When reader Ann told me she had used Pionite laminate in Primary Yellow for her 1965 kitchen Retro Renovation, I jumped on over to Pionite to look at the chip. And golly, Ms. Molly, wouldn’t you know it, but sitting right there in the same row of color chips was: Bittersweet. I didn’t know that any laminate maker still produced Bittersweet.
I think that Bittersweet is a super classic 1960s and 1970s color. I first learned about it, because we collect Stangl pottery, and one of their patterns is “Bittersweet”. It’s a color that endured many years — more than I guess I knew, as here it is again (or still?) today.
I tend to believe that the kitchen counter tops in the Brady Bunch kitchen were exactly this shade of orange. Here’s short clip from CBS that shows Mike Brady struggling to do women’s work, ugh, in the Brady kitchen:
Anyway, this Pionite palette of solid colors is pretty darn nice. There are two pages of color options — with lots of off-whites, which are always classic, and with many true retro colors — French blue, Boxwood, Surfin’ USA, Burgundy, Royal Burgundy — and a nice Primary Red.
Orange is my favorite color. It was the first Retro Renovation Color of the Year, in 2011.
I also loved the Brady Bunch, of course. Looks like you can see lots of, or maybe all of, the episodes here.
Oh. Yes. This blog is about decorating. Want your own Brady Bunch orange countertops? Get them, along with other retro solid colors, here: Pionite solid laminate colors — 2 pages
tammyCA says
I used to faithfully watch The Brady Bunch every Friday night when it first aired. To me the only thing that seemed Modern in their house was the staircase, everything else looked typical for the ’60s/’70s. I think the Mondrian type wall behind was only added for still photos since there are only paintings there.
“Bewitched” was great because the decor constantly changed…Samantha was very crafty. 🙂
But, the orange counters will always be Very Brady…except, in the future specials when Carol went all beige…eww!
Scott says
Thanks Pam, revisiting the Brady kitchen solved a long-standing personal mystery. I have always wondered why I thought a proper countertop needed to extend all the way up to the counter to the bottom of the cabinets, now I know where that idea came from! 🙂
John says
Dawn, Check this site out. https://www.facebook.com/TVhousehistorian
This guy, Scott does awesome 3-d renderings of the Brady Bunch House that he made into video tours. He has a youtube channel too. They are really great.
I too, am a huge fan of the house. The home I just bought in Palm Springs reminds me of it a bit and I want to capture more of the Brady House feel with future improvements.
Scott says
Wow. fun link John!
Marie Gamalski says
Palm Springs is the Mecca for house nerdies like us!! The COOLEST post and beam mid-century pads, and the best part? No “gated communities” you can actually drive around gawking and the owners are lovely, instead of scowling (you know the look… how DARE you drive by and look at MY house!) they wave you over to chat!????Congratulations on your purchase… and I’ll try not to be TOO jealous!????
miya says
I used to have the Navy Blue Pionite in my kitchen. Beware, the colors are beautiful but they show scratches terrible! I should have done the “scratch test” before ordering them but loved the color and got them anyway. The “scratch test” is just taking your sample from the store and taking the end of a paperclip and scratching the surface and see how much the scratch shows. The solid colors are so saturated and have no variations so the scratch shows through as a white line. Very unattractive. If you must have the color, I would suggest using a clear cutting board over the area that will get the most use.
Steve H says
I’m so glad that the subject of the Brady Bunch kitchen has come up because maybe it will finally provide an answer to a question that has bugged me for years. When the show started the kitchen featured a stainless steel or brushed chrome wall oven and electric cooktop. At some point during the run of the show these were replaced with a gas cooktop and oven with black glass doors. It seems like a rather odd change considering that I can’t recall anything else ever changing in the house’s decor. Have any other Brady fans noticed this, or am I just a complete oddball for noticing stuff like this?
Robin, NV says
I’m pretty sure Mike and Carol’s bedroom changed at some point. I think they went from separate beds to one.
Ada says
Beautiful!
It pains me when, upon entering my house, the first thing most people (read, ‘boring people’) do is look at my ‘Brady kitschen’ and say, “Bet those counters are the first thing you’ll be tearing out.” Uhhh, NO! It’s the LAST thing I’d ever think of tearing out!! They’re original to my house and I adore them as much as I’m sure my grandmother did when she first picked them out! It’s such a happy ‘good morning’ when I walk in rubbing my eyes and open them to a plethora of sunny bunny orange!! I have the happiest kitchen on my block!
Karen S says
PS Last year I saw a real estate listing for a house in my old neighborhood (cookie cutter ranches built in the 60’s) and the kitchen had the same Brady Bunch orange countertops. Lovely!
Karen S says
I painted my hall bathroom an orange that looks just like that paint chip. I think the color was called ‘orange crush’ or ‘orange cream’. I love it-it makes the bathroom very cheerful.
Kate says
I love the Brady Bunch! I watched it growing up.
This past weekend, I went to my nephew’s 7th birthday party and made a reference to the Marsha Brady football/nose incident during a game of catch and to my delight and surprise, my nephew knew what I was talking about because watches the Brady Bunch too!
It is a timeless show! (and I too love orange!)
Dawn says
I have been obsessed with the Brady Bunch house my entire life. I would sooooo love to see an article dedicated to the home and architecture.
There are a few articles out there on it of course…That speak about the original house vs the stage house. But nothing in depth that I could find recently. Did find the blue prints on line though. In case I ever win the lottery and can build my own Brady abode!
But to me, that house was just the epitome of mid 60’s coolness.
Robin, NV says
The blog, Hooked on Houses, doesn’t seem to have much for the Brady Bunch, which totally surprises me. Check out the site here:
http://hookedonhouses.net/houses-onscreen/
Warning! You could get sucked into this blog for hours. The photos of Mary Richard’s apartment – sigh.
I too loved the Brady house. I thought the living room was so sophisticated with the cool staircase, the colored panels, and that Chinese horse.
Yep Kate, I think you may be right, Bittersweet could be the color from the Brady’s kitchen. Also – Pionite and Nevamar are the two best companies I’ve found for basic solids. I’m putting Nevamar California in my kitchen. The scans they have on their website don’t show the true color, it’s more of a buttery yellow. I’d suggest ordering Bittersweet to see exactly what it looks like. Love those dishes too. I have Fiestaware in Paprika, which is very close to Bittersweet.
Robin, NV says
Oh and the Bewitched house too! Check out the pictures on Hooked on Houses for that show as well.
Janice says
Funny that you should mention Bewitched…I had major surgery last year and while recovering I spent more hours than I care to admit watching old reruns of Bewitched just to see Samantha’s clothes and the house decor. I was constantly scanning the set for cool features. Samantha had an awesome kitchen!
Erin says
Love, love, love Hooked on Houses. One of my favorites!
(And, yes, if you love houses, you’ll be completely sucked in!)
Jay says
Robin, you got that right. Fun way to while away the hours on a rainy day. There is a cable TV channel out of Allentown, PA that shows all old shows. You can catch a slew of historical 50s – 70s clothing, decorating, appliances and architecture ala I Love Lucy, Perry Mason, Dick Van Dyke, Bewitched, Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart. Thank goodness for color TV or no one would never know the Brady Bunch orange counters.