Here are some first shots of the kitchen coming together.
Features we love:
- Pantry cabinets look great.
- 1959 GE Pushbutton Range.
- Original sink (one of 4 salvaged from nuns’ kitchen).
- Azrock cortina floor.
- eBay coppertone spaceship light (with glass on bottom that mimics glass on stove.)
- Can lights in chrome satin finish.
- Formica boomerang countertops with metal edging from last place in America you can find it (info to come in future post.)
- 42″ Sub Zero – new, yes, but very vintage looking and again, my husband put his foot down when it came to my installing a vintage fridge.
- Vintage wallpaper from basement of Miller’s Art Supply, Pittsfield, Mass. NOTE: You can spot this SAME wallpaper in Steven Spielberg’s classic, Catch Me If You Can. It’s in the family home living room where Leonardo di Caprio’s dad Christopher Walken dances with his French wife!
- Nutone exhaust fan – fit right into previous fan’s space.
Not shown and/or not yet completed:
- Window treatments TBD.
- Custom rounded shelves 3@ side along wall cabinets to right and left of window. Similar shelves above stove.
- Wallpaper on soffit above fridge, delayed as we fuss with the exact position of the fridge.
- And most importantly: We are searching for a Saarinen tulip table, 42″, and chairs, all white. Once the kitchen was in place, it was crystal clear that this is what the space calls for (rather than the typical 50s diner style table and chairs.) This will go directly under the center light. I added a photo of a the type of set I’m looking for.
Posts to come: On suppliers and helpers. Also, on all sources.
Gini says
Wow! These are my cabinets! I live in a house built in 1930, and we have these exact Geneva cabinets. They’ve been repainted green -very close to the original color that’s on the interior of the cabinets, but not quite- but you can see what looks like a bright turquoise coming through on a couple of spots that have been scraped off, I guess someone painted it, but it’s hard to tell. We have the original hardware, and the Geneva nameplate, but unfortunately we don’t have the countertops or the great metal strip around it; our counter is ugly off-white/creme color cheap formica-ish stuff. Hoping to change that!
So, this model was made in 1963? Was it made any other year? I’m having no luck searching, but then maybe your google-fu is better than mine… 🙂
Love your site, btw, keep up the great work!
pam kueber says
Hi Gini, these Genevas were made for a while, but I have not put together the materials I have to be able to guestimate exactly when they started and when they ended.
jane says
I have the same style table and chairs which were in terrible shape when they were given to me. I had to replace the top completely with a nice piece of blond furniture grade plywood. The plastic that covered the metal bottom of the table and chairs was water damaged and I removed it with spray on paint remover, outdoors for ventilation and lots of elbow grease. I originally planned to repaint the whole thing white but the paint wont be as durable as the plastic and since this is a daily use set, I was worried about the paint scuffing when feet are rubbing on the platform at the base. Looks fine with the bare metal and wood but now I have no cushions for the chairs. I have placed regular chair pads with some vintage Vera pillow cases on there for now but I would love to have “good ” cushions with some funky printed vinyl covers. There is the original giant velcro strips still attached to the chair but nothing of the cushion. I cant afford to take them someplace and have an upholsterer do it, and I think I could do a pretty good job if I had some clue as to how the original cushions were constructed.
BTW I LOVE this site and all of the other links to photos of stuff. I have been collecting for over 40 years. It is a compulsion for me and when I score a fab collectible, I actually get a rush that no martini can match. So glad you are all here to share with, wish I’d found you sooner. Ever thought about a convention?
Kent says
Hi Pam,
I love your kitchen and would love to do the same in my small kitchen in Ft. Lauderdale. I checked out Craig’s List and E-bay with no luck. Any ideas? Your kitchen is fantastic!!!!!
pam kueber says
Hi Kent, thank you for the compliments. It took me five years to find my cabinets. You can probably find yours faster, if you need fewer. But – it may take some time. See the first post in the FAQs here, it is about how to sell cabinets, so to buy them do the reverse. Craigslist and my Forum are the first suggestion I have for you. Also – check out every salvage place in your area and keep checking back. If you are patient the retro decorating gods will reward you. Finally, if you need to repaint, see the excellent post this week on e-static painting by Garth and Martha. Good luck and keep in touch!