Just when we thought we had seen every color of vintage St. Charles metal kitchen cabinets here on Retro Renovation, this set showed up. Purple — yes purple — and walnut 1970s St. Charles kitchen cabinets on the Detroit metro Craigslist. Special thanks to seller Ken for granting us permission us feature these photos on the blog and for our archivapalooza of vintage steel kitchen cabinets.
The Craigslist ad states:
I am selling a full 19 piece set of St. Charles Steel Cabinets with island. The cabinets were produced in 1970 and finished in purple paint and some cabinets have a walnut veneer, which is original, with a purple or white interior. The kitchen is arranged in a “L” shape and has an island. The lower cabinets that are 28.5″ high x 24″ deep. The sink wall has cabinets with the following widths, 28″, 24″ (with drawer), 15.5″(3 drawer base), 18″(3 pull outs) and two 34.5″ tall cabinets with width 18″(pull out trash, divided drawer, butcher block), and 44″(lower pull out). The range wall has cabinets with the following widths, 22″(2 lazy Susans), 21″(4 drawer), 28″(range cabinet). The island cabinets are all purple and 34.5″ high; they are 15″, 30″ and 15″ wide, respectively. The sink wall has 5 upper cabinets; all are 12″ deep, 4 are 36″ high with widths 42″, 42″, 42″, 21″. The over sink cabinet is 24″ high and 33″ wide. The range wall has two upper cabinets with widths 33″ and 21″. I also have a St. Charles bath vanity [Retro Renovation emphasis] with three cabinets and a bar with 2 cabinets.
I can include a matching double oven with the sale, it is dated but in working order. There is also a matching Sub Zero refrigerator for sale in the craigslist appliance section for $3250. The price will be discounted if you are interested in purchasing both items.
Pam says she has never seen purple metal kitchen cabinets in the flesh. The only mention of purple (spring violet to be exact) St. Charles kitchen cabinets she’s ever seen was an illustration in their 1957 brochure from the post St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets: A look at their line circa 1957. Pam does not have any later catalogs in her hoard collection, though…
There are so many built in organizers, lazy susans, pull out drawer inserts and even a pull out garbage bin in this set. Whoever ends up putting these cabinets into their kitchen will be very organized.
We have seen this style of wall cabinet a couple of times before — for example, a huge set here. We would guess these doors are very high quality… but then, St. Charles was the creme de la creme.
The original manufacturer’s care instructions are still attached to these cabinets — it looks like the owners have heeded this advice. This set looks to be in very good condition.
Melissa says
Oh glory! It makes me want to redo my kitchen. Look at the condition they’re in too. You’d think they were brand new.
Ben says
Did anyone else look at the walnut cabinet with it and think…”PB&J”?
In the right house it could be fun!
Sherree says
At first glance I thought “Yuk”. But after looking at the rest of the photos and seeing it with the brown, I kind of like it.
I could do a purple kitchen 🙂
I think I would throw some yellow in the mix.
Sara In AZ says
This color purple….Spring Voilet….is listed in my vintage St Charles cabinet catalog. I’m not exactly sure of the date of the catalog, but it’s late 50s/early 60s and just a normal catalog anyone would receive when deciding on what cabinets to buy – not a commercial catalog at all (like for Drs). They also show the purple cabs in the catalog, so I would not think that this was a “special” color you had to pay extra $$$$ for….just another color you could choose like pink or aqua etc.
TappanTrailerTami says
Sara, thanks for the update straight from the catalog……I shouldn’t have assumed they charged extra, since it was 1957 after all……..today, it seems pretty common for companies to charge extra for just about anything!
Gracie Manasco says
I would think that this color was for commercial usage… I’m picturing doctors, dentists, children hospital units… etc.
BungalowBILL says
That color is great.
Mandy says
Yes! Yes! Yes!
lynda says
Wow! Incredible quality for a very brave kitchen remodel. The sub zero has a walnut veneer front–I couldn’t imagine what a purple sub zero would look like!
TappanTrailerTami says
Wowza!!! Take note RR readers – even if purple isn’t your thing. Given this must have been the top-of-the-line color and not for the faint of heart, I’m betting it may have been an upgrade color (ie, more $$$) so only the bravest and richest could have it.
It goes right along with the way fancy custom Sears circa 1956 or 1957 frieze sectional sofa I saw in Sacramento, which carried the same color name: “Spring Violet”.
This is a great buy – hope some brave RR soul snags this, wow, what a kitchen!
Chris Griffith says
Funk-a-licious!