I featured part of Kathy’s kitchen recently — spotlighting how she found resources to fix her vintage GE oven and electric range top here on the blog. But golly, I saved more wowza from her delightful kitchen for this second story: Kathy crafted her own decorative dishwasher panel — using an enlargement she made from the cover of her grandmother’s vintage Betty Crocker cookbook. The dishwasher panel not only suits her kitchen design to a tee, but it reflects the kitchen’s historic connection with Betty Crocker, too. Read on to see how Kathy completed this easy DIY, and for a peek at the other side of her perfect wood-yellow-red kitchen.
The dishwasher was a recent project of mine. My dishwasher works fine but it is 20 years old, and I wanted to do something to make it fit in more with the retro look. Having a budget of next to nothing I had to get my creative juices going. I thought about spray painting it yellow to match the oven/stove, but I didn’t want to chance the mess or doing it badly. Then I thought of those huge magnets for sale in the country magazines that decorate the front of dishwashers for $55. None of their decorator designs really satisfied the retro look I was looking for. But, it gave me the idea of covering the front panel with a picture of something retro. I thought about what would be fun and chose to pay homage to my grandma with a poster that I had made from her 1950’s Betty Crocker cookbook, which I still use today.
From the previous story, we learned that Kathy’s kitchen also has a wonderful connection to Betty Crocker. She told us:
…the original owner was a professional cook in the Betty Crocker test kitchens in Golden Valley, Minnesota at General Mills near my home.
This was also why Kathy wanted to rescue the stove — she wanted to retain that fascinating connection to Betty Crocker history. How cool — and what a great idea to carry the Betty Crocker homage to the dishwasher panel! Kathy continues with her DIY steps:
First, I had the cookbook scanned and made into a poster. Before cutting it to put on the dishwasher, I made a pattern first. To do this, I measured the dishwasher panels… I did the math to add the two panels together as one piece, so that my pattern could be split without losing some of the design… and then, I made a plain paper pattern.
Second, I laid the pattern on top of the poster to gauge where I wanted to cut my design… traced around the pattern with a pencil… cut out the pattern… and made sure to cut it a tiny bit smaller so it would stay within the edges of my dishwasher. Then I cut the poster into two pieces, one for each panel.
Third, I had the two pieces laminated at the local copy/office supply store, where the laminating is a little thicker and sturdier than normal office/school laminating. This made the new panels a little sturdier. I had them leave a 1/4 inch of laminate all around the edges of each piece when they cut it for me. The laminating was around about $10 for my project, but they charge by the size of your piece of paper so yours might be different.
Then last, I took the poster pieces home and had intended on attaching them with double stick tape since my original dishwasher panel is not magnetic.
But then, I discovered that my older style dishwasher’s panels have an edge over-lapping the panels — and my newly laminated pieces could slip under the metal edges without the use of any tape. A much better solution since there would be no gaps where water/mess could get under the new panel. I used the end of a flat blade screwdriver to help slip the laminated poster under the metal edges.
I stepped back to admire my new retro look and was pleased at the kitsch I had created! I think this method could be used for posters, old wallpaper, children’s artwork, or even enlarge an old family photo to poster size at the warehouse club for cheap — and put grandma herself on your dishwasher!
Thank you, Kathy. What a fabulous project, and you know I love love love the Betty Crocker history. Also, your sense of design is awesome, in terms of color and scale, the decorative panel “works” perfectly in your kitchen!
Note: Before running this story, I checked with the PR folks at General Mills, owners of Betty Crocker, to make sure they thought that making an enlargement from their cookbook for a personal project like this was okay. They responded that they thought it was a fun project and gave me the green light. Thanks for the luv, General Mills!
Wendy says
I was at a time capsule house once where they used contact shelf-liner to do something similar to their dishwasher and cupboards. It was really cute. I took a picture I will have to track it down and post it…
Lauryn says
Oh my, that is ridiculously clever and so adorable! I actually had to look twice to see if the cookbook cover matched the valences, they look so perfect together. I don’t have a dishwasher, but if I did, I think it would be getting some wall paper added to it. Thanks for sharing, Kathy. Your kitchen is just fabulous … something about it is just so comforting and lovely.
Katey says
Lovely kitchen and clever project! Betty Crocker sells reprints of that cookbook, I use mine surprisingly often, its a great go-to for quick bread and cake recipes.
You’ve inspired me to find a way to incorporate the old cookbook cover that ‘goes’ with my kitchen- The dusky aqua 1930 BHG. http://img3.etsystatic.com/000/0/5310478/il_570xN.298715327.jpg
Lisa Collins says
That cookbook is my favorite cookbook ever. What a neat idea! I too live in minnesota and love the Betty Crocker/MN connection.
ChrisH says
Fantastic job!
Jen says
Oh my goodness, I LOVE this! Kathy, what a great idea—and it is so perfect in your kitchen! Best of all, it’s inexpensive and removable…as someone in possession of far too many vintage cookbooks, several with cute or pretty beyond belief covers…wow, I could have a new dishwasher with every season (no, I’m not crazy…)! Kathy, you are a brilliant lady. Brilliant!
Also: Beautiful kitchen. You’d never get me out of it. Ever. 😉
kathy says
Thanks Jen! I have a couple of fav cookbooks too! Obviously Betty Crocker but also Rumford Complete Cook Book 1934 ( no temps given, only hot, med etc oven…Hahaha), The HomeEc Teachers Fav Recipes, and The Road to Blue Ribbon Baking (Marjorie Johnson the MN State Fair famous baker).
Kristi says
Oh my god! This actually makes me wish I had a dishwasher. So cool and creative.
Janet says
Just occurred to me; I am not sure this is a doable project if you don’t have a dishwasher with the removable trim. I haven’t looked at them in years and I don’t know if they make them that way any more, but you may be able to special order a trim kit that will work. I love your cabinets too, not just the way they are made, but the nice warm color! I collect the old recipe booklets that were given away with just about everything back then, like stoves or fridges or pressure cookers. Also I pick up the ones you could send for from companies who made baking soda or gelatin or whatever. Those often have really great colorful covers too. This is such a great idea!
pam kueber says
My dishwasher, installed around 2002, has the trim edge. I ordered it for this reason. I put a piece of the side of steel kitchen cabinet on mine. I am pretty sure they are still around.
Also, read closely, and you will see that Kathy originally thought of doing this with double stick tape. It was only when she looked close that she saw there was a panel. So: double stick tape it. Hey, I would even try Repositionable Mounting Spray – that stuff seems pretty strong.
kathy says
Janet, just so it’s clear, I didn’t have to remove any trim or anything at all from my dishwasher. Also maybe newer dishwashers ARE magnetic and a fun home-made panel could be attached with craft magnetic strips. Hope that helps 🙂
Janet says
Kathy, I did understand that you were able to install your new panel with a screwdriver as shown in the photo (I need those visuals, duh). I just think it looks so built-in and perfect framed at the edge like that. I did look and Whirlpool does still make one with reversible panels so it has the trim on the edges. Most of the dishwashers that I saw had wraparound front panels with no edge trim at all, and I don’t think they would look as nice as yours do with that framed edge. BUT as mentioned, there are other ways to do it that may work out just fine.
midmichigan says
Very cool and inspirational. I might try a retro TV test pattern.
kathy says
Midmichigan: it really is like your dishwasher is just a big frame for photos and art!
TappanTrailerTami says
This is just SO fun! And CHEAP! Yay! Inventivity is not dead in America, way to go Kathy. My mom has that same cook book….I had one also but after many moves, I can’t find it now. I’ll have to turn to eBay to get another I suppose.
Great job Kathy, and thanks Pam for sharing this!
kathy says
Tami: Oh, easier than that, go to local bookstore! General Mills reissued the old Betty Crocker Cookbook only a couple years ago with the vintage cover and old fashioned “colored” photos. They also reissued their cookie cookbook with the original vintage cover.
TappanTrailerTami says
Thanks for the great tip, Kathy, I had no idea. No hunting for “good” bindings that way!
Love love love your whole kitchen, not just the fab d/w!