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:
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:
Michael says
Here is the light – or similar – from Amazon:
http://amzn.to/2yzwNSs [note, pam updated to make this an affiliate link – RR earns a small commission if ya buy]
Elizabeth from Texas says
Awesome find, Michael! I think that’s it! I was sad to think it wasn’t available anymore because a) it’s adorable b) it was only $139! I see from the link it’s selling for only $111 now! That’s even more spectacular!!
Erica Leal says
I love, love, love it! My dream kitchen would look something like yours but with a little turquoise thrown into the mix, although pink and red are so sweet together. My 1953 modest home has the original wooden cabinetry that doesn’t go really great with too much pink. The best I could do is one pink wall and some accent pink but I put in as much as I could! Your floor is just beautiful. I’ll have to look into what other colors they have. I hope they have a website. You did a great job and I’m so glad you shared! I don’t think I’d ever leave the kitchen.
Marie Gamalski says
Oh Erica they do….and it’s AWESOME!!! The colors will make you swoon!! There’s a gorgeous turquoise too!
Lynn says
JUST BEAUTIFUL!! I have never seen a more wonderful before and after. You did a fantastic job!!!
Lana says
For those who cant get enough pink its great! Myself, I need more contrast (kinda makes me feel dizzy tbh) But love the retro feel and great application!
Joanne says
Elizabeth – SQUEEEEEE! ::thud:: I’m speechless. That kitchen is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!
Kim says
This is gorgeous! It’s like living in a pink dream!
Pia says
I dream of a pink kitchen someday! I adore your counter top! The floor is fab. The thought of strip wax then waxing, takes me back to my childhood, and perfo%ming that duty myself, as a 5th grader. I remember the can os liquid stripper and was made by Johnson Wax. Tough gig for a 10 year old, but I did it alternating weekly with my sister….and we lived in a rental! My mom ran a tight ship! :ongrats on your home and kitchen!!!
Thomas Welles says
Beautiful! The article didn’t get into it, but it looks like all your cabinetry is original, just painted, correct? If so, then that’s great that your existing layout works; you saved a lot of money that way. Also it looks like door pulls and hardware is new. What brand did you use?
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thomas Welles, thanks! You are right that we are lucky we could keep the original cabinets, site-built by gifted carpenters back in 1965, with lazy Susans inside! I didn’t want to change a thing about the house that was original. But the finish was ruined, so Hubby said we had to paint them. I’m glad now, because it made the room so bright, and showed off the pink!! The hardware was brass and the finish was ruined on it, too, so we got polished chrome from Lowe’s, and it brightened up the room as well! Style Selections 3″ Center to Center Polished Chrome Arched Cabinet Pull $1.98 (Item #231701, Model #Z830-3-PC) and Style Selections Polished Chrome Round Cabinet Knob $1.27 (Item #231699, Model #Z829-37-PC). Great price, which was a good thing since we needed a lot of them!!!
Kelly Montano says
Elizabeth you did such a wonderful job creating a cheerful pink kitchen. I also used the Azrock Cortina Grande SVT in my kitchen, but in “Koise” and love it! Like some of the other readers, I also have had problems finding anyone to strip and wax my floors. After being rejected by numerous cleaning companies because they only do commercial properties, I bought an Oreck floor buffer and use Spartan commercial products (recommended by Azrock) to clean and maintain the shine.
Marie Gamalski says
Hello Kelly… could you explain a bit and give an estimate of the size of that Oreck buffer?
Kelly Montano says
Marie, I have the Oreck Orbiter XL550. It is a commercial buffer, but not terribly large. It measures about 15″ at it’s widest width and weighs about 30 pounds. I found mine on Craigslist, but you can buy one here: http://amzn.to/2yA3f7j
[Note: Pam here, I made the link an affiliate link, I make a wee commission on purchases]
Marie Gamalski says
Thanx so much for the info Kelly… we have polished concrete and I was looking for a buffer smaller than a Volkswagen! Hahahaha…. some of them are HUGE! Thanks again love…
Kelly Montano says
Marie, Glad I could be of help. When I was shopping for a buffer they were so huge and expensive, especially commercial buffers! I love pristine, shiny floors and with two dogs the Orbiter has been a life saver!
Pam, I am glad you caught the link and changed it so you could get the commission. 🙂
Pam Kueber says
I might need to get one too!
Elizabeth from Texas says
Thanks, Kelly Montano!! That Koise (turquoise) is gorgeous also. We are fixing to use it in our new house in Austin for the grandboys’ bedroom, and the Kink (pink) in the grandgirls’ bedroom. We bought a box of each color plus white to play around with. This time we’re going to do the floors with the color and Khite (white) in a checkerboard in each room. Then the hallway leading to the playroom will be checkerboard with all three colors (Khite/white, Koise/turquoise, and Kink/pink). Our five grandkids, ages five and under, will love it! And Granpa and I love it.
Kelly Montano says
Elizabeth, Your plan for your grandchildren’s rooms sounds absolutely darling! I hope you share pictures with us here on RetroRenovation when you are done!
Mary says
Holy cow……absolutely fantastic and beautiful kitchen……I love it.
Amazing what you have done to create such a beautiful, happy, and welcoming space. As a child I had a pink kitchen for some years. What a trip.
Elizabeth from Texas says
Mary, I’m glad you love it! I love it, and my three-year-old granddaughter loves it! (But my son, her dad, not so much, haha! I guess we can’t all have pink-a-licious taste!)