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Ellen’s search to recreate her parents’ Crosley kitchen

Pam Kueber - May 10, 2008, Updated: November 4, 2020

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

I’ve been emailing with Massachusetts Ellen for a while, about her quest to re-create her parent’s 1955 kitchen. If anyone knows of Crosley cabinets for Ellen – please comment here!

My parents had a 1955 Crosley kitchen. It was the state of the art kitchen – actually the set from the 1955 Crosley Bendix dealers’ movie which my father made. Original kitchen was in Wilmette, Illinois. It won a design award and was in McCall’s magazine — and I have been trying to recreate this kitchen for years here in Falmouth, Mass.

Wish I could find the film, made by Wilding, which was bought out by Bell & Howell, in Chicago. Found this reference on Google. May be in the Chicago Film Archives.
 
Would also love to find a copy of the McCall’s magazine. I am not sure which issue- sometime between 1955-56, I think.

HELP. If anyone knows where I can find the cabinets, please let me know! Cabinets were copper in cooking area, laundry area was white. Floor was speckled tan, cream and beige tile- like marmoleum. Countertops beige speckle formica, stainless steel sink. Appliances were ss electric cooktop (this was midcentury modern sleek, not Happy Days) and separate frig and freezer. Freezer had an ice cream maker, frig had thru door water. Both had circular chrome center handle. @ ss wall ovens. Accent color was a soft aqua/turquoise.

Found not one, but two, sets in Cincinnati, but lost them both. One sold, the other remodel delayed indefinitely, due to health probs. Color doesn’t matter. I will have them repainted. The fridge (which Ellen already found-Pam) will need to be painted too.

Attached is the photo – which shows my mom and dad in a messy, but well-loved kitchen.

Thanks so much for your help.

Actually, Ellen ended up connecting with some sellers from St. Louis, who had listed a set of Crosley’s on the Postwar Steel Forum (nav bar above). So she has a first batch of cabinets with which to recreate her kitchen. But, she’s still chasing some leads for others. As I’ve said before, when you need to fit other peoples’ kitchen cabinets into your space – you need a lot to work with to get it right.
Isn’t this a great story — and a most wonderful photo of Ellen’s parents in their famous kitchen! Good luck, Ellen.

See another great Crosley kitchen in this post:

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  1. Patty K says

    This may be a little late in coming, but my husband and I just bought a house that was built in 1957. It is an all Crosley kitchen in light green; green floor, cabinets, appliances, etc. Everything still works although I haven’t done much with the wall ovens yet. It is all in good condition. There is a double wall oven, refrigerator (with a water dispenser on the front), dishwasher, cooktop, and a built in counter mixer/ blender (but the only attachment we have found for that is a knife sharpener). We are going to be selling it soon. If you’d like photos, let me know. It looks a lot like the picture above only bigger.

  3. Sumac Sue says

    Great kitchen, and the parents look so nice. I love that fish graphic on that overhead cabinet.