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