Group Therapy: Is your significant other into retro renovation and all things vintage as much as you are — or is your life a retro battleground? Has this interest strengthened bonds — or do you have to compromise (or finagle) to make it work? (Example: Like the couple in this 1948 GE advertisement, David and I juggle pretty well, but I admit, I have the estate-sale bug very bad and the number of things I constantly squirrel into the house is a source of conflict, to say it nicely…) Share your stories and tactics! This should be fun!
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90 comments
Alicia says
Thankfully I am married to man who is every much as obsessed as living as close to the era of our 1920’s house as I am–perhaps more so. Antiquing for us is basically foreplay. Ha ha. I do like slightly later (30’s 40’s) era things for my kitchen though and he has graciously learned to not only embrace that but appreciate it. So we do pretty well. I can’t imagine living with someone where it was a battle. yikes.
Julie Rogers says
My husband and I both have embraced the 1950s since buying our 1955 National Homes Corp. home.
We occasionally disagree about keeping or restoring something but it’s minor stuff and neither of us leans more toward moving away from the style.
Examples: Our Youngstown cabinets were used, abused and covered with woodgrain paper by previous owners. I wanted to keep them. He pointed out that someone had replaced some of the doors with a new material. So they will end up going.
When we replaced the 1980s sink with a vintage legged wallmount, we found the original flooring: Big black tiles. Seems to dark for a small bathroom to me. Hubby is adamant that we get big, black melamine to reproduce the look in an eco-friendly material. We’ll probably end up doing just that.
Tami says
Our fascination with retro style is relatively new, brought on by our pending purchase of a mid century house. So far, my husband is somewhat encouraging, especially since the new house is much bigger. But I am a long time garage sale fanatic, and he frequently objects to the treasures I drag home. And while he’ll go along on my forays, the truth is, I have more luck when he doesn’t, because I am more willing to spend the time to look at things. He usually takes a quick glance and then heads back to the car.
NorthsideCJ says
It’s nice to be single. Though it would be nice to have someone opposite minded to bounce ideas off of; but then I’d never get approval for anything. And who wants to be in a relationship with someone that always agrees with you? Of course then, an extra income wouldn’t hurt matters either, but then you’d have to put up with someone else’s opinion. Is it bad when you argue with yourself and lose? Ha Ha! While I like the MCM stylings I tend to run more “Deco-streamline” in taste (roughly 1942-1952) but some things do grow on you. I can understand where MidCent Keith is coming from. I’ve been collecting post-war items since the early 90’s when I was a little kid. Always fun having your parents AND friends gang up and grill you on “Why do you want that old piece of junk?”
Femme1 says
I need to give props to my hubby, even though I did sort of wistfully write in my first comment about my desire for a partner more involved in MCM stuff. He’s spent the last few days patiently painting my kitchen the brightest orange-red you can possible imagine. My choice of color.
When I first saw the result on Monday when I came home from work, it freaked me out. It is SO red! He said he didn’t have a problem with repainting over it if I didn’t like it (although it would take about 14 coats of paint to cover it!). What a guy!
But it’s grown on me, and I think it’ll work. So now I have an orange kitchen with the original green formica metal-edged countertops, whitewashed poplar cabinets, and a chartreuse and cream tiled backsplash. Dear hub will soon be putting in a green VCT floor (or Marmoleum, haven’t decided yet). I’ve taken inspiration from all the orange kitchens that Pam has featured here, although I don’t have it with pink!
Robert says
All single and don’t regret a minute of it.
PugFreek says
retroppo 02.24.09 at 11:42 am
Well I have a husband too who doesn’t care. It doesn’t seem to worry him too much when I bring things home from the op shop. He does care when I start bringing or buying furniture because then I have to find somewhere to put the old furniture it replaces. He is, I must say, very enthusiastic about “Shag” the artist. He does love his work very much, so I have no problem when it comes to wanting to purchase a piece of his artwork.
Can we do more about op shops Pam?
Maureen says
My dh didn’t understand my enthusiasm over pink poodles for our recent basement reno. Just didn’t understand. Others come to view our basement and are so complimentary over our pink-painted bathroom (complete with as of yet unorganized vintage stuff!!) He’s starting to get that it is neat??!
Mandi H. says
I wish my husband shares my enthusiasm for mid-century style as I do. He and I have similar tastes–as in clean lines that classic mid century design is known for. But I tend to lean towards more kitschy style and like to collect vintage coffee sets, milk glass, depression glass, etc. etc. I absolutely love vintage fabric and want to use it around the house as accents. He is VERY minimalist so if it doesn’t have a function or is not a solid color, it falls into the “useless crap” category or “it’s has a busy pattern and I can’t relax” category, respectively. However, according to him, old computer parts and dance records are perfectly fine to have laying around the house….
We need to start a couples therapy group on mid-century style!
Laura Ainsworth says
Wow, your husband sure wouldn’t be able to relax in MY house. My hubby and I both love midcentury color and pattern — Hawaiian barkcloth and tiki design, gravel art, Formica with little boomerangs, etc. It’s so much fun! Extreme minimalism is beautiful, but to work it must be perfectly composed, like in a magazine, and trying to live within the confines of a static magazine picture would NOT be fun, at least not for me. (Talk about not being able to relax!) If I insisted on having that kind of house, my husband might divorce ME, and I might not blame him.
Lane_in_PA says
Well, he’s the one who bought this house before we got married. So I’d say “yes”.