I decided to make an annual award. It’s the Retro Renovation “The Hard Way Award,” and the 2010 honor goes to: Sue for her kitchen renovation — and the fact that she documented the seven-month journey in chilling detail. Do you have what it takes to overcome the obstacles of home renovation, doubled yet again when trying to go period-retro including using vintage materials? Read Susan’s story about creating a vintage style kitchen to find out. You rock, girl!
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14 comments
april says
how can I enter for the 2011 hard way contest!
i have a million pictures of our kitchen reno. It started at the end of Dec 2010 & is still not completely finished…we have done almost all of the work on our own.
Mel says
Holy smokes – that backsplash is GORGEOUS with a capital G!!! Congrats on winning the 1st annual “Hard Way” contest! 😀
Mr. Modtomic says
Uhg, I just got a 13 foot long Stainless Steel Edged counter top (for free) off Craigslist. It’s got a 15 inch “L” and all the backsplash upturn trim. This is pretty much all I need to start my Steel Cabs.Steel Cabs. and Skylark Formica (all vintage) install.
So now I don’t seem to have much of an excuse not to start. Yikes. This should be an interesting year!
pam kueber says
Yup, no excuse whatsoever! Take lots of photos and I’ll be sure to keep up via your blog!
Susan says
Mr. Mod
Wow–You’ve got the curved lower shelves & aqua for days. Help us live vicariously and get going on that project!
Had a new year’s Day with no devices–so just seeing this now. Thanks everybody! My face is the color of my kitchen counters!
Be assured it all just seems a blink now and I know at least one friend who’s re-doing his kitchen (not in mid-mod), and it’s taking even longer…so don’t be faint of heart! Start!
Happy New Year to Pam & all the retro-renovators & retro adorers!
Eartha Kitsch says
Congratulations to Sue! She deserves it! : )
Edwin says
Happy New Year to ALL of the retrorenovation-com-staging.enwf9w61-liquidwebsites.com community! Congratulations to Sue on winning the award from Pam – Sue’s commitment to her kitchen DEFINITELY is deserving of this!
Also, congratulations to you Pam on the growth of your site and the recognition in the NY Times. Thank you for all of your hard work to provide so many of us this great resource. This “wave” of mid-century resurgence is just beginning and I am confident that the momentum is building faster than many of us realize.
Happy New Year!
pam kueber says
Thank you, Edwin. I, too, believe the resurgence is just beginning — as you are in real estate sales, it’s good to hear it from you! Keep me updated from “the front lines”, okay? Among my 2010 highlights was meeting you and other readers at the Charlotte Home Show in March — what a BLAST!
Edwin says
Will def keep you updated from the front lines! Very nice of you to say that meeting all of us was one of your ’10 highlights. It was super cool coming to your presentations and meeting you this past Spring… A BLAST it was. I hope they invite you again and you accept!
magnarama says
Congrats to Susan on her tenacity and the extremely gorgeous kitchen that resulted from it!
And congrats to Pam and all the Pink Bathies — the NY Times article on pink bathrooms is the #10 most emailed article on the NYT list as of 10:30am today!
pam kueber says
ooooooh, #10 in most-mailed! i’m not surprised, really: there are A LOT of vintage pink bathrooms out there!!! thanks for your kind note, magnarama!
Trouble aka Shane says
Not only that Magnarama, but as people come out of the dirt colored paint/travertine/stainless stupor and realize they can live life in color (and vintage color is the best) you can come here to pick and choose sources from all of our retro homes!
Happy New Year to my peeps!
magnarama says
Heee! I love the phrase “dirt colored paint”. (Which is, I suppose, what Pam more euphemistically calls “greige”.)
pam kueber says
I have been receiving dozens of emails from more folks with pink bathrooms since the NYT story ran on Thursday! It’s amazing!!!!