Retro Renovation

Remodeling, decor and home improvement for mid century and vintage homes

kitchen counters

Laminate is usually the the most authentic option for a midcentury kitchen counter -- and this category also points you to stories on where to get metal edgings.

Be-Safe-graphic2.3

Very importantly: Always remember to Be Safe / Renovate Safe!

Boomerang countertop laminate — GLOSSY finish — eight colorways...

Cracked ice countertop laminate — high gloss — four colors — a...

Wilsonart Apricot Daisy laminate makes a peachy keen countertop for Sheree’...

Glitter laminate — v2 of SparkleLam — with more sparkle — plus...

Vintage laminate with illustrated leaves — and glitter on top...

Two retro modern laminates now available for countertop use...

Retro laminates from Arborite — Mod atomic “Stella” designs in...

My new favorite laminate for a 1940s kitchen countertop...

Glittery sparkle laminate — available again !...

Nevamar Carnival laminate — in the fashion of vintage boomerangs...

Nevamar Venus laminate — delightful atomic laminate pattern...

Wilsonart Betty and Endora laminates, no longer stock but now VDL, now at Home D...

Wilsonart Betty and Endora laminate designs — now available in their Virtu...

Tropical laminate from Wilsonart — “Lush Jungle”...

wilsonart betty laminate

Wilsonart Betty and Endora retro laminate designs to be discontinued as stock la...

Original 1970s Wilsonart’s Daisy laminate tabletops at Speck’s in Co...

Where to find vintage Textolite to restore a 1964 GE Americana refrigerator...

Spotted in a Lustron house for sale: Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart® Rock R...

Fiestaware tile is now available for pre-order — 4 designs, 14 colors...

Georges Briard tiles — New Old Stock — now listed for sale online...

Get the look of mother of pearl / cracked ice laminate with Wilsonart Crystalize...

Dozens of samples of vintage laminates from six companies in France: Celamine, D...

Midcentury modern kitchen backsplash idea: Back-painted textured glass...

vintage georges-birard décorative tile

Georges Briard tiles — Tens of thousands of pieces of New Old Stock —...

A colorful midcentury kitchen remodel featuring B&W Tile in a backsplash de...

Formica Ellipse laminate looking great in these retro kitchens...

NOS warehouse full of Youngstown Diana countertops, vintage steel kitchen cabine...

Jonathan Adler for Formica laminates — two patterns, four colorways new fo...

Meet the “Betty” of Wilsonart’s Betty laminate...

Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart boomerang laminate — now available online ...

boomerang laminate

Update: 4 designs – 29 colors of boomerang laminate now on the market...

Boomerang laminate samples of our new collection — “Retro Renovation® b...

Kate uses our new “Retro Renovation® Delightful Jade” boomerang lam...

retro boomerang laminate

Announcing 7 new boomerang laminates — “Retro Renovation® by Wilson...

Wilsonart Spectrum linen-like laminate — available in 25 colors — re...

Boomerang laminates in 7 new colorways — The Retro Renovation® by Wilsona...

Sneak peek: Kristen’s kitchen renovation using Wilsonart ‘Daisy̵...

The two classic ways to use decorative liner tiles — aka sizzle strips or ...

Wilsonart retro Betty countertop in this inviting kitchen remodel sneak peek...

29 vintage Formica designs including Halifax, Fleurette, Fernglo and Finesse...

42 historic designs of glitter laminate — from Formica, Textolite, Wilsona...

Vintage linen laminates — 12 colors in my collection of 1950s sample chips...

Wilsonart Endora and Betty laminates — two terrific new retro designs for ...

3-mcm-products-to-bring-back

3 midcentury home design products we wish they’d bring back NOW...

Exclusive sneak peek: Jonathan Adler’s new Formica laminate collection ...

retro laminate pattern

Wilsonart reissues two vintage laminate designs from the 1960s and 1970s —...

Earthy and colorful 1970s style wall and floor tile — pretty affordable, a...

formica-carrara-marble-laminate

Formica 6696-46 Carrara Bianco marble — my new top-favorite marble laminat...

Lori paints her tile backsplash, using a vintage McCoy vase as her color inspira...

“Cusheen” vinyl counter tops — a 1950s option for Youngstown K...

Monel — rare and wonderful vintage kitchen sink and counter top material...

New Formica 100th Anniversary book — “Formica Forever” —...

vintage wilsonart ad

Learn about Laminate: How laminate was invented and how it is made...

Curved postformed laminate counter top edges — as early as 1952...

Interior brick veneer made from real bricks — from BrickWeb and Old Mill B...

Brady Bunch “bittersweet” orange kitchen counter tops — from P...

GE Textolite laminate patterns from 1953...

Retro counter top laminates from Lab Designs...

Linen laminate counter tops, another mid century favorite...

Lusterock kitchen counter tops — readers share stories about this interest...

70 vintage Wilsonart laminate samples — including 17 glitter sparkle lamin...

Jubilee kitchen wax — aka Johnson’s wax — is back!...

vintage formica

Formica catalog from 1938 — 50 colors and designs — 12 pages...

Breaking News: Formica’s 100th Anniversary designs include retro style cou...

elkay-stainless-steel-drainboard-sink

5 ways to do stainless steel counter tops in your kitchen...

Vintage enamel table top — New Old Stock — Kuehne Khrome sold by Sea...

Kitchen island genius idea: Upcycle a vintage metal table top as a counter...

Color for kitchen countertops — 7 new designs from Wilsonart...

Gold sparkle kitchen counter top: All mine after years of searching!...

cleaning formica countertops

Formica recommends 6 products for cleaning and restoring laminate countertops...

Should Karen replace her original ceramic tile kitchen countertops?...

12 new laminate countertops with retro modern style, from Wilsonart...

Butcher block countertops — great prices, 75 sizes...

A tale of two red countertops...

Bonnie Jo Campbell in her kitchen

Bonnie Jo Campbell updates her ‘swamp house’ kitchen — and tal...

We do not live in Greek temples, last time I checked...

Backsplash tile — fantastic, affordable, new old stock vintage — fro...

DIY stainless steel countertop

DIY stainless steel countertop: Linn installs a $3,000 countertop for $400...

Only your contractor knows for sure: Formica Ideal Edge mimics expensive stone &...

Boomerang countertops in 11 new colors from Wilsonart...

Elkay Lustertone stainless steel sink top

*timeless* … *dated* … *hideous* … “unfashionable”...

carrara laminate from wilsonart

Carrara marble laminates – 4 choices – an authentic retro choice...

3 styles, 14 colors boomerang laminates available today

Boomerang laminate — 3 designs, 14 colors available today...

Fabulous retro tiles from Oscar & Izzy...

Formica – 54 retro colors and patterns from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s sti...

ettore sottsass laminate

Ettore Sottsass laminates from 1978 — still available today — 39 ...

formica butcher block

Butcher block laminate — a ’72 classic...

An affordable substitute for pastel Formica boomerang laminates? Two new designs...

2011 elkay stainless steel drainboard sink installed onto a vintage steel kitchen cabinet

Joe replaces a vintage porcelain drainboard kitchen sink with a new Elkay stainl...

Metal trim to prevent food from falling between your stove and countertop...

aluminum countertop trims

Aluminum countertop trim from Eagle Mouldings and RetroTrims.com...

built-in-trivet-and-cutting-board-for-kitchen-countertop

Built-in cutting boards and trivets that protect your kitchen countertop, 1970s ...

vintage geneva kitchen cabinets spotted in a target commercial

Vintage Geneva kitchen cabinets spotted in a Target commercial...

3 places to buy metal edging for kitchen countertops...

Video: The Wilson House — shrine to mid century laminate...

1960s quartz countertop

What is this 1960s countertop made of? Targinol? Luster Rock?...

orange kitchen countertop laminate

9 retro kitchen countertop laminates...

3 retro laminates from Arborite: including a substitute for red crackle ice...

Formica retro countertop discontinuations: More info on end-dates + alternatives...

Formica boomerang in aqua, skylark & coral — being discontinued...

13 new retro modern style laminates from Formica...

Retro Renovation TV: Laminate countertops for your mid century kitchen...

Linen laminate from Arborite...

2,300 s.f. of vintage Consoweld laminate unearthed and for sale...

Where to find cracked ice laminate...

Boomerang laminates from Wilsonart...

Boomerang laminates...

Where to find speckled gold laminate for countertops?...

Vintage countertop laminate from GE Textolite...

How to revive laminate countertops?...

Can I use stainless steel snap-on edging to make a curve? Not easily. Use butche...

How to install metal edging on your retro laminate countertops...

Retro laminates – Colors from Arpa compared to the Sherwin Williams Suburb...

Jeff is on the lookout for gold speckled laminate countertops — he uses th...

Recreate this lovely green laminate kitchen from 1959...

Retro laminates for counters or cabinets from Arpa...

1960s laminate: A short history from Wilsonart...

1950s laminate – Wilsonart provides some history...

Retro style laminate for your 50s or 60s bathroom counter top – an updated...

Retro countertop laminate: Two new Formica choices...

Stainless steel metal edging for your laminate countertop...

Atomic Turf green and Atomic Orange laminate from Formica...

Installing corner cubby, what not, or knick knack glass corner shelves...

50s kitchen countertop laminate — 3 more choices, from Nevamar. Great for ...

Boomerang laminate from Formica...

BE SAFE / RENOVATE SAFE!
Get informed and be aware about the environmental & safety hazards in old homes, materials and products. #1 RULE: Consult with your own properly licensed professionals. More info: See our Be Safe/Renovate page... EPA asbestos website ... EPA lead website ... U.S.F.A. – fire safety, etc.