue midcentury bathrooms

pam kueber — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:00:14 +0000

Yes — we are all dedicated to Save The Pink Bathrooms — but that quest is just emblematic, of course. We love midcentury bathrooms of all colors – blue, yellow, pinky-beige, grey, green, salt n pepper… I recently spotted some great images from Tiki Lisa’s blue bathroom (after the jump), and it got me to thinking… Let’s pull together all our blue bathrooms for a comprehensive look at this classic midcentury color. 22 bathroom inspirations in all.

Above is Tiki Lisa’s bathroom faucet. I have not seen one quite like it, until now. I love her tile-in sink. And notice the tile, it appears to be the gold granite salt and pepper style. You can still get this today, folks.

Here’s another angle on Lisa’s wonderful blue sink and faucet. I’m all for crystal faucets if they have a nice solid hand feel, as the old ones often do.

And here’s Lisa’s coordinating toilet, set against vintage blue wallpaper. See more of Tiki Lisa’s photos on flickr, and on her blog Atomic Tea Party. Thanks, Lisa!

Meanwhile, here’s another new-to-the-blog vintage blue bathroom, 1963, in this home for sale by Uncle Jack. Notice that cute daisy wallpaper. I love the look of the vanity. And darn, I want to see the floor and toilet better. You can still get mirror-cabinet combo’s like these from Nutone. See the listing via the lefthand column of VeryVintageVegas.com.

In another news update, one of our readers just wrote to say that she is buying this wonderful 1959-era American Standard sink and vanity, one of our favorite styles ever ever, and featured in a recent Retro Radar. See the complete 1959 suite here, in green. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the deal works out! Now… for some previously featured posts…

Above: One of the coolest blue bathrooms ever in this 1964 time capsule, so well designed and featuring all the latest gizmos. Click on the first image to start the slide show.

Luminous blue tub, toilet and sink from deabath.com.

Vintage blue fixtures in a grey bathro om…includes a great vintage American Olean tile set of fishes.

We love Cinderella bathtubs.

50s and 60s bathrooms used to have laminate countertops in styles like this. Swoon.

We choose shower curtains for Amy’s blue…well, aqua…early 60s bathroom.

Light blue and medium blue paired in an affordable and easy-to-replicate vintage style tile design.

Feeling groovy in this mid mod bathroom from Chile. Red punches up blue so beautifully.

One of our favorite longtime readers, Palm Springs Stephan, gutted his condo bathroom and replaced it with this wonderful retro renovation.

Alice’s blue bathroom tile, after she’s cleaned the grout with Zep.

A Las Vegas time capsule bathroom. Be sure to see this post for the great Moe lighting in the dining room.

Michael’s very cool bathroom, Worthington, Ohio. Great tile and a wall-mount toilet — we haven’t seen many of these toilets yet, except in literature from the period. Very, very cool.

How much do we love Alice’s bathroom (and kitchen and whole house) in Richmond, Va. Let us count the ways, it’s nearly Perfect!

Anthropologie bath towels will fit right into a vintage blue bathroom, original or retro renovation.

Are blue bathrooms getting your attention yet? Scantily clad genies may help: 1956 Eljer ad.

More advertising inspiration: 1953 Kohler bathroom with two tones of blue tile.

Sinks I saw on ebay. Most excellent for a 60s “Romany Spartan” style bathroom retro renovation.

Here’s tile that would look great with the sinks. Again, very Romany Spartan-inspired.

Did I mention that when I renovated my three 1951 bathrooms I made one of them blue? It’s probably the favorite one in the family – very cheery, classic, too. My field tile came from Olympia – who have now discontinued this Maple Leaf tiles. But this color, essentially a ‘heron blue’ or ‘robin’s egg blue’, is available now by other large brands. Good news – there’s almost nothing more affordable than thsi 4×4″ field tile… and the look is spot-on for retro renovations. Update you interiors to be sympathetic to the original styling and period of your home — and the results will surely have a more timeless appeal.

Do you want to renovate or create a vintage-style blue bathroom of your very own? You can find most all the retro resources catalogued on my Bathroom Fast & Easy page here.

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