It seems like most every owner of a 40s 50s or 60s home ripped out their stylish, original electric switchplates at some point, and replaced them with innocuous ones. It is great fun to try to find these – and to replace them throughout the house. I think they a terrific touch. AND, see update from reader Lou…
Yowza: Look at this one contributed by reader Lou! I have never seen one like this before.
And, she sends this one – it glows in the dark – and has those special star-shaped screws. Cool!
There are actually quite a few designs – Modern…and colonial…as usual. It’s nice to find enough to have all the plates in one room coordinate — but I am not too obsessed with being all matchy matchy throughout the entire house.
You can find wallplates at estate sales, in the basement on a shelf or near the tool bench. And – they often show up, in original packaging like the ones shown here, at my Re-Store. In either case, you can generally pick them up for 10 cents to a $1 each.
A Retro Renovation re-run, originally published Jan. 29, 2008
loumeigs says
On their way…
Palm Springs Stephan says
My condo apartment had many of the original plates (heavily coated with 50 years of paint, of course), but many had also been replaced with new ones. I found matching original plates on eBay … dozens of them. And at about 50 cents each, they were actually cheaper than new modern ones.
The original plates in the kitchen are very unusual … light switches plus standard wall plugs plus small appliance plugs, all in one box and covered by one plate. I’ve never seen any quite like it.
To remove old paint from switch plates, soak them in warm soapy water for a couple of hours. The paint will peel right off, easy-peasy.
Happy Daze says
I forgot to add, I’ve seen a few electrical outlets that coordinate with the middle plate, but they’re pretty rare. They have the basketweave border around the outlet itself.
Happy Daze says
Does anyone still make these? Rejuvenation or anyone else? They’re so much more interesting than the plain ones they sell now.
loumeigs says
I almost forgot, the ones on the left, in our house have the coolest matching backplates around them. They’re the same material so I “suspect” they came with them or were sold on the next peg over?
Pam Kueber says
loumeigs – send me pics of the cool backplates if you can! retrorenovation at gmail dot com. many thanks!
loumeigs says
We have all three of the top ones throughout our house plus a few different ones. We picked up a few dozen more at the restore in Idaho when we were up there last month, just in case of breakage over the years! They’re so great!
Kory Carroll says
This is one of the Wall Plate’s that were in My 1st Home I bought. I am so glad that I removed all 10 before Moving! 🙂
http://s307.photobucket.com/albums/nn305/doowop1957/th_FP1.jpg
PugFreek says
We dont have those in australia. Ill make some!
50sPam says
Oooh! Femme1, your mother’s house sounds so great, be sure to take lots of photos next time. Also – I was just cleaning out my emails last night (a disaster zone, I have 4 accounts) and saw that YOU were one of the two who recommended Mad Men to me and readers. Many thanks, and I will make sure you get all the credit due!
Femme1 says
I’ve coveted the cover plates in my mother’s ranch house for a long time now. One light switch has a “normal” white cover plate, but is surrounded by a black swooshy border. Hard to explain, but it is VERY 50s. Hmm…next time I visit, I’m bringing my screwdriver and some new replacement plates for her! :>
There are wonderful, by the way. I love the hammered copper look, as well as all those plastic ones. In my house, I’ve saved most of the originals, including one in my kitchen for the phone hook-up, which is quite unusual.