I love old houses because they come ready-filled with a history of love. Today: Judy’s lovely story about the 1958 kitchen that her mother Doreen still uses today, after moving in when it was brand new.
Yes, 58 years in the same kitchen… which even after hearty duty serving up three squares a day to five children, remains in great condition … with the same pots and pans, same glitter laminate, same checkerboard tile… little changed from the day it was built. What a testament to quality — and to tender loving care. Judy’s key question — in return for sharing this story — is: Can we connect her with someone in Calgary, Alberta, who would be interested in visiting, documenting, and perhaps even agreeing to remove the kitchen and set it up somewhere so it can be visited? This is a time capsule story she would like to see endure.
I asked Judy if she could tell us the story of the kitchen. She wrote:
We quickly outgrew the two bedroomed bungalow my father and his brother built in the northern outskirts of Calgary, and moved in 1958 to a new four-bedroomed ‘split-level’ in the city’s expanding southern suburbs. We soon became five children surrounded by countryside, biking everywhere, and always came home hungry.
My mother’s kitchen was her domain – organised, clean, polished, and productive with home-made bread, tins of cookies, three meals a day, plus snacks like popcorn and fudge for seven of us. The ages from father to youngest child were spread over 52 years; this may explain why no changes were ever made, there was never a break in the cooking. At the age of 91, my mother still cooks for herself, as well as her middle son and grandson who look out for her.
A 25 lb. turkey was slow-roasted for seven hours when an extended family of up to 14 gathered for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (We’d have to take turns for the roasted skin flap, which meant the prize came only every couple of years). For New Year, we would tuck into her homemade noodles and turkey broth.
Her cupboards still hold to the same arrangements as in the beginning: tea, coffee and crackers above the gas stove, flour, sugar and other baking needs above the single square metre of workspace she had.
The original, giant, Whirlpool fridge, working until recently, is now stored in the basement.
The linoleum floor, regularly waxed is still in great condition.
Formica work top, mahogany plywood cupboard doors with copper knobs and pull-down copper pendant lights are just as they were in the beginning; even the full set of heavy, aluminum, Wear Ever pans with copper lids and Bakelite handles.
Wall-mounted knife holder and rotary can opener have been in place since the beginning. Tappan oven and gas stove top still work perfectly.
Is it exceptional for a kitchen of this period to exist, still be in use, and be almost intact? I’d love to know. Also, I’d love to think that the kitchen might be preserved. Anyone buying the house after she’s gone will tear it out. Can anyone help? My main question is this: Would anyone be interested in visiting, documenting, and perhaps even agreeing to remove the kitchen and set it up somewhere so it can be visited? I’m grateful to find a like-minded, knowledgeable and enthusiastic ear for this. It would mean a lot to have someone in Calgary look at it.
Judy, I do know someone in historical preservation in Calgary. I will be sure to email her this story, to see if she has any ideas for you. Meanwhile, I take a stab at one of your questions:
Q. Is it exceptional for a kitchen of this period to exist, still be in use, and be almost intact?
A: Yes. We do see them, but they are getting more and more rare. Your mom’s kitchen is particularly notable, I’d say, because it still has the laminate countertops and original flooring — these often get replaced over the years. I see that you have changed out the fridge and the dishwasher, possibly the faucet, too; but these are easier to replace with authentic vintage if that is a goal. Flooring and laminate: Not so much. In fact, there is no known source, worldwide, for glitter laminate right now. So this kitchen is a delight to see. It’s also so incredibly heartwarming — and again, rare, I’d say — to see cookware and decor still in place, still in use. Such a testament to enduring quality, care and thrift.
I will also say: Unchanged vintage kitchens and houses — time capsule houses — have become increasingly desirable over the past few years. Many readers here are actively seeking them out. We want the original glitter and floor tile and wood cabinets and appliances — all of it! So don’t give up hope that the next people who live in this house won’t love it as much as you do; it’s possible. That said, yes: Gut remodels happen. More often than not, that’s the harsh reality. So we will do what we can to help you — maybe a museum WILL be interested. We’ve seen it happen before.
Thank you so much, Judy, for sharing this story with us. It’s just wonderful. xoxo
Bob Connor says
I just remodeled a 1972 kitchen at my mother’s house and had to deal with the 24 inch gas wall oven too. Many homes around here had that arrangement and not only is a replacement 24 gas wall oven rare but all of the cabinet companies have discontinued the cabinet it would be in and it is awkward working around the closed-off right side of the cooktop. I replaced the cooktop with a range but Mom insisted on keeping the wall oven. So now there is an old cabinet with the oven and an ugly 3 inch gap between the range and the oven cabinet. I do have replacement cabinets to replace the wall oven when she wants to.
Water damage can be a reason why cabinets get replaced, it was with us. We had a bad drain clog with a broken drain pipe that destroyed the base cabinets. Obviously, this never happened to Doreen, but it has probably been the reason why many retro kitchens no longer exist.
I would like to see Doreen’s kitchen preserved intact, not only did she take care of it, she was lucky!
joan says
Love it all and Mom had the same set of pots. I think I still have one out at the Camp.
Dan says
My mother was one of 12 children raised in a house with a kitchen about this size; one bathroom, of course. I believe the fact they were so physically close growing up is the reason they remained emotionally close into adulthood. Today’s unecessarily large homes, with each child “needing” a separate bedroom give us too many ways to not be together.
pam kueber says
yup – could well be!
Retroski says
Agree, agree! It is a great little kitchen. I once visited the Retro House Museum in Rolling Meadows, IL (a 1950s builder-planned Chicago Suburb) and was impressed to learn a family with over 6 kids lived peacefully in this 1 bath, 3 bdrm ranch! They had double bunk beds in one room and bunks and a twin in the other. All the homes in the original subdivision were 2 or 3 bdrm. Thankfully there are many families and Millenials who are bucking the “huge” trend by choosing to make do with smaller places or buying smaller square footage homes on purpose. What’s wrong with sharing a room? 🙂
Erica says
Lack of privacy, lol. And lack of closet space.
I grew up with one younger sister. Some of the homes in which we lived had 2 bedrooms, some had 3. We got along a LOT better when we had separate rooms….less to fight about, and we could get away from each other.
Karin says
What a stunning kitchen. I couldn’t stop looking at all the charming details. I agree that the kitchen should be saved or documented. Your mother’s great spirit and personality shines through in the photograph. What a great story. It makes me miss my mother.
Robin, NV says
What a wonderful story. We should all take a page from Doreen’s book regarding holding onto things and taking care of them instead of constantly chasing the “latest and greatest.” Thanks so much for sharing.
Amanda says
My parents have the exact same cabinetry and knobs!
Jay says
What a great story! Judy’s Mom Doreen and her kitchen – forever young and ageless. My old friend the lovely aqua glitter laminate. I had this once in the kitchen of my last house; sadly it had been scrubbed to death and not worth saving. I fear that unless someone buys the house for this intact kitchen the various parts will be sold off with greater worth; such as the appliances and the light fixtures, etc.
Thanks for sharing.
Katherine Sedgwick says
What a great story! I love love love that linoleum floor – and covet it madly.
cindi says
It’s beautiful! Great story 🙂
Marjorie says
too bad there wasn’t a photo of the opposite end of the room …the layout looks similar to my original kitchen except mine is narrower because the stairway to the basement is cut into the kitchen