Retro Renovation

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8 authentic vintage countertop laminate designs still available today

Pam Kueber - June 10, 2019, Updated: November 7, 2022

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

glitter laminate for sale today

Are you interested in using an authentic vintage laminate design for your bathroom or kitchen countertop? Over the years I’ve been blogging, so called “document” patterns have come, and gone. Here’s an update / sweep of current offerings. I count at least 8 designs of reproduction laminate designs available today, with several available in multiple colorways.

Video: How I used stainless steel counter edging on my Formica counter tops + more tips

1. Cracked ice laminates — in four colors

cracked ice countertop laminate
red cracked ice countertop laminate
grey cracked ice countertop laminate
green cracked ice countertop laminate

The cracked ice laminate pattern was among the earliest offered when laminate was first invented for countertop use. I tend to believe: The first cracked ice pattern was from Formica and called “Pearl.” This is an “abstract” design that was super popular in kitchens and on dinettes. If you are interested in historical authenticity, I’d say, this laminate design is a good one for kitchens from about 1938 to 1953. This laminate continues to be digitally printed and manufactured, made to order, by Wilsonart. It comes in four colors: Red, Yellow, Gray, and Green.

Where to get samples of cracked ice countertop laminate still made today:

2. Formica Skylark boomerang laminate — one color

Brooks Stevens Skylark laminate for Formica

According to Formica historians, designer Brooks Stevens created Formica’s famous Boomerang pattern, originally named “Skylark”. The Brooks Stevens Facebook pages says the pattern was designed in 1950 and shows four colorways (dig the carnival mix on light gray field!). In 1953, the company hired Raymond Loewy Associates to recolor the palette. Today, the only color sold by Formica in the U.S. is charcoal. Hey, you can get even it on Amazon, and I’ll earn a wee spiff. Alternatively, it’s also available via Home Depot and other retailers like Heffron’s.  

3. Glitter laminate from SparkeLam in 27 colors possible!

glitter laminate for sale today

In one of the biggest developments ever in the history of this blog, entrepreneur Susan Halla of Make It Midcentury has reintroduced glitter laminate — and it’s available in 27 colors or more. Glitter laminate was possibly the single most popular laminate design ever, I tend to believe. It is so versatile!

Where to get glitter laminate plus more stories: 

4 & 5. Wilsonart’s Daisy in 7 colors and Compre in 5 colors

retro laminate patterns

I adore Wilsonart’s 1970s-era Daisy pattern, which the company says was originally inspired by the flowers on a crochet dress pattern. But of course it was! It was the 70s! We’ve had quite a few readers use the super fun 1960s-era Wilsonart Daisy pattern in their kitchens and bathrooms.

Compre is from Wilsonart’s 1960s files. 

Where to get samples of cracked ice countertop laminate still made today:

6. Formica White Onyx: Happy 50th birthday!

formica white onyx laminate

Formica in 2011 told me that White Onyx was introduced in 1969 and was still in its lineup. I checked — and it’s still there. That makes this laminate design — which I tend to believe was super popular back in the day — 50 years old this year!

Where to buy Formica White Onyx laminate? Check big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes.

7. Venus laminate from Nevamarnevamar venus turquoise and white

Thanks to reader Kyrsten — who found a great sample chain of vintage Nevamar countertop laminates — which she then sent to me — and which Nevamar’s new designer, when doing research, took notice of — we now have: Reintroduced Nevamar Venus laminates — for kitchen and bathroom countertops or other projects that could use this classic material — in two colorways! Yes, the team at Nevamar contacted me a while back… I sent them the sample chips… and today they are reintroducing an accurate reproduction of Venus — in turquoise and white — along with 18 other retro and mid century inspired patterns.  For example, below is “Kinetic” — another pattern that I like very much. I am not sure if it’s a reproduction of an original — I need to check with Nevamar. In any case, a beauty!

1950s kinetic countertop laminate from nevamar

8. Butcher block laminate from Formica

formica butcher block

Formica’s maple butcher block laminate has been in production since 1972 — that makes it 50 years old in 2022! I used butcher block for a workshop storage project. If I had a 1970s kitchen, I would for sure consider it – although Bittersweet Orange would also be hard to resist!

Want more information on where to buy laminate today?:

Want metal counter edge to go with?

ribbed metal counter edge in a retro kitchen
Jessica painted her cabinets with Annie Sloan chalk paint, used Formica boomerang laminate for the counter, and added metal edging from Eagle Mouldings.

A 1953 reference to mid century countertop edging

counter top edges for mid century houses guide from 1953

Reader Interactions

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18 comments

Comments

  1. Mary Elizabeth says

    How I wish I had had access to SparkeLam when I moved into my 1959 ranch! It would have been a perfect replacement for what was there in my kitchen.

  2. Scott says

    I would say folks could safely extend cracked ice as completely authentic one year, to 1954. My modest was so equipped with the original red when I moved in 1999, complete with ribbed stainless trim. Sadly it was unsalvageable, suffering numerous damages including some bad burn and a few missing chunks after being a rental property for at least 5 years before I bought the place.

  3. Ree says

    Looks like Make It Mid Century has many colors available in the sparkle laminate, including black, and lavender.

  6. Judy says

    I’m heartsick! I was under the (mistaken) impression that other colors of the Boomerang Formica countertop were still available. My plans to re-figure the counter in our bathroom are dashed!

  7. Teresa Halpert says

    I used Compre in a recent kitchen project. The builder said, “Yes, laminate is a very practical choice. And you can get it in marble- or granite-look.” I said, “Why ever would I want laminate that is trying to look like stone? Stone does a good job of looking like stone, but it can’t have flowers and polka-dots. Only laminate can do that.”

  8. Allison says

    I had yearned for new cracked ice laminate for my kitchen counters, but found Wilsonarts’ gray colorway too dark for my MCM birch cabs, aqua and white kitchen.

    I went with Wilsonarts Crystalized White for a lighter and more subtle cracked ice effect and I’m pleased with it. It hides crumbs nicely and is bright and light feeling without being clinical, still reads MCM, in my opinion. Looks great with the fluted SS edging.

    I did order gray cracked ice kitchen chairs from Amazon; VERY pleased with them. Heavy duty yet cushy (unlike the vintage chairs with the rock hard seat cushions I had before) , reasonably priced.

    note from Pam: I added Amazon widget cha ching to me if ya buy

  9. Vicki says

    This retro look is a breath of fresh air. I am so tired of open concept, ss appliances, granite countertops, and laminate flooring. Aren’t caves open concept with lots of granite? It’s time to move out of the stone age.

  10. carolyn says

    Happy Birthday Formica White Onyx! Looks like marble to me. A realtor pointed out that there is a possibility that all the current stone being used that is all the rage may contain or emit radon. Tend to believe her since radon comes from the ground and so does – stone.
    I feel people who are not fans of MCM/m think the eras are only boomerang. I’ve always liked Cracked Ice but didn’t know it was an early arrival to the MCM party.
    What is Compre – my monitor (ha! my eyes!) can’t see the pattern.