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!
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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?
Lathan says
I recently visited my grandmothers house in Kentucky and was happy to discover her upstairs 1950s era bathroom had gold glitter laminate!! The bathroom was never finished in the 50s and over time was finished randomly, but the laminate is in pristine condition. I cried with happiness! The tiles in the bathroom are cute but were painted and wallpapered over, so I have no idea what the original color is. Her floors upstairs are also an embossed linoleum but in a pebble pattern. They have since been ruined by renovation and were covered, but I pulled back some layers and awe’d at them for a minute.
Diana says
Elkay still makes sinks with drain boards. They are stainless steel…
pam kueber says
Yes, we have written about these before https://retrorenovation.com/2011/09/02/8-vintage-style-elkay-drainboard-sinks-for-a-midcentury-kitchen-remodel/
ChiTownCommuter says
My 1954 step up ranch has glitter laminate counter tops. The small portion next to the stove is nearly new looking, while the larger one that surrounds the sink is worn, cracked, and faded. I would love to replace it with new glitter laminate, and would be willing to wait a few more years so a company would have time to produce and market it. Revive glitter laminate, please and thank you!
laurie says
Abet Laminati’s 280 Sei pattern is reminiscent of the old glitter pattern. The specks are sprinkled closer together than the glitter was, and the specks aren’t gold glitter, but put together with mid century cabinets and accessories, the overall look could work. I’m considering this pattern for my upcoming kitchen backdating project.
Jill says
Please bring back the glitter! We have one small section over the dishwasher (go figure) and would LOVE to restore the rest of the counters to match.
Randerson says
YES!! Please bring back the best selling floor of all time, Armstrong Brick Red 5352!! We’ve had it in FOUR, count ’em FOUR houses… and we were so disappointed when it was discontinued, It’d be great to have it one last time in our soon-to-be-built modest and efficient little cape-style retirement home! Can see it now, with knotty pine cabinets and vintage Coppertone appliances. Royal Barry Wills would approve!!
Scott says
1. Sheet linoleum with glitter
2. Seafoam Green Potty and Sinks
Beverly says
I’d take any of them. Better yet, all three! Love, love, love.
Holland VanDieren says
I want slubby, Luxex-shot upholstery fabrics in solids and tweeds!
PS: “Glitter Formika” has always been my top choice for my stage name as a burlesque queen ; )
Holland VanDieren says
make that Lurex
Judy P says
I must be pretty lucky, I have 2 out of the 3!!! The countertops and the floor!!! My floor is embossed beige/orangy color. I only wish I had the sink!