2014 was a great year for reissues of classic midcentury product designs. Still, there are three very basic products — I’m trying not to be greedy — that I would love to see brought back to the market, mass produced for cost, quality and availability. My list is based on seven years of blogging about midcentury modest and modern homes, hearing about what Retro Renovators need and have been excited about whenever the products come up.
1. Glitter laminate:
The absolutely positively #1 item on my list is glitter laminate.
Update, March 2018: Susan has brought this back! See the complete story here.
Made with deco paper — with real glitter inclusions, just like they were starting around 1950 all the way through the early 2000s — yes, this stuff was available for more than 50 years, non-stop. Today, this deco paper is still available — I have personally seen where it is made! Laminate manufacturers: I won’t even be greedy and ask for different colorways. Just give us a white (check the historic examples to get the rightish white) with gold glitter. The white field glitter laminate will solve for MULTITUDES of Retro Renovator kitchens and bathrooms.
Alas — this neeeeds to be a production laminate — it can’t be digital special-order run. As far as I know, the metal glitter cannot be replicated with current on-demand digital printers. That means this must be done with paper with real glitter inclusions. Laminate manufacturers must buy minimum (lotsa) size rolls of the deco paper… once they make the laminate, the sheets must be stored flat, in climate-controlled warehouses… and then there’s the whole marketing machine to get it out to the public. Note, I also tend to think that laminates made with deco paper (on a rotogravure press or as in the case of sparkle laminate, with real inclusions) are nicer looking — the ink saturation will be more intense… AND production laminates are much less expensive than on-demand digital prints because they are mass produced.
Pretty please with sprinkles on top: Will some laminate manufacturer take a big gulp and take a market risk on this? We’ll buy it! Maybe there are enough of us!
.
2. Double-bowl, dual-drainboard, metal-rimmed, cast-iron kitchen sink:
Number two on my list: A double-sink, double-drainboard, hudee-rimmed, porcelain-on-cast-iron kitchen sink. The photos above show vintage Kohler sinks from our story about 16 vintage Kohler kitchen sinks.
And above: A 1956 ad for the Kohler “Clearfield” sink — now we know its name. Thanks to ebay seller splittinimagecards for giving us permission to show this photo of this ad for sale, we love having it for our archive.
Note, we love the hudee-rimmed Kohler’s Delafield sink currently available today — it’s a go-to recommendation for a replacement kitchen sink. But oh dear Kohler, can we have a design with drainboards?
Hey, I’d even settle for a double bowl with one drainboard. OR, a single bowl with one or two drainboards. Must have the metal rim, though!
3. Armstrong #5352:
Armstrong Floors, can we have #5352 — believed to be the most popular flooring of all time — back, please? Unbelievable: This floor was made from at least 1935 through to the mid-1990s — 60-some years!
This classic rich brick red color would be fine if we can have only one color. But if you can do other colors, how about something light and creamy (predominantly warm, rather than cool)?
Note: I am not saying Armstrong #5352 floor should be paired with a glitter-on-white laminate countertop. To me, the brick red screams “put me in a warm cozy midcentury modest kitchen” with a rich-colored countertop. But maybe I’d pair glitter laminate with a light, creamy colorway of the floor.
Updated: Like in Lori’s kitchen, photo below, thanks, Lori! Well, she says that floor originally had green squares, but they’ve faded with use. Still, you get the idea of how a monochrome meet-up between a beige 5352 floor and the glitter laminate could look:
And another update:
Reader Jan provided this photo (above) and the history:
Re: the Armstrong Brick flooring among the things we’d like to come back – I found this photo of the side porch at my grandmother’s house. This photo was taken in the late 1950s. My mom can’t remember when this floor was put down – she was born in 1934 and just always remembers it being there. I remember that it was a green colorway -very pretty! (The dogs are Come Here on the bench, Buster in the middle and Kilts on the right – Kilts was a full Scottish terrier and mom to the other two, who were “accidents” with a neighborhood dog – before spaying and neutering was the right thing to do!)
Thanks, Jan!
Some historical images from our files:
What do you think of my list, readers?
I’m wary of pushing our luck by being *too greedy*…
but for the “next wave” of we-wannas, what else?
duki says
Love this post, Pam! Although, I am greedy and want laminate with colored crackles and silver & gold glitter! Too much?
pam kueber says
I’d say, let’s be careful about pushing our luck!
tammyCA says
Yes, on glitter laminate…but, I’d really love it in the turquoise/aqua or pink! I posted the other day about the VCT tiles I saw at the Justice clothing store that had tiny gold stars, like sequins, imbedded in the tile…very cool!
Drainboards, yes!
What about bringing back chrome (and other metals) cabinet handles, towel rings with the cool atomic shapes..starburst, boomerang? And, readily available & affordable! I can’t believe they don’t make these when everybody seems to grab up the vintage superfast on ebay, etc.
And, like someone else said…just bring back stuff in a variety of colors…so sick of seeing the dreary & depressing things available.
Lisa9000 says
I was lucky enough to receive a double basin double drain board sink free along with the set of metal kitchen cabinets I bought. I only have half of the cabinets installed so far, but I’ve been using the sink now for 4 months and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
pam kueber says
LUCKY YOU!!!!
robin g says
I have a sink story similar to yours, Lisa9000, only not nearly as cool. I got my kitchen sink free when I bought my pink toilet and sink from craigslist, only my sink has no drainboards. My husband said it was the heaviest thing he has ever moved by himself. He would have killed me if it had had drainboards on it! Nonetheless, I would buy one like that in a heartbeat if I could find one!
Karin says
White glitter laminate, OH YEAH! I live in one of the oldest original condos in Toronto, Canada. The entire laundry area in the condo basement has several large folding tables and window ledges covered in-wait for it!-white laminate with gold speckles. Somebody must have got a deal on it, because it’s EVERYWHERE in the laundry room, and by this I mean 20 foot expanses of it. Most of it has held up fairly well. There are a few scratches here and there, but not bad for 45 years! There have been some recent renovations done to our building’s laundry area. I’m hoping they “update” the laundry room because I have been seriously thinking about inquiring about the laminate. Condo boards can be tricky to deal with, so I will keep everyone posted on the situation. It would be a shame if it all ended up in a dumpster, no?
pam kueber says
No, no updating! Tell the condo board that they have waited so long that the laundry room finishes are hip again.
Errrr, my local laundromat renovated last year. I was walking the dog. Saw that they had pulled out all the glitter laminate countertops. Yay! Went back to save some the next morning — and the contractor truck was pulling away from the sidewalk, heading to the dump, with all the countertops in the truck bed. PSHAW! I shoulda gone the night before when I first saw them. Lesson learned – do not delay when dumpster diving!
Jan says
I would have had a hard time not following him to the dump!
Laurie Louise says
I would buy white laminate with gold sparkles in a heartbeat, even though I have no place to put it. I love it that much. Would do the same with aqua boomerang. Sooner or later I’d find a use for it, and in the meantime it would make me smile.
ineffablespace says
F o r m i c a I R I S H L I N E N
Speckled Sheet Vinyl that looks like speckled sheet vinyl
Pure white vinyl tile or sheet.
pam kueber says
I think that the 1950s linen — in a neutral like the Irish linen, plus two greens and a red — would be top ‘o Round Two for me.
For flooring: My Round #2 would likely be another multidirectional pattern flooring. Something more midcentury modern 1960s than 5352.
#3, how about… a shower receptor back on the market…(but would anyone really buy them?)… https://retrorenovation.com/2013/06/06/small-bathtubs/
But, I need to think about greedy Round 2 more before locking in the wish with the Retro Decorating Gods.
Allen says
I think people with pets would put receptor tubs in where they wanted a stall shower. They could skip the shower pan get a receptor tub in its place and still have a stall shower and a basin to fill up and wash pets or other things.
Erica says
Yes, the receptor tubs are great for little kids and pets, and perhaps could also be used by adults as a foot bath! Actually, St Louis Children’s Hospital had something very similar in their bathrooms not that long ago.
ineffablespace says
I looked at a house with three shower receptor tubs and no full sized bathtubs. It was a late 18th c. house and had three tiny bathrooms tucked in between the winder staircase and one of the chimneys on each floor. They were from the very early 1960s and probably the first “full” baths in the house, if you can call bathrooms with ceilings under 7 feet and about 30″ square inches of open floor space between the three fixtures a “full bathroom”.
pam kueber says
Fascinating!
pam kueber says
Hey ineffable,
How about this for pure white sheet: http://www.lonseal.com/show_product/LONSTAGE%20UV%20%26%20MT
There’s another white in the Metro line
sandi says
YES, YES, and YES!!!! I would buy ALL of those items, and I know many others who would as well, especially the glitter laminate. *swoon*
Let’s make a petition – or a huge order – or something! And get this stuff made again. I honestly think the companies will be blown away by the response of happy people. 😀
And that floor… My kitchen needs a new floor, and that would be PERFECT.
Erin in Ohio says
Yes, let’s gather our orders!
Meridith says
We have the glitter laminate in our kitchen and would love to be able to purchase it! Some of the corners are peeling /cracking and it would be great to replace it with the laminate that represents original aesthetic of the kitchen. One thing we’ve learned in our time capsule is not to just rip it out but to live with and see what you can make of it.
Julia B. says
Personally, I’m waiting for ModBox to produce an on-the-house model. It’s been hard to find budget-friendly mailboxes that are also in good shape!
Roundhouse Sarah says
Yes, and mailboxes are always near impossible to buy from an estate sale bc it’s ‘a fixture’. I recently bought and sold a black envelope shaped wall mounted box with a gold starburst. The house it was from is going to be demolished. Made a nice flip though paid $4 sold it for $40. I would suggest making friends with someone who does home demolition, or seeing one you like on someone’s home and offering to pay for their replacement.
Kathy says
Hi! I’m Kathy from Arizona and I’m new. Although I can’t afford renovations right now I just really enjoy your site and look through the time capsules and articles. It’s great!
I just love love love the idea of the double sinks with metal trim and the drain boards! I remember those as a child. What a great invention!
I need yellow boomerang fabric that’s not too costly – in cotton or light weight for clothing rather than barkcloth for home decor. I’m the $2.00 per yard person here. I found some nice ones some people had made on
http://www.spoonflower.com
,but for 2 fat quarters it comes out to $21.00 before shipping. Yikes!
Sorry but I can’t seem to find the 11 Retro scopes in my email.
Thank you!
pam kueber says
Hi Kathy, I sent your Retroscopes….
Re Fabric: See our category Decorating/Window Treatments for stories we’ve done on fabric.
I am not sure I’ve ever seen yellow boomerang fabric originally made back in the day. For inexpensive fabric: Watch estate sales, Goodwills etc., and ebay and etsy like a hawk. Good luck.
Mary Elizabeth says
Kathy, welcome to the dark side. We are always happy to greet newcomers to the coven–er–community of retro renovators. If you will renovate your house on a slow schedule, one project at a time, you will have years of enjoyment.
Kathy G. says
Hi! Thank you to Mary Elizabeth. Right now I’m in the dreaming stage. I noticed Laurie Louise mentioned that Full Swing Textiles was going out of business. Even their current prices with the discount are too expensive. I’ll have to keep my eye on http://www.etsy.com
and
http://www.ebay.com
I’d like to make some article of clothing that does not use the usual teal spike design that others have made clothing from, link below.
https://www.fabric.com/buy/fr-100/michael-miller-mid-century-modern-atomic-turquoise
Laurie Louise says
Speaking of fabric, have you heard that Full Swing Textiles is going out of business? They’ll have progressive discounts through August. Guess I’d better order that fabric for my kitchen curtains.
pam kueber says
Yes, alas.
Lynne says
Oh my goodness. i just checked out Full Swing Textiles. That pine cone fabric would be perfect in a knotty pine den, or even a kitchen.
pam kueber says
Yes, I featured it in a mood board on that very subject https://retrorenovation.com/2012/05/21/6-ideas-to-decorate-a-knotty-pine-room-in-classic-retro-style/
Grab it!