I sent a newsletter yesterday that spotlighted my four favorite time capsule houses from 2011. Reader Joe took a look at the four homes, and mused:
OK, the problem is “How does one know when he has something worth preserving?” We all admire those select-few geniuses who kept their mid-century homes in mint condition, but I suspect most of us went with the flow and re-decorated as periods changed. I mean, we, too, had a 1964 home, but by the ’70s, we had to redecorate, because it seemed so gross. Fast forward 50 years, and I would give anything to have that house back in its original condition! (I’ll bet the original GE appliances would still be working!) Maybe it’s that we become smarter with age, or maybe we are just washed over by the wave of nostalgia. Memories do seem to become more important as we get older. Those of us in the retro movement certainly do have a keen appreciation and vivid memories of “back then,” but which of us was brilliant enough not to ever touch a thing and to preserve our mid-century glamour? I mean, pink? Turquoise? Who would have thought?
If we keep everything as it is in our homes today, is it possible that, in 50 years, people will be dying to have what we got? ….
I definitely have strong opinions on this question. But I’ll put the question out to readers first:
Ed says
Hi all, first of all want to say what a fantastic site this is!
Now I hope you don’t mind me asking a rather open ended question. I’ve just bought a house that dates from 1948-51. I know as it is a British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF) house, a type of semi-prefabricated house only built between those years. As it’s British and was built by the government to rehouse people after the war, it’s not nearly as extravagant as most American houses.
Anyway, I was wondering what readers thought about renovating it in a mid-20th Century style as I’ve always loved it. Most of the doors, picture rails, skirting boards etc survive, though the decoration has been done over later in an unappealing granny-style.
Here are some photos:
http://powering2.expertagent.co.uk/(S(txxemjq0q25p2s555e12psux))/agencies/%7Bb84e9738-33c1-43a8-bece-05aa729e57d7%7D/%7B18a4f4e8-e2c9-413f-a206-f3e6351e16ac%7D/main/Picture134.jpg
http://powering2.expertagent.co.uk/(S(txxemjq0q25p2s555e12psux))/agencies/%7Bb84e9738-33c1-43a8-bece-05aa729e57d7%7D/%7B18a4f4e8-e2c9-413f-a206-f3e6351e16ac%7D/main/Picture135.jpg
http://powering2.expertagent.co.uk/(S(txxemjq0q25p2s555e12psux))/agencies/%7Bb84e9738-33c1-43a8-bece-05aa729e57d7%7D/%7B18a4f4e8-e2c9-413f-a206-f3e6351e16ac%7D/main/Picture133.jpg
Suzanne says
I had to let go a `50s pink Wedgewood stove when we renovated the kitchen in my 1941 Burbank house. It was leaking gas & worn out beyond repair. However, I was able to trade it in for a `40s O’Keefe & Merritt at SavOn appliances in Reseda, CA. There is a photo of the “new” stove under Kitchens\Flooring\Suzanne’s Kitchen. I felt so guilty about getting rid of the pink appliance, that I built on a bedroom & bath all done in `50s pink & black.
–Suzanne
MrsW says
Our house was built in 1910 and has many of the original features, including the hardwood floors and the fireplace mantel with accompanying mirror. The previous owners purchased it in 1950 after it had been condemned, so they did a good bit of remodeling and redecorating throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and the kitchen and the light fixtures in all the rooms date to that period. We pretty much left everything as it was except those things that were damaged (awesome 1950s dryer that made horrific screeching noises, textured carpet that smelled like dog even after cleaning). And honestly, even getting rid of those things tore me up. I sort of feel bad when something has survived for 50-100+ years and I’m the one to get rid of it. I am such a history buff that I called my husband at work, squealing with joy, after finding a set of 1960s curlers in the back of the closet…but that’s just me. 🙂
SusieQ says
I’ve been renovating houses since 1990 and for me I always ask these questions:Does it NEED to be replaced?(no wants at this point) If so can it be replaced with something historically correct for the house?If so then you have to consider costs.Sometimes it takes some imagination but it’s amazing what can be found with a little perseverance.In one huge old victorian the house had faulty leaking cast iron radiators and besides that someone had taken out half of them so the entire heating system didn’t work.We found a large batch of radiators on Craigs list from another contractor that was remodeling(what is ones mans trash is sometimes anothers treasure)We tested them,plugged and painted them and got a new hot water furnace to go with them.So with no extra venting or sheet metal work we got back the original system except all new.I never get rid of something I think I might have a use for later.I’ve gotten teased about this for years but I just installed a newel post that was taken from an old house 14 years ago on the east coast and installed it in a 1906 victorian (where someone had taken that original out)on the west coast.All this being said I didn’t do any of this with little children under foot.Those are the days when people should just be content and maybe paint and paper and do the necessities.It’s just about impossible to do the large jobs while living in the house unless the kids are over 10.Renovating correctly has been one of the joys of my life and I’ve felt so privileged to have had the opportunity to do it many times.
pam kueber says
You are amazing, SusieQ — way to go!
Joe Felice says
I am limited only by finances. I would renovate & re-build to the extent possible, and I would save anything from the ’50s that I could get my hands on!
Carol Belding says
I have a 50’s ranch in Florida. I wanted vintage, and got vintage, fussy plumbing included.
The pink bathroom needs a new mirror, the painters broke it. I have the original four ugly clear plastic rosettes that hold screws that fix the mirror on the wall. I had to go through the painter’s trash to get them!
But the glass place wants $20 a hole to drill them.
So 80 extra bucks for vintage. I can afford it, but it just seems dumb. I also could put tacky plastic clips up that look vintage without drilling the holes.
Any ideas?
CB
Just another Pam says
Wow, steep, probably a lot of breakage, she guesses. It would have been nice and probably fair if he who broke it, replaced it.
Can you smooth them down enough on the back to glue/caulk them in the appropriate location?
Just another Pam says
About the storing in the attic thing that’s been suggested here, it should probably be noted that unless it is a finished space with some climate control most things you save up there will not be useful in the future due to extremes in temperature. Wood will warp and/or split, wiring will be destroyed, paint will be shabby chic to the max and metal will ‘patina’. If you wouldn’t store it in your garage or garden shed you for sure shouldn’t store it in your standard attic.
pam kueber says
Methinks you are right.
Chutti says
Ouuoohoo! Cynthia-
]You should ABSOLUTELY love your family treasure table.
Sometimes folks try so hard to get everything one period, that they overlook or let go of the great personal family stuff they have.
That’s just what I meant to say about my Mom’s house! She’s got a lot of craftsman/mission and a few Victorian items plus a lot of great glass and textiles. An her original 1950’s dining table and formal china/silver. It works because it’s HERS and she loves all of it. Ditto the yard with heirloom plants from various relatives and friends.
In her neighborhood, there are only 3 basic houses, and most of the neighbors have kept up with each decade at Home Despot. They are mostly current at the California faux Tuscan era. I’m sure in 10 years, many will be trying to be mod. Who knows? Her house feels like home, because it’s personal. Decoration for it’s own sake just doesn’t have any warmth.
Everything in our home has a story. Maybe from a relative or friend, amazing dumpster find, left in the attic, longed and searched for, lovingly restored, whatever. We find that mixing periods gives us a house full of what we love. 2/3 or our 1920 house is roughly original. The 1/3 addition built in 1956 will also be roughly original to that period. And everyone thinks it feel’s like Grandma’s house, regardless of their background.
That feels good to us.
Love that table-it sounds great!
Hillary says
Hi, Pam –
Long-time lurker, first time poster here.
I have a 1949 traditional and I will say that though the retro-ness is what attracted me to this house, I wasn’t as much of a purist when we started fixing it up as I am now after reading this site. I wish I had kept the medicine cabinet and lights from the bathroom and put them in the attic as someone suggested above. There is an original storm door up there and some of the kitchen drawers that I assume belong where the dishwasher is now.
We are fortunate enough to have (in our only bathroom) pink tile that is in wonderful condition, with original tub. The original toilet we got rid of some years ago because we couldn’t get it to stop running. It was a low-profile Case and the replacement parts just didn’t fit right. In retrospect, I wish we’d tried harder because there must have been something we could have done, but we were unenlightened in the ways of restoration and preservation.
I have few regrets in the rest of the house because everthing was either still original and in good shape or already replaced with some ugly crap that we then replaced, like cheap light fixtures. We have the requisite knotty-pine room (with bright blue asbestos tile under the carpet!) and original flat panel cabinets in the kitchen (painted white by some past owner) with modern chrome pulls. We also have gold-flecked marble-look laminate countertops and backsplash with metal trim but laminate counter edging. I can’t figure out if this is original or not. I picture as more of a 1960s thing than 1949, but it goes behind the cabinets and window trim. Does anyone know when that type of laminate came into being?
I think it’s amazing that the laminate (maybe), tile, hardwood, etc have lasted over sixty years and if I have anything to say about it, they’ll last 60 more.
pam kueber says
Welcome, Hillary. Your house sounds just lovely. Yes, we have all ripped stuff out, only to become “enlightened” later, but it sounds like you were pretty savvy all the way along. As to the gold flecks, I also tend to think of that as late 50s early 60s, but I don’t have a start date. I’ll put this on my research list. I think it’s wholly possible that your countertops and backsplashes were updated. Also, agreed: This stuff was BUILT TO LAST! Amazing concept, duh.
Cynthia says
Another area where this gets tricky (for me, at least) is with furniture. We have several pieces that we are sentimental about, but that aren’t quite right for the era of this house. For example, we have a heavy, ornate dining room table that was handcrafted in the early 1900s by a relative of my husband’s…it has been passed down through the generations, my husband grew up eating family meals there, and our kids are doing the same. It doesn’t go with the look of the house at all, but he — and I, too, actually — are both very sentimental about it, and we can’t imagine letting it go, even to replace it with some sleek, gorgeous mid-century set that would better match the look of the house.
I guess (for me, at least) that is where the “mid-century modest” vs “mid-century modern” comes into play…sometimes you have to make choices that a designer would shudder at, but for your home and your lifestyle, they just work…
pam kueber says
Everyone “real” has hand-me-downs — what a great family treasure, and what a wonderful lesson to teach your kids about honoring the past and not just tossing it out in favor of whatever is “new”!
Just another Pam says
Well, it would depend on the decorator, Cynthia. I’ve been seeing lots of antique tables used in hot modern spaces but with Eames or Thonet chairs. Personally I like the look so much since I picked up four Thornet chairs at auction it’s not looking good for my 50’s dining room table and chairs.
I’m memory bank digging here but I think it was early 70’s when I saw two antique tables, on dark lavender and one lime, in two different decorating books. NOT suggesting you do that, just using it to illustrate the possibilities because in real life during the 50’s people didn’t live like their home was a tv show or magazine layout any more than most people today.
Cynthia says
Ooh, I’d love to see a picture of that (the Eames or Thornet chairs with the antique table — not the lavender or lime green — we love lots of color around here, but I am 100% sure I could never get my husband to consider painting that family heirloom).
Just another Pam says
Hi Cynthia,
I wish I could download the one in particular I remember but couldn’t find….the price you pay for not bookmarking everything you fall in love with. It was a 20’s/30’s formal dining table and looked awesome with retro chairs.
Found the ones at the link below and should I remember where the other one was I’ll post it here.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/tables-dining-occasional/farmhouse-table-and-modern-chairs-155287
Rita@thissortaoldlife.com says
This question is much on my mind since moving into a 70s split level this summer. It was largely renovated in what appears to be the 90s. Some things were an improvement, but most weren’t. I really like the idea of storing original pieces in the attic. I’d give a lot to see/have the original light fixtures and windows around the front door. And the door for that matter–Hate with a passion the door and windows that replaced the originals. However, while I don’t much like the look of the kitchen cabinets, they are functionally a big improvement over the originals (which are in the garage and laundry room).
Really appreciate all the great food for thought in everyone’s comments.