Patti writes:
Hi, Pam! Oh my, where do I begin? A few years ago you featured my pink bedroom with the silver starbursts wall and Heywood-Wakefield furniture. This was where my midcentury obsession began. Since I had moved out of my ‘big house’, a 1903 four-square and into my 1948 garage apartment out back, it was the perfect time for out with the old and in with the new modern. But that’s a whole other story. This one is all about Betty.
“Howdy hudee, bring it on,” we told Patti! “Let’s hear more. Let’s see more.” And she delivered.
Photo viewing tip for this and all stories on RR:
On a desktop computer, you can click on any photo,
and it should enlarge on screen, up to double in size.
And so our email back and forth commenced:
A little over a year ago, I moved from my apartment in the town I grew up in to North Carolina. I dreamed of buying an untouched ranch. And I found her, a 1957, no less. She’s as old as I am and equally as worn. The kitchen has the original cabinets, counters and sheet vinyl floor. Original appliances are long gone, and craigslist replacements were there for resale. I wanted a period stove and just couldn’t find what I wanted to fit the 36″ space. But I had to do something with those cabinets so I could unpack my dishes….my dishes! My 1957 set of Franciscan Starburst, my coveted dishes!
My original plan was to restore the cabinets to their former glory, sand them down and clear coat. But after 2 weeks of sanding I couldn’t get the wood tone even. And the inside of the cabinets were a worn out mess.
I had leftover paint from my vintage camper redo, Sherwin Williams 6758 Aqueduct, which just so happens to match my coveted dishes. So I decided to give the paint a try — and my cabinets turned out beautiful, inside and out.
And so my kitchen waited since last December, until I could find the perfect laminate for my counters.
In the meantime, the search was on for a late 50’s stove. We said we wanted gas, but when I found my pink wall oven and cooktop on craigslist, I had to have it.
It waited patiently covered up and off to one side in my kitchen for the perfect laminate. Many, many samples were delivered to my house but none were ‘the one’. Until you, dear girl, featured Betty and Endora. Finally!
The original counters are tan linen. (It’s still in the main bath. The half bath is original gray boomerang.) The finish was completed worn off in several places, and the counter was still solid as a rock. We decided to relaminate over the old.
Editor’s note: Remember, readers, a special reason we love Betty and Endora is that they are stock laminates — not special order. Stock laminates are generally much, much cheaper than custom digital print laminates made-to-order. For example, this 4×8 sheet of Wilsonart Betty from Home Depot is just $59.
When I saw Endora, I was so tempted to repaint my cabinets pink but, you know — those coveted dishes! So Betty won out.
I ordered two (5 x 12) sheets as soon as she was available from Home Depot. Shipping was free to my door, and I asked them for a 10% discount, and they said yes! We’ve contemplated how to do it for months, then, finally a few weeks ago we dove in.
I measured and calculated and made all the cuts…
Darin wired it all up…
(… Weensie Scarlett was ever so helpful every step of the way proving how valuable a lovely assistant can be.)
It was a lot of work, hard work. Laminate is not forgiving, once it sticks, it’s stuck! But I just had to work slow, be patient, and think it all through.
I’m so happy I ran the laminate up the wall as the backsplash. That was tricky, because nothing is level or square, but it got easier when I quit being so particular and decided caulk was my friend. The trim where the counter meets the wall is aluminum 90 degree L from Lowes. I used contact cement to adhere it.
I painted the walls SW 6360 Folksy Gold.
I still can’t get over it!
My Burke tulip table and chairs (too big for the kitchen) are now kinda in my living room, which I suppose was once the dining area, though I don’t know how in the world they ever fed a family in that space.
(Side note: When I took the living room carpet up a few months ago, there was a patched place in the floor between the door on the left and my table. Must have been some sort of divider to separate the dining space. I thought about putting it back, but had already moved the ceiling light and hung my flying saucer retractable light up, so I patched in flooring I stole from the entry to the attic. You never know what you’re going to find. I always say, “If it doesn’t say Sunkist, you don’t know what’s inside”!!))
Yowza, Patti and Darin, this is just Yabba Dabba DIY Awesome.
Patti sent us some other photos — some decorating tweaks to her 1957 bathroom and to the basement, where the couple has created an office and crafting area. And — sneak peek that snack table and boomerang clock. Come back tomorrow for the details on how Patti made those. Meanwhile, I lavished praise on Patti for her decorating and design inventiveness. And, I asked for a personal photo to go with the story.
It sounds like they make every moment an adventure… She replies:
The truth is I just have way too much time on my hands! And, wow, it’s hard to take a good picture of yourself. We’ve been laughing our heads off. But here we are.
Golly, Pam and Kate, I can’t thank you enough for all the awesomeness you share and all the hours you spend finding the things that help us make a house our home. And eight years?! Good grief that sure went by fast. You have drawn together so many like-minded souls. These midcentury homes keep us grounded in a simpler time. We are all forever grateful!
Thanks a ton…
Patti
Thank YOU, Patti and Darin! xoxo
DIY laminate countertop:
More Wilsonart Betty:
Lilly says
The dark spot on the floor is obviously from a wall divider. Our 50’s ranch had one in the exact same location and had a similar floor plan of door-closet-divider-dining area. Our was drywall or plaster on the lower half that made a narrow wall with open wood shelves from about 4 feet to the ceiling.
Patti Cannan says
Wow Lilly, any chance there are pictures of that laying around?
sherree says
What a great job you guys did! It all looks like it is original to your great home 🙂 You were very brave to tackle that laminate yourselves. My hat is off to you! I will be up bright and early tomorrow to see the rest of your kitchen 🙂
Lynda says
I think both of you look great in your picture! What a great job and just such a darn cute kitchen. Interesting that Lowes had that metal piece for the counter. Is it by Steelworks? Do you have the exact name of the product? I bet others may like information about that helpful piece of aluminum for a counter.
Patti Cannan says
It’s just an aluminum 90 degree corner, not designed to use the way I did but I didn’t want to have to pay shipping on the cove moulding we’re supposed to use. Over sized shipping boxes cost extra and I would have needed long lengths. Home Depot has it too.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_55965-37672-11365___?productId=3058167&pl=1&Ntt=alumimun+corner
lynda says
Thanks for the info. Great idea, and very affordable.
Patti Cannan says
Hey folks here are a couple more tips I forgot to mention. When glueing the laminate to the wall as a backsplash under my upper cabinets, you can’t use dowels to keep the laminate from sticking before you get it positioned. So I used wax paper! It allowed me to move the laminate just where it needed to be and then pull each sheet of wax paper out slowly.
Also, when using the laminate bit on the router (which is so easy once you get over the scared part) please be mindful if you’re working with our old existing counters. If you build your own counter, you know the edges will be perfectly square (at least we hope!) but my counter edges were not ???? This resulted in a couple of spots where the trim bit knicked the edge banding because the router base is 90 degrees to the bit, but my old counter edges no longer were. Phooey! Happily my eye doesn’t go right to it anymore because everything else looks so fabulous!
Mary Elizabeth says
Patti and Darin, lovely job! I love your color combos, especially the pink playing off the turquoise/aqua.
And by the way, every time my DH gets under a kitchen sink or vanity cabinet, he doesn’t notice the discomfort until the next day, when he has a bruise from the cabinet facing. So I’m giving him Darin’s pillow idea! That will help, I’m sure.
Patti Cannan says
Thanks Mary Elizabeth! It’s not our first rodeo! He uses an old yoga mat when he works under the car, too ☺️
Patti Cannan says
I know Liz, where I used to live there was rarely good stuff on Craigslist. I live close to Raleigh NC now and their craigslist mcm listings are awesome! Got my 1960s bedroom off there too.
My bottom corner cabinet to the left of the stove is useable space as it was originally where the cabinets ended before I built in the oven and cook top. Hope that helps!
Patti Cannan says
And my dishwasher front is plastic where the control panel is and metal on the door and kick plate.
Liz says
I love the finished kitchen, but I have a question. Is the bottom corner cabinet space usable next to the stove? I have that same type of layout in my 1940’s kitchen and am trying to figure out what to do with it in my remodel.
Not sure where this house is located but you are very lucky to find appliances like this on Craigslist. People around my neck of the woods never post cool things like that unless they want an absurd amount of money for them.. 🙂
Elizabeth says
I swoon! I swoon! Lovely job. Your countertop install looks perfect! So envious. I love that you did laminate up the upper cabinets. It’s so cohesive and you two, plus your assistant, are just adorable. Love your furniture too. Thanks so much for sharing. I want to come live here.
Patti Cannan says
You can visit any time you like ☺️
JaniceW says
Beautiful! The layout is almost identical to the kitchen in my retirement home, and I had an epiphany regarding my wall oven–I can do just what they did! Of course it won’t be that beautiful pink. And it might free up space to move the washer and dryer up from the basement. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this. 🙂
pam kueber says
Be sure to check local building codes….
JaniceW says
I will of course, but this is in a tiny town in the Midwest, and I’m guessing they don’t have much in the way of codes. 😉
pam kueber says
They are state codes, mostly, I think…
Patti Cannan says
Yes my previous Midwest small town didn’t do much code enforcement. But do it right and according to code so there’s never a question ????????
Patti Cannan says
This is the second time I’ve installed a wall oven under the counter. I’m 5’2″ and it’s really not much closer to the floor than a free standing stove.
Lisa says
Absolutely WONDERFUL job, Patti! What’s not to love when there is a pink stove involved. I have one I love dearly, too. I would love to know how you painted your dishwasher to match your cabinets. I would love to paint my vintage kitchenaid dishwasher pink to match my 1956 pink Hotpoint double oven range. Was the original dishwasher door metal or plastic?
Thanks for all the countertop inspiration as well. Next week we’ll be DIYing my own kitchen countertop with Wilsonart wavy “pommegranite” and your story came just in time to convince us we could do it, too. Now that giant roll of laminate sheet standing my the sunroom doesn’t seem as scary as it once did…well, maybe a little. ;). Super job!
Patti Cannan says
I painted the dishwasher with the same paint as the cabinets, interior satin latex and a foam roller. I couldn’t believe how good it turned out. And my laminate sat rolled up in the delivery box for 4 months because I was scared! I finally got sick of thinking about it and jumped in. We diy because it’s hard to find outsiders who share my vision. And I made all the cuts myself because if something goes wrong, I only have myself to blame ????
Lisa says
lol, Patti, we must be twins separated at birth. Pink stoves, diy laminate rolled up haunting our dreams until we get it done, painting dishwashers, etc. I even had painted my birch cabinets a similar aqua color (same as Kate’s) but my large family proved, once again, we can’t do light colored painted cabs. I ended up stripping them and amber shellacing them back to their original grandeur. Anyway, thanks again for the inspiration. I hope my countertops turn out half as good as yours. 🙂