Too much fun, we almost missed it: October 26 is our birthday — RetroRenovation.com has turned eight. In addition to shaking up a Shark Bite, we want to celebrate by asking all our dear readers:
- What would you like to see more of on the blog?
- What burning questions do you have that we might be able to get all Brenda Starr about?
- Any other suggestions… comments… encouragement?
Proceed to the comments section, then go find a cake, cookie or cuppa and join us in a toast to more fantastic years ahead!
Tom says
Congratulations!!!
Everything is perfect no need for any changes!
Don’t slow down on the big epic stories they’re what get peoples emotions going!
Brenda says
Happy 8th Anniversary! I wouldn’t change a thing. You are doing it ALL right!! 🙂
Scott says
Woo Hoo, Happy 8th!
What I’d love, love, love to see Brenda Starr go to work on is currently one of my biggest challenges, interior door knobs!
There are all sorts of fun delights out there for exterior and when you only need to buy one, you can splurge a bit. But when you are talking about an interior of even a small modest, including closets, that’s a whole lotta door knobs.
Even more important than the price involved to replace them all (and mismatched is not an option when you can see into all the rooms at once) I’m really hung up on wanting to do something super authentic.
pam kueber says
Hi Scott. We two Brendas can definitely investigate this. The first brand name that comes to mind is Weiserlocks. I did one story but it was a long time ago…
Lauren says
I have been a huge fan for many years! I have the amazing luck to live in a mid century modern house in Arapahoe Hills in Colorado and I love all of the time capsule houses you share on your blog. Happy Anniversary!
Neil says
What a brilliant idea it was to birth this website, and what fun it must be to nourish it’s growth and share your eccentric love-child with all us grateful devotees (not to stretch a metaphor too far…)
Here in San Francisco proper, true mid-cent. houses are thin on the ground. Our vast flock of Victorian painted ladies reign supreme all over these hills, though over time a clatter of other styles did crowd in. But by the time the sixties and the first hippies arrived, open land to build on was way scarce on this water-locked penninsula. We do have a handful of purely mid-century neighborhoods, and their quietly-dressed houses are as beloved as the Victorian grand-dames with their bustles and frills.
But what’s got a lot of us in this town all worked up is the growing, lamentable scourge of contemporary remods ravaging our irreplaceable Victorian centenarians, and their less antique-styled neighbors; at least inside, behind their protected, distinct street-character.
The real estate market here is so hot-as-Hades now (due, in large part, to the fact that dozens of Tech behemoths are setting up shop downtown and bringing with them vast crowds of very young employees with limited hind-perspective and buckets of cash to throw at housing) that our housing stock is becoming seriously at risk: Flippers will buy a Victorian and completely gut-to-the-studs the intact interior, and replace it with a cavernous, single-room, blank-greige, soulless cliche to suit what they perceive as the taste of the nouveau-arrivistes who lean toward modern and hip and “clean”. I support a colorful range of tastes, I really do, but this trend is proving to be at a ruinous cost to our heritage.
I do know that late Victorian style isn’t really within your style- purview on your wonderful site; but it occurs to me that the love for and treasuring of our domestic heritage is something that spans decades and styles. And I would enjoy reading some thoughful essays on your site about the value and irreplaceability of our home/family-history in the form of domestic objects, surfaces, visions and designs. I can’t think of a more fitting place to host and publish this important discussion. And I’ll bet some informed, compelling narratives published here would propagate all over the internet and contribute significantly to the preservation of our American culture’s vanishing treasure of period homes with their intact fittings and furnishings and materials, before it’s too late.
Neil
pam kueber says
I shudder to think about the “vast crowds of very young employees with limited hind-perspective and buckets of cash to throw at housing…. Flippers [who] will buy a Victorian and completely gut-to-the-studs the intact interior, and replace it with a cavernous, single-room, blank-greige, soulless cliche to suit what they perceive as the taste of the nouveau-arrivistes”
I hear ya re launching more discussions. In general, I have aimed to show, not tell. But I will think about it.
And yes: “eccentric love-child” about sums it up — perfectly, in fact!
Kate says
Your site is my “happy place”! Thank you for all the joy and inspiration!
Rachael says
Happy birthday!!! Thanks to you both and all the contributors for creating and growing my favorite blog!
I found you ladies about 2 years ago and perusing this site has changed my thought on what can be done in a home and following your style dreams.
While my S/O and I are still in an apartment we have taken many style tips (and a few drink recipes) from the blog. We are just starting the search for a house and I just sigh when I can’t find the masterpieces I see on here. Unfortunately, we’re in NJ and there aren’t a lot of glorious mid-century homes in our price range, though that doesn’t stop us from trying!
I can’t be alone in the search for a house right now and was wondering if we could maybe expand the real estate features beyond the amazing one-of-a-kind, out-of-the-price-range homes that are featured. Maybe like a state-to-state search engine for mid-century homes, even more modest, less obvious ones – I’ve found a few amazing original split levels on Zillow haha.
Anyway, may be reaching with that idea a bit since most people on here are probably proud owners, but keep up the amazing work and I can’t wait to join the ranks of actual Retro Renovators very soon 🙂
Grego says
Congrats and many, many thanks!
Barb S. says
Wow, 8 years have flown by! Unfortunately I did my own retro remodel 9 years ago! I made a few rookie errors, but now I have the tools to make minor repairs thanks to Pam and Kate. (Such as the floor, ahem!) As Debbie in Portland said, thank you for all of your hard work, creativity, and meticulous research. We all appreciate you.
Many times I want to drop a line with crazy suggestions. For instance, how about an uploader with everyone’s super cool hardware on their midcentury furniture and cabinets.
My favorite idea, is to have people upload their “mystery items”. Things we collect because it looks cool, but we have no idea what they are. I have about ten things to get us started, haha. I’ve even been on sites dedicated to IDs, but no answers yet! I’ll bet our diverse community can help, and I’m probably not the only one of us with a question mark over the head.
Thanks for everything, I feel like an old friend. We should do something cool at the 10-year point 🙂
Nancy B says
Pam- We bought our home about the same time you started your blog. My how time flies! Wanted you to know how much we appreciate you!! We “love the home we are in!!!” and you are so responsible for that. All of your help really made it a great mid century place to call home! Thanks & Congratulations!!