MEET REBECCA AND KEITH, new owners of a 1961 tri-level home. Rebecca has been totally sucked into the mid-mod vortex… and has a great eye. It is just so fun for me to see all the young couples feathering their nests. That was me, too :). Rebecca has a few questions… and shares photos of the fabulous features of this gem of a home — including an asymmetric fireplace with a “Feastmaster.”
Hi Pam,
I LOOOOOOOVE your site. Thanks for all your hard work! I have been bookmarking MANY pages on your site for all the redecorating I plan to do. … I just bought a 1961 tri-level. It has a brick wall with a fireplace and a “seat” that runs the length of it, if that makes sense. It was the reason I decided to look at the house! I would LOVE your help with what to do with it. Did they put pillows on it? Also, was cork floor ever used in a kitchen in the 50’s or 60’s? I am thinking no.
We moved from the East Coast (I moved back) to live and buy a home in the Midwest. First I decided against the areas of town that the homes were from the 30’s because the yards are small and all are too close together. I really didn’t want a 70’s colonial, which also seem to be everywhere here. I decided that I wanted a split-level or tri-level, because I generally love things that look “dated” andor are from the 60’s. Once I figured out that that was what I wanted, I was determined. I wanted a real neighborhood of streets, not a subdivision. My realtor sent me the link to this house along with many others. THE aspect that made me want to see it was the brick wall with fireplace. We liked the neighborhood because it has a lot of homes from the 60’s, and it’s very nice but modest. The house we saw right before was a 1969 colonial, which my fiancee liked, and I remember feeling like an argument would occur when I had to tell him that I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t have to deal with that because we loved this house immediately..Right when we got to the door we loved the windows on the sides of the front door with diamond shapes and wavy glass. And when I saw that there is an attached, screened-in, three-season porch I actually said ” this is enough to buy it!” The four rooms on the upper level are hardwood, and the lower level is better-than-usual-looking pergot. The only major work that NEEDED to be done before moving in was the awful green carpeting on the main level. (atrocious!) Other plusses include big bay windows looking out to a nice and private back yard, a pink-tiled guest bathroom, and shiny new Dishmaster!
She thought I was funny. I hated the 50’s ranch because they added a new bathroom that looked like a restaurant’s bathroom. She thought I was funny that I LOVED the dishmaster. It’s the “Imperial Four” edition. I also think my Dutch coffee maker looks incredibly cool and retro on accident. It makes amazing coffee… Terroir Coffee Company
My style is basically all things retro, but not too kitschey, and I love Scandinavian/Danish Modern…. We still need to PAINT! I hate white desperately. Keith is going to make something to have printed on canvas, with my helpful opinions, for above the teak record stand..So much of this room is craigslist, btw.I want this area, which is the lower level/media room, to feel good for cocktails near the fire. 🙂 I have a Room & Board couch down there, and an orange Ikea rug, and Ikea coffee table. I love that wall! Honestly, we were practically sold when we saw just that..BTW, the fireplace has a “Feastmaster” on the right side, of course written in fabulous typeface. Do you know what that is? It’s a grill on which to make steaks! So 60’s – love it. We were thinking of this Ikea lamp for it because we love it. What do you think? But, we didn’t actually buy it, yet. Oh, And I would love to do something to the walls. My dream is wood paneling-the nice beautiful hardwood kind. My god if I could have it be teak, I think I’d die..The kitchen isn’t retro, except for my tupperware, Martha Stewart clock, and Typhoon scale. Typhoon makes these adorable items! I LOOOVE my bread box so much.Keith’s lifelong dream…a built-in bookshelf..[The living room’s green carpet…before.].I love the plate around the bathroom shower faucet!!!The tile in shower is different than the floor. The milk glass vase is from a thrift store (I collect them ) but the soap dispenser, toothbrush holder and box are all Martha Stewart from last year. I love the formica on the countertop.
Phew. Those were a lot of photos, Rebecca, so I am pooped. I’ll be comin’ at you again tomorrow with some ideas and suggestions. This has been a fun one. A Feastmaster! And after cookin’ those steaks, clean up with the Dishmaster! Awesome. .
Back tomorrow with ideas for you! Many thanks for sharing all these great images, and your story.
pam kueber says
Yes, Gavin, you are threatening to fall out of my good graces by recommending folks whitewash original brick and take down ledges that I really tend to believe were original.
atomicbowler-dave says
I’d love to see more pics of that Feastmaster!
gavin hastings says
And…upon further reflection….is that mantle shelf part of the structure? If that piece was added…it may be removable giving you greater freedom decorating the remaining wall as ONE unit.
So now I am seeing a white shag, a whitewashed wall and 2 Haitian pierced barrelheads crntered vertically across the brick, balancing the fire opening. Suburban Joan Crawford! The possibilities are endless. But, first things first: please paint that plug and switchplate the EXACT color of the brick.
I know that sometimes my posts may seem a bit …um..direct, but I intend them in the best possible manner. And I know that in matters of say, the plug…many people don’t see it…or really care.
Peace.
gavin hastings says
You hit a split level jackpot….especially since your garage enters from the side! Front garage entries change the whole look of this style of home.
IF your fireplace platform was at least 27″, I’d be running over with square naghyhide(sp?) cushions in green, yellow and orange.
Now…to open a hornets nest…has anyone suggested whitewashing that brick? (and lived?) Don’t start screaming…but from 1959’s “Imitation of Life”/ Lover Come Back and every Bobby Darin-Sandra Dee movie I have ever seen: that was “Lux Look” and I can also see a 10 x 14 white shag.
Enjoy a great life in your new home!
Caryn says
Here in “upstate” NY, we have quite a few homes that had cork in the kitchen during those years. We looked into it for our home a few years ago, and Pam is right, they seem to be really well-sealed now for kitchen use. Good luck if you get it–it is better than anything else to walk on!
That great fireplace wall was where we kids all congregated when we were small; my skinny mom and aunts also would “warm their tushes” there.
Love this house and what you two are doing–can’t wait to see more.
Gretchen S. says
Fantastic! The bookshelf, flooring and furnishings really transform that room. Love the original detailing (Dishmaster, knobs, shower fixture) and that diamond patterned glass in your screened in room! I think the fireplace ledge might have been for indoor firewood storage, but that wouldn’t stop me from doing a custom naugahyde pad in a fun color. I bet your guests would use it during parties.
Jeanne says
I love that home and it looks like it’s in good shape and hasn’t been (previously) overly redone and has kept it’s mid-century integrity. Just some cosmetics and you should be in good shape!
I’m in my fourth mid-century home and hopefully last one. Looking back, I’ve been second owner in each of my homes (all built 1948-1952 period) and each maintained their original integrity, with no extensive remodeling.
Jane (aka Elvis) says
Rebecca, you hit the jackpot! I love what you have to work with, your great furnishings and what you’ve already done. The fireplace is wonderful. I could see you putting several sculptural pieces on the extended hearth/seat over on the right, maybe a great mid-mod vase and even an appropriate lamp. They’d just need to be big enough to have a presence there.
The bathroom tile is pink perfection!
You asked about 50s-60s cork flooring: we used cork in our 1956 ranch kitchen and breakfast room and it feels authentic. Pam posted about it here:
https://retrorenovation.com/2009/03/06/janes-1956-retro-renovation-kitchen/#more-11681 I also have a friend whose architect dad built their home in the mid fifties and he used cork throughout: it was a hip look then. It’s very waterproof if sealed with several coats of urethane.
Enjoy your lovely “new” home and keep Pam posted with pics for us!
sablemable says
Hi, Rebecca! Great, great home, but what else? We in Michigan have wonderful MCM homes!
I have seen pillows/cushioned seats on the fireplace spaces like yours, however, I have to agree with Pam that you might crack open your head on that ledge when you stood up. But a nice wooden vase ala MCM would look nice. I like how you displayed pictures on the ledge.
Nice tile in the bathroom! And like Keith, I LOVE built-in bookcases!
Cindy says
Ooooh, Rebecca, your house is a gem and you’re doing all the right thngs! I have a Feastmaster barbecue grill set into my brick wall and there’s a damper above so that we can grill on it…..my plaque looks just like yours but I can’t tell if you’ve got the grill, too……..if so, use wood chips to make a fire, open the damper, and grill away!