Yesterday, Elizabeth invited us to weigh in on floor tile choices for her blue bathroom Retro Renovation. Setting up the story, I came across an earlier email that I had let fall through the cracks. She had sent me a photo of her pink kitchen refresh in progress. Good news about the time lapse, though: Her work is now finished — and goodness, wait until you see this transformation!
I asked Elizabeth about the kitchen. (It’s in a different house than the one with blue bathroom.) Following is a lightly edited version of our emails:
Dear Pam:
This house is my 1965 house. It is named Diamond Crest because it has adorable diamond shaped windows on the front side panel. (And because diamonds are a girl’s best friend.) I mentioned I was buying it in that old original article–or maybe in the comments thereafter, I don’t remember now. I bought it in October 2014!!! It’s 99% done now, but it took forever because we would get to doing other stuff. I was reading your recent “The Hard Way” awards, and thought, GEEZ! Even when all you do is throw money at a project, it still ends up being hard! My husband, who is NOT a plumber, had to install the floating toilets because no one else knew how.
It is a darling 1,774 s.f. house and my goal was to change nothing, only restore it to perfection. Plus better.
Diamond Crest had been a rent house and the landlord put in that same beige Mexican style tile that is on every current floor in Texas. I had all of that busted out even though it was brand new because THAT’S NOT MID-MOD. (Luckily the terrazzo entry hall and pink tile bathroom and mint green tile bathroom floors were left intact.)
Elizabeth shared the resources she used:
So for the kitchen and adjoining laundry room floor, I found something from the Azrock Collection: Cortina Grande Solid Vinyl Tile in the colorway “Kink”.
The laminate is Abet Laminati Rosa Crazy Horse. It replaced beige (possibly original) beat-up laminate. It was not easy finding pink floors and pink countertops, let me tell you.
The kitchen light is a Saturn Three Light Crystal Drum Foyer Pendant that I bought online from AllModern. [Pam here: Tried to find it, seems discontinued.]
But it was easy enough finding pink appliances, of course —Big Chill!)
And she continued:
The construction is 100% complete. I put in adorable pink window shades because I know it will take me forever and a day to find the fabulous floral pinch-pleat draperies I want. I bought a $5 t-shirt from WalMart about four years ago and IT has the exact pattern I would love on it! I’m never going to give that shirt away! Think Dorothy Draper, I guess. Also, I still need to curate the place with décor. I get busy with other stuff, and it just sits there for a while.
But you have heard much more than you bargained for. Do know that every single purchase was made in consultation with retrorenovation-com-staging.enwf9w61-liquidwebsites.com! (And that was a lot of purchases!) So you were my constant companion through this, even though you didn’t know it!
Thanks,
Elizabeth
Yowza! Thank you, Elizabeth. I simply cannot imagine being unhappy in this kitchen!!!
More stories about Elizabeth (shown above, from our 2014 story) and her other projects:
Nikki says
Wow ! I did NOT see that coming! This is an amazing “retrorenovation”! Elizabeth your decorating skills are matched only by your willpower and persistence in finding exactly what you wanted. Thanks so much for sharing – this brought a smile to my face today – and it’s mighty cold an gloomy here in the northeast!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Nikki, That comment was so sweet it made me want to cry! Thank you!!
Tisha says
Put me in the camp of “meh, pink” people who think your kitchen is wonderful! I’m also jealous of the Big Chill appliances. The whole kitchen makes me happy!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thanks, Tisha! I know what you mean, I see ANY color in a house these days, and I love it, because it’s so rare!! (But pink’s my very favorite so I extra love this kitchen!)
Rick G says
Ultra Bravo !!!! – I thought our kitchen was an extreme change – but this really takes the cake – WOW !!! – Love it. You’ve set the bar very high here & given me extra courage to complete ours without fear of
using color. Congrats on a super kitchen Elizabeth ; enjoy !!!!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thank you, Rick G! I’m glad the kitchen encouraged you to use whatever color you want!
Dave S. says
A Shock! As I scrolled down to see the new photo of the re-done kitchen I went Ohhhhhh!!!! Such a contrast to the old now so happy and bright. I agree with Felica that the redo jobs of today with all the grey and stainless is way overrated and boring. I enjoy color and open space. These photos should be posted at local big box hardware stores to show people what is possible when one steps away from cookie cutter plans. Thanks
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thank you, Dave! I appreciate it!
Heather Mumma says
Oh my GOSH! This is Truly fantastic. I am in awe. Thank you for the references to materials. I am currently restoring a 1956 home and flooring has been a big issue for me. I love the floor you used. THANK YOU for sharing. Made my day!
Elizabeth from Texas says
You’re welcome! Thank YOU for such kind comments! Good luck to you!
KStacey says
I have been looking for pink flooring, and I have a full-size sample square of Azrock “Kink”. What I see in those photos is what I want, what I see in the sample is not. Hmm….
As for the curtains, you can always scan a pattern and have custom fabric printed on spoonflower!
Elizabeth from Texas says
KStacey, can you explain what you mean about the sample looking different from the photo? I know one difference is that once we put the floor down, it was waxed. That may be it??
And thanks for the hot tip about spoonflower! I will have to look into that! Although by now I’ve gotten used to not having curtains, lol!
KStacey says
The sample I have is just more red than pink I guess. It looks gorgeous in your kitchen, maybe I need to revisit in! I guess putting a shine on it makes a difference? The floor is one of the last things I have left to renovate in my 1960 pink kitchen, and I am having a heck of a time finding ‘the one’.
I made my curtains from Spoonflower fabric in ‘flamingo ogee’ but they can custom make almost anything! Easy to get lost in that site though! LOL!
Elizabeth from Texas says
KStacey, I wonder if you have a sample of Krose (Rose) instead of Kink (Pink). I have a sample of it and Krose is a gorgeous red rose pink. But Kink is a very light pink, whether it’s shined or not–one wouldn’t mistake it for red. They are both beautiful in different ways!! Happy New Year!!
CAT says
This is my DREAM kitchen. Let’s just say I have a pink laminate dining table, pink flamingo wallpaper, and I’m just ACHING to have the rest pink. This is amazing inspiration! Gorgeous!!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thank you, CAT! That is a big compliment. I bet your table and wallpaper are adorable! Keep up the pinkness, haha!
Maile says
Just love how cheery you’ve made this! I’m generally not a pink person, but going retro has changed me. You’ve done a wonderful job! I’m jealous of the space you have to have a chrome kitchen table! Enjoy and let us see how you finish off with the detail decor! Fabulous!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thanks, Maile! My sister said the same thing–she’s not crazy about pink, but this kitchen even makes her happy when she walks in! The house doesn’t have a breakfast nook at all, so I guess that’s why they left room for a table in the kitchen itself.
Felicia Alexander says
Elizabeth, this is the cheeriest, happiest, most delicious kitchen I have ever seen. Such a delightful contrast to the current fashion for stark white/gray kitchens with cold stainless steel appliances. I am in awe of your pink oven–now THAT’s cooking with gas!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thanks, Felicia! It does make me happy every time I walk in. Even Hubby has come to love Diamond Crest. The Pink Lemonade trophy stove was a gift from him for our anniversary!
Allison says
I don’t normally love pink, much less SO MUCH pink, but Elizabeth, your vision was so crystal clear and your style so chic, that kitchen just takes my breath away.
And a super-shiny floor always makes the kitchen perfect; its worth paying a floor company to come in and put that gloss on there. Its like a gorgeous woman in flawless makeup.
As an aside, Elizabeth (or anybody!) …where did your husband find those 4-hole brackets that go in the wall for your wall-hung toilets? I’ve got one to put in for my butter-yellow bathroom and nobody seems to have them available outside the trade.
Elizabeth from Texas says
Wow, that is a wonderful compliment! Thank you Allison!!
I will ask Hubby where he got the brackets. I would have guessed they came with the new toilets (which looked just like the originals, thank goodness) but I’m not sure. Ooooh, butter yellow–that’s another delightful color for bathrooms!!