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Retro Renovation

A place for your postwar 40s 50s and 60s style kitchens, bathrooms and mid century modern home aesthetic.


Can you help Retro Renovation this holiday season?November 30

If you are a blogger, I would be oh so very grateful if you would help me market the Dishmaster this holiday season. If you can place this little ad in your sidebar - with a link to my Buy A Dishmaster page — http://retrorenovation.com/dishmaster/ — that would be great!!! And - let me know if I can reciprocate! Many thanks! Pam

When more is more: decorating that is over the topNovember 30
room wallpapered in a lime-green brocade, the excess of a giant vase filled with hundreds of peacock feathers, or the zest of an orange lacquer cocktail table. It’s the over-the-top things that stay with us and mean something.”</p></blockquote></a></div> </dd> <dt><a href=A 1950 American Dream HouseNovember 28
1950 ranch house

These illustrations from the National Plan Service courtesy Indiana Coal & Lumber companay are idealistic - picture perfect - to be sure. Even so, they all include great little ideas to scrutinize and consider replicating in our own little jewel box 40s 50s and 60s ranches, colonials, capes, splits and contemporaries.

Some tips from this model:

  • Color scheme - I personally am a huge fan of gold as a paint color for ranch homes.
  • Cupola - a great great addition to a postwar ranch, cape or colonial
  • Lots of cool ironwork - connected to lighting
  • Note the mix of horizontal and vertical wood, stone, and fretwork above the picture window
  • The glass block wondow near the little pine tree, and the window on the green mudroom door are delightful
  • Ooooh, and look at the planter with horizontal, minimalistic trellis.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!November 27
1947 Kelvinator kitchen

I’ve traveled down to Kentucky to spend Thanksgiving with my kinfolk: Mom, Dad, Aunt Mary Anne & Uncle Bob, David & Patrick & Kyle & Andra, Jenni & Matthew & Jackson & Justin & Sara & Lily, Ricky & Alison & Luke & Isaac & Emerson, Sara & David & Stephen & Nicholas. Have a great turkey day, everyone. Take a nap after, I’ll sure need one!

1947 Kelvinator kitchen

1947 Kelvinator kitchen

Do I need to polish my vinyl VCT tiles? Readers - please weigh in!November 25
do i need to polish my vct vinyl floor tiles

This is a hot topic: Readers are hearing from floor sales people that they need to polish and buff their vinyl composite floor tiles like the professionals do in office buildings.


Dotty from Columbus writes:

Dear Pam, as I have come to terms with the sad new about the Fritztile I wanted…and as I have come to the end of the flooring road… I thought I would settle with sheet vinyl.  I was checking out the day on RetroRenovation, I clicked on your kitchen.  I have looked at it hundreds of times and yet failed to look at your flooring.  Okay, around to my question.  I have always wanted Armstrong/Congoleum tile but have been talked out of it by flooring salesmen. It all seems to swarm around the buffing and polishing.  They have recommended buffing 3 times per year by a professional to keep the dirt out of the surface to prevent staining, including stripping?  How do you maintain your flooring and does any of this sound familiar?  Oh, any exactly which product did you decide on? Commercial/Residential?  Thanks from Columbus.  Dotty

And reader Dee writes:

was won