Bonnie is the proud owner of a 1958 “dream-home time capsule” and sent us some photos of some of its awesome original details to ogle and envy. I am particularly loving the coral countertop and cast-iron painted planter box — this color looks just lovely with the classic, 1950s natural birch plywood cabinets, don’t you think? Boo to the hoo that Formica discontinued the coral boomerang laminate, but I bet we can find something close in a solid for sure and maybe also in a subtle tone-on-tone pattern. Oh. Bonnie’s kitchen features these fabulous fold-down electric range top burners. Another 1950s innovation that… didn’t make it longterm. We see this occasionally in the wild. So cool to see them in this time capsule kitchen. Party on for more photos … and Bonnie wants our advice on regrouting the pink (of course) bathroom tile –> PAM! Hello!! My husband, boys and I have just moved into our very own dream-home time capsule from 1958. Also attached are images of our original 1958 kitchen with orange counter tops, space age wall oven from Fridgidaire, and flip down range…. We plan to work on the kitchen to gain more storage space and counter space in the future. Currently, though, we are going to live with it to make sure whatever design we come up with is thoughtful and meets our needs. We plan to keep it as original as possible to honor the architecture and time period… We will also be working on an original galley kitchen to make it more large-family friendly. It’s outfitted with a chrome flip down range, fridgidaire space-age wall oven, original cabinets, and orange laminate counter tops with metal edging…
Also, I noticed you love original lighting. All but one of the fixtures in our home is original. We are going to try to restore the finished on the lights to original brass (they are pretty dingy right now). Yet another idea for the blog… 🙂
It has a classic pink, baby blue, and black bathroom that must stay…the problem is MOST of the grout in the shower is cracked. A lot. Any suggestions on how to save the tile and repair the grout? I hunted around for some suggestions on this site but didn’t find anything specifically about the grout situation. Would love to send you some pictures, if you are interested, and possible do a feature about this “save the pink bathroom”. :)Here is my pink bathroom in need of some repair…the grout in the shower and around the vanity is cracked. I was wondering if you had seen this before and if you knew of any way to fix it…we really love the original tile and want to keep it!!
Thanks so much for the inspiration from the blog. We love being in a home with a past! Bonnie
BONNIE! Thank you! What a lovely home, and you are SMART to take your time contemplating any changes (that aren’t related to enviroment and safety, of course).
Regarding fixing the old grout:
I don’t know about the grout. I am pretty sure that I have read that old grout can be Dremeled out. Very painstakingly. Then regrouted. *Some therapy*.
Replacement tile:
If you want replace that edge piece, my key suggestion is to work with World of Tile. Chippy always needs a real live sample to make a color match. But maybe she can tell you before you have to remove the piece to send to her, whether she even has something in the family. Golly, it looks like only a teensy chip. This may be a really lame idea but: Build it up, little by little with nail polish? That color of dark burgundy chocolate brown is popular today, I think! Again: I ain’t no properly licensed professional — on both these questions, best to consult with one.
Readers: You ever dremeled out old grout and then regrouted? Did it work out beautifully, or not?
Regarding your your kitchen:
You didn’t ask me for decorating advice, but you know I can resist: Wallpaper — vintage or reproduction vintage — for those soffits, dear? And the kitchenette wall? With coral in it. Note, I’m calling your countertop and the cast iron decorative piece coral, not orange.
xoxo
Elaine says
That grout won’t be as hard as you think. Others have mentioned the grout remover tool, it goes pretty fast.
In my time capsule bathroom, the grout was solid as the day it was put in, but it was stained with nicotine. We scrubbed and scrubbed with no noticeable impact. I was facing having to regrout the entire beautiful robin’s egg blue bathroom, ceiling, walls, floor, countertop. The contractor was willing to do it but said it would be a tedious job.
Then we found some magic grout cleaner at a flea market, and it worked. My contractor brought his son in and the young man spent four days scrubbing with the magic cleaner and with Zep, which he said worked almost as well. All is done except the ceiling and one tiny spot on the wall. I’m bettng your regrouting the shower won’t take four days.
Bonnie K says
I hope it doesn’t take 4 day! 3 small kids would be rioting around here! 🙂
The Atomic Mom says
My grandmother had that same oven in her home, built in 1958. I knew it must have been that was sold and installed back then, but I’ve never seen another like it.
Bonnie K says
Nothing like Grandma’s oven! Am I right? I’m lucky, this one works like a dream!
STL Mom says
Bonnie, what a great looking house! For your light fixtures, have you heard of Rub n Buff? I haven’t used it myself, yet, but I’ve been seeing it on the internet lately and it seems to work really well to either restore or change a metallic finish. Good luck with the grout. A hard, messy job but nothing is nicer than fresh, clean grout.
Bonnie K says
I’ve never heard of it. Thanks for the tip! I’ll give it a try!
James Owens says
The grout is a simple fix.
If the drywall behind the tile is firm I would simply use something like a plastic putty knife to scrape out only the loose bits. Plastic because it wont nick your tile. Leave any grout that is still in there firm. Once all the loose bits are out then just re-grout as if the tile were just installed. Then make sure the grout is sealed well in the high water areas.
Hope this helps.
Bonnie K says
It does! I’ll give it a go!
Nancy Herbert says
We did exactly this with our blue 1961 bath – the loose, soft grout came right out with a pointy grout tool, then we regrouted the entire tub area in white. Turned out beautifully! Unfortunately, when the handyman did the same thing with our yellow shower stall, the tiles came cascading off the wall – rotted drywall underneath. No wonder that bath smelled like a humid, public swimming pool even though it hadn’t been used in months! We used a Schlueter (sp?) underlayment system to rebuild it and decided to mostly use white tiles. A number of yellow tiles were reused to add punches of color. Though no longer original, I think we kept the spirit of our mid-century gem alive, plus we no longer feel like we’re showering in the inside of an egg!
Sarah says
I am undertaking the same re-grouting task as you and dreading it! It’s just a portion of the shower but still… There are many tutorials on YouTube and such, you don’t always need a dremel, sometimes a screwdriver and a box cutter is enough. They even sell a little hand tool at the hardware store made just for the job. I plan on using only hand tools and no power tools because I’m afraid of damaging my tiles. I’m also concerned about matching the grout color. It will most definitely not be white lol I’m going to try a bone or off-white color to try and match the rest of the dingy grout! I don’t want my patch job sticking out like a sore thumb!
Bonnie K says
Agree, white is a nightmare! One of the many concerns I have is that a contractor friend things the cracked grout lines are at the seams of the sub-wall. There may be some shifting happening. I’m going to try to repair it and see what happens…if it cracks again we may be taking it out and repairing whats underneath and then re-creating the fabulous-ness.
lynda says
Very nice kitchen. My friend had a range like that in her 50’s house. Here is a modern version of the range. Not cheap, but looks retro to me.
http://www.universal-akb.com/amra30frdoga.html?productid=amra30frdoga&channelid=NEXTA
or…for a little color
http://www.amazon.com/AROFG-30YW-Legacy-Series-Natural-Innovection/dp/B005OVYUMY
Phil says
I also have a Frigidaire range (not a flip-down, but a Compact 30) from this era with that same style of wide-element burners, and I am having a heck of a time sourcing new elements. Anyone have a handle on where I can find replacements?
Janet says
Bonnie, just thinking that bathroom looks identical to the one in my first house, pink and black tile and all! Is there a closet just to the right of the bathtub? We are going to Maine this weekend and I will ask the motel owner the name of the fellow who does their tile. If he is an old timer, and a true Yankee scrounger, I would bet he saves tile all the time! Might just get lucky!
pam kueber says
Go to the story about where to find parts for vintage stoves – it’s in the Kitchen/Appliances category. I bet you could find resources there…
Bonnie K says
THERE IS a closet right next to the tub!!! WOW!
Bonnie K says
Also, would love the name of the man that does the tile work, THANKS! We are in the midwest but who knows…maybe he knows somebody!
Janet says
I adore the kitchen! The birch cabinets are the ones that I so love! I saw the drop down just once on craigslist and thought what a neat idea. If you need parts for your wall oven, those show up on craiglist too and I believe there is a pink one on there right now, but probably way far away from where you live, Bonnie! The motel in Maine that we stay at has the original bathroom tiles in all the bathrooms except for one. They have a man come in who regrouts the entire bathroom and it comes out looking like new. I should ask for his name to find out how he does it; I would bet it isn’t cheap but the results are worth it and far cheaper than replacing it all! So it IS doable! I also need to hound them for the original sinks that they have been replacing with new pedestal sinks. I told Eddie to save them and hope he did! Bonnie, your house is just what I want!
Kate H says
If anyone fusses about your flip-out cooktop, just tell them Frank Lloyd Wright himself used these at Kentuck Knob, a family home he designed in Pennsylvania near Fallingwater. I went there this summer and the kitchen was TINY — guess they used these to save space.
Bonnie K says
Thank you! I needed that information to back up my argument when I get the “what the heck is THAT thing look.” 🙂
Adele H says
you don’t need to back up your arguement….the birch cabs are teriffic and the drop down burners are unique…….let them eat cake !
Jay says
Thanks for the reminder, I knew I had seen these somewhere but couldn’t put my finger on it. Yes I think FLW made the baths and kitchens small. The kitchen at Falling Water is all metal, small and relegated to the basement level.
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
But how could anyone possibly fuss about such a gem? That thing’s a marvel!