This ain’t no ordinary kitchen faucet. It’s something new that I hacked with something(s) old. Who can guess? I will cobble up a prize (don’t get too excited) for the first one who gets the answer 100% right. Longtime readers will have a better clue at figuring out where to start — but the answer is in stories already on the blog (here’s a good opportunity to learn to use the useful Search box at the top, if you haven’t already). Good luck. Back tomorrow with the full story.

The post Something new + something(s) old: Can you guess? appeared first on Retro Renovation.

So our circa-2005 kitchen faucet pooped out after 10+ years of heavy use. It wouldn’t swivel easily anymore. I am sure we could have ordered parts to fix the swivel, but instead, I decided to install the new Dishmaster M-76 Imperial Four that I’ve had stored for about eight years. Yes: Dishmaster faucets are still made today! But then, I had two more ideas to hack the faucet further back into time — and they worked just fine!

My first hack: Adding a vintage faceplate:

In 2013 I did a story about all the vintage faceplates still in stock and for sale at the Dishmaster factory in Indiana. (Photo from the factory, above.) Readers snapped them up in no time flat. I already had three in hand and used the silver one on my new M-76. Totally cool!

My second hack: Add faucet levers from the first model Dishmaster:

This idea was even more genius, I thought: I had my plumber take the lever handle thingies off my NOS very old Dishmaster, which I had scored at The Amazing Electrolux Salesman Estate Sale in 2010. There has never been another estate sale to compare!

Cullen rocks.

Note: My old Dishmaster seems to be a wall-mount model — although I am not really sure. It did not come with escutcheons, but maybe I could jury-rig those. Dangit. I did not think this through ahead of time. If it had been a clear-cut deck-mount model, I would have tried installing it — like Cullen did here!  

Note: The guts of old plumbing fixtures may not be up to current codes — for example, for lead used in their manufacture — consult with your own professional so that you can make informed decisions how to handle; for more info see our Be Safe / Renovate Safe page.

My excellent plumber was totally game to play with me and knew just what to do: He popped the black rubber (?) thingies off the top, unscrewed the levers, then screwed them onto the new Dishmaster. I believe he had to use the new Dishmaster screws, though, because the threads were different. Popped the black rubber thingies back on and voila! An even older look. 

Note: The levers that come with the new Dishmaster kind of stick out further, so that could be better ergonomics in terms of actually using the handles. On the other hand, the new levers [like the overall enclosure] are some sort of plastic with chrome plating, and although they seem nice enough to me, they don’t have the same heft — and certainly not the same groove factor — as the chromed pot metal (I assume) handles from my yee-old Dishmaster. My yee-old Dishmaster is basically so heavy you could use it as a weapon.

Installation fussing:

We immediately found that the Dishmaster would not sit level on my vintage Kohler cast iron sink. The deck of my sink was angled forward toward the bowls, which makes sense from a water-management standpoint. But, this was problematic for the Dishmaster — set on that deck without shimming, it looked tippy, most definitely unattractive and unacceptable to perfectionist me. So my plumber shimmed with some good plastic thingies he had in his truck… the Dishmaster tightened down nicely, then he filled in everything with silicon. So… the front of the Dishmaster does not sit flat on the front of the sink, it’s perched slightly above. It looks fine. It’s pretty darn level. If you really get your nose under and squinch, the silicon is ugly

So, improvising on the spot, my good-spirited plumber shimmed the thing with some hardy plastic thingies he had in his truck… he fussed to get it right (while I tried to help but basically just got in the way. When all was said and done: The Dishmaster tightened down nicely, pretty darn level. He then he filled in everything with silicon. If you really get your nose under the housing and squinch, the silicon is ugly globby. With more time we (I) might have crafted a more elegant solution [a homemade shimmed plastic escutcheon, perhaps?] But I was paying by the hour. It’s done. Perfectionist me let it go, for now, at least.

When Dear Husband got home, he LOVED it. He didn’t notice the shimming at all. And moreover: I. Love. Using. The. Dishmaster! It is so fun! 

How the Dishmaster works (plus watch the short video above):

• There’s a little plastic holding tank underneath the wand thingie.
• You fill the tank with a tablespoon of liquid cleaner [Dishmaster’s special blend recommended] and top with warm water.
• When you want to use the want, you pull up the black diverter.
• Don’t push the red button on the wand, and the water runs clear.
• Push the red button on the wand, and sudsy soapy water comes out the wand.
• It’s kind of splashy until you get the feel for it. And I probably would still use my Dobie to clean really tough crud off of pots, for example. But like I said, for plates and glasses and silverware and the like: The Dishmaster is super fun — and seems to be effective — to use!

Seriously, we have lots of stories about The Dishmaster and the cool historical models:

• Read all our Dishmaster stories here.

The post My new Dishmaster M-76 kitchen faucet — backdated with a vintage faceplate and circa-1948 lever handles appeared first on Retro Renovation.

“My mother’s advice was to find one or two things you LOVE and have to have, and then work everything else around that.” — Drew

Hello! My wife and I finished a very custom atomic inspired kitchen remodel early this summer and would be thrilled to share our pictures with your site! 

We were married in June 2013, and we found our house in August 2013. Previously we had been renting a nice (contemporary) condo in downtown Seattle. 

 

The way that we found the house was SUPER lucky. Seattle real estate has been brutal for buyers since probably late 2012, with a dearth of inventory and a huge influx of well-heeled buyers. My mother is a real estate agent and was showing us a house that had a good floor plan and plenty of space, but was pretty grungy — a contractor pulled up and said that his boss had an offer in on the house (to flip), and he was there to measure for the soon-to-be-new fence. We got to talking with him and he said he did some work for a local church nearby that owned what used to be a parsonage — he had been doing some work on it as the church was looking to sell it in the future and he asked if we wanted to see it. 

 

The house (built 1960) is a raised rambler — four 4 steps up to the front door — simple rectangle in shape with a single gable roof. There is a full basement that is 3/4 to 1/2 below grade so you cannot walk out of it (though there is a separate entrance with stairs on the side of the house. At any rate, the house was most recently used a day camp center for some program that the church ran, so the whole house was covered in either commercial grade carpet or faux bamboo vinyl strips, instead of baseboard there was rubber sanitary molding throughout, and various unfortunate things had been done like walling in the lovely raised hearth fireplace.

 

We knew right away that we wanted the house. Even though it was going to be a big project to make it our own, it was at least in the meanwhile clean and tidy (if rather commercial feeling). The floor plan was good, the house is large enough that we never need to move to accommodate a future family, and we liked the neighborhood. (It’s in West Seattle, which is like the Brooklyn of Seattle — traditionally unappreciated, but rapidly gaining popularity as mainland Seattle gets too crazy.) 

 

The fact that the house was pretty much still in a semi-commercial state and that it was unlisted allowed us to get it for a very good price — along with the fact that my mother waived the sales commission. 

 

Since moving in we have been constantly working on the house. The basement was roughed in for a kitchen, so right away I put a basic but functional kitchen in down there and rented the downstairs (2bed 1ba) to my brother. It’s been great, as he is getting a place to stay for a price he can afford on a cook’s salary, and we have gotten some extra money for house projects! For now the upstairs (3bed 1.5 bath) is plenty of room for my wife and me. novating the kitchen has been a goal since day one, but we knew it would be a while before we could get to it, as there were other (boring, but important) things to get to before the fun stuff — plus we knew it was going to be the most expensive so we have been saving for it for a long time.

 

Completed projects prior to kitchen:

– New roof

– Uncovered and refurbished fireplace on main level

– Installed kitchen downstairs

– Replaced original aluminum windows

– Poured patio area and fenced the yard (previously no outdoor space!)

– Installed 2nd laundry in attached garage (on main level – original is in basement and used by my brother)

– Removed commercial floor coverings and refinished the original oak flooring underneath

– Reinstalled baseboards

– Painted throughout

– Re-piped the whole house (was original galvanized before!)

As we started finishing up parts of the house like the living room and choosing a style of decor we eventually settled on a midcentury aesthetic. I’ve been a fan for some time, but also, it made a lot of sense as the house has a handful of mid-century design details – long, low, construction, midcentury stone fireplace in the living room, midcentury (roman?) brick on part of the exterior, mid century door casings, midcentury hardware on original kitchen cabinets and built-ins.

 

So, by the time we got to the kitchen, we knew that we wanted to do something that would fit in with the design and decor of the rest of the house. We knew that we wanted to modernize the floor plan somewhat and open up the kitchen a little bit, but we did want to retain a separate space for the dining room, which led up to keep the header of the wall we removed, as well as keeping the lower portion of the wall. The result is that when sitting the living room, you can see into the kitchen, but there is still a clear transition from kitchen to dining room — we love it and think it keeps the floor plan from feeling too modern.

In terms of picking all of the finishes for the kitchen, it was really just a ton of research (thanks, Retro Renovation!), negotiation, arguing, compromising, etc. Until we arrived at the end result.

 

My mother’s advice was to find one or two things you LOVE and have to have, and then work everything else around that.

I originally wanted laminate countertops with edge banding, but my wife Amy didn’t really want laminate, and she fell in love with the Formica Solid Surface pattern that I discovered (while researching laminate). Amy is also freak about the color purple, so we knew we wanted to incorporate something purple into the kitchen. We were already pretty much set on some kind of vinyl tile product for the flooring so I just ordered a ton of samples and went out and looked at I think ALL of the chips until we found the right purple, then quickly found a good shade of gray (that matched our gray trim in the rest of the house) to go with it.

 

I guess that’s pretty much the whole design process — it was a lot of work. We found a couple of things we loved, and then took a lot of time to explore all the options to find things that look good (or make sense) together, that we both like, that we could afford. In the end, it was SO worth it!

 

Resources for Drew and Amy’s atomic-inspired kitchen remodel:

• Cabinets: Custom from James Wanamaker, he runs a one man shop out of South Park in Seattle. My wife and I refer to him as “the cabinet whisperer.” The pricing was very competitive with “custom” and semi-custom lines from the big national brands. Wood is quarter-sawn Khaya (african mohogany). We especially adore the sink valence!
• Cabinet Knobs: Rejuvenation stainless round dish with star backplate – we paid through the nose – I wanted to find vintage, but wasn’t able to come up with a matching set of 60!
• Countertop: “All that Jazz” from Formica Solid Surface. It’s off white with multi color “sprinkles”. We went with it because it hides crumbs well and it makes no attempts to look like stone or any other natural product. My wife wanted to find something with sparkles in it, but we couldn’t that didn’t also try to look like stone
• Island Top: Staggered end grain walnut from Chop Bloc
• Backsplash: Bright Quilt Stainless from Quickship Metals. This was sort of a happy accident as I meant to order brushed stainless, but when it came and I opened it up we absolutely loved it!
• Floor: VCT from Congoleum, colors are Plum and Iron Gray
• Lighting: Island light is a danish modern repro in the style of Carl Thore. Over the sink is from Rejuvenation.

Drew says:

The design/floorplan was drawn up by my mother (who has been doing her own drafting for 30+ years) and required considerable deliberations from her, my wife, and me. It’s a fairly small space at 12 x 13. We ended up getting a lot out of that space. Figuring out where to put the double ovens was pretty tricky, and my mother came up with the idea of tucking the fridge back into what used to be the pantry pre-remodel (the fridge is 36″ deep, but the surrounding cabinets are only 18″ – with the exception of the double ovens which are 24″) The areas to the left and right of the fridge are now pantry cabinets.

When opening up the wall that previously divided the kitchen from the dining room, we elected to retain the lower portion of the wall (rather than use cabinet backs as the bulkhead) and to keep the header as a visual separation between kitchen and dining room. We wanted to keep some of the original floorplan of separate kitchen and dining room and not go full modern open kitchen/dining, and I am super happy we made that choice. Eventually, there will be a thin piece of gray trim separating the green wall color from the white ceiling color in the dining room (the same color scheme extends through to the living room).

Special thanks to Brendan Ramsey Photography — a friend of Amy’s, who took the great photos.

Thanks, Drew and Amy, for sharing the story of your kitchen, along with all the details resources — and the advice from your talented mother. I approve wholeheartedly! 

The post Drew and Amy’s atomic inspired kitchen remodel in a 1960 parsonage appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Laureen Scrivan, general contractor / owner of Wren & Willow

This is exactly the kind of story I was hoping to ultimately see lots of, when I started this blog nine years ago: Contractors … professional remodelers … house-flippers, even … who would see the charm in the original architecture of midcentury homes and instead of updating them, would Retro Renovate them. And not just fancy architect-designed midcentury houses. Charming little ones — the midcentury modest homes — too. And that’s just what the general contracting company Wren & Willow has done: They took a needs-work 1940s cottage and gut-remodeled it to look brand spanking new — new, ala 1940. Owner Laureen Scrivan contacted me about the project. She’s got quite the story, too. And oh, there’s another twist happy ending. This story has everything… and there’s so much to show that I am going to spread it out over a few days. Today: The kitchen, which is sure to blow your bobby socks off!

Tip to viewing photos: If you are on a desktop computer, wait for the page to fully load, then you can click on any photo (in any story), and it should enlarge on screen up to 1,000 pixels wide for better viewing of all the delicious details. Click ESC or outside the photo to get back to the story.

Laureen keeps up to date with by blog by subscribing to our weekly email newsletter and wrote me:

Hello Pam-

Absolutely love your blog and have shared it with many our clients. You are a wealth of information, and I have learned so much from reading your blog. We are a design-build general contractor in Tacoma, Washington. We purchased a property a year ago and remodeled the house in keeping with the 1940’s art deco feel. Our goal is to use it as an Airbnb in a couple of years. I would love to share these before and after photo’s with you and your readers.  Let me know if I can share the pictures with you. Please keep doing what you do. My heart jumps every time I receive a Retro Renovation email. It’s like receiving a beautiful magazine in the mail!

Well, that email was enticing. And the photos that followed — taken by Aleks Akinshev of the Wren & Willow team — yowza, this woman and the Wren & Willow team knows what it is doing!

And so our email exchange began — I count 22 emails in all — that’s indicative of the effort it often takes to pull these stories like these together — so, you can see why a blogger gets upset when folks ‘steal’ their content!

With some edits by me to combine emails and for flow; Laureen continues:

The Story……….

As the Owners of Wren & Willow, a construction company in Tacoma Washington, specializing  in remodeling historic homes, we decided to purchase a 1940’s house as an investment property. The house was attached to a small laundromat and the previous owners lived in the house while running the laundromat. Our intention was to use it as additional office space for the company.

This 1941 Minimal Traditional house was the perfect project for us to “Restomod”. In car collector terminology, this house would be called a Restomod. In the classic car world, a Restomod is not completely restoring and reusing every part and piece in the original car, but updating it to modern standards while keeping the look and overall integrity of the car. We do that quite a bit when working with historic homes.

Rather than modernize the home, we chose to bring the 1940’s to life. To achieve this, we reused many salvaged materials that dated back to the post-war era. Most notable are the restored Crosley Steel kitchen cabinets, built in the early 1950’s. These were purchased from a local architectural salvage yard, completely dented and covered in rust. We took them to a local classic car restorer, who was able to sandblast and paint the cabinets a beautiful Jadeite. After being restored, the cabinets were pieced together, like a puzzle, to fit into the kitchen space.

In addition to cabinets, we purchased a 1942 Wedgewood Gas Stove for the kitchen. It was  restored by Antique Stove Heaven in California and shipped to Tacoma.

This house is a testament to what can be done when salvaged materials are restored, refinished, and repurposed. Each item restored to its original state brings a striking charm that new materials just can’t bring.

And there’s more to the kitchen — an adjacent butler’s pantry of sorts:

Laureen wraps up this part of the tour:

We love sharing our work with others who will appreciate the painstaking work that goes into recreating a particular period. That’s what I absolutely love about you and your blog. Your appreciation for the past and the amazing resource you are helping others to achieve that period style. Please keep it going!

Also provided by the very generous Laureen:

Suppliers & Resource List for 1940’s Wren & Willow House Kitchen:

• Double Drainboard Kitchen Sink: NBI Drainboard Sinks, Florida
• 1942 Wedgewood Stove: Antique Stove Heaven, California
• Refrigerator & Dishwasher: Big Chill Appliances, Colorado
• Linoleum Flooring & Countertop design & installation: David’s Showcase Floors, Puyallup, WA
• Light fixtures: Rejuvenation Lighting, Seattle, WA
• Door Hardware: Rejuvenation Lighting, Seattle, WA
• Plumbing fixtures: Strom Plumbing and Kohler
• Tiles: Dal-Tile & American Olean
• Windows: Milgard “Essence” series, wood interior and clad exterior
• Metal Cabinets: Salvaged from Earthwise Architectural Salvage, Seattle, WA
• Metal Cabinet Refinish: Gordon’s Enterprises (classic car restorer) Ruston, WA
• Wallpaper: Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpaper — Apple Betty wallpaper with scallop trim
• Kit-Cat clock from the California Clock Co.

What can I say: I love it. Every inch. And, I don’t say this very often, but I think I want to be you, Laureen Scrivan! You rock!

Tomorrow: We’ll look a the bathrooms
Wednesday: The bedrooms, living room, a little more about Wren & Willow — and share the surprise ending to the story!

Link love:

• Wren & Willow General Contracting — 5121 N. Pearl St., Ruston, WA 98407

The post Wren & Willow’s little bit of perfection 1940s house remodel: Let’s start with the kitchen appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Remember that ginormous stash of New Old Stock Georges Briard metal enameled tiles that we featured a while ago? Owner Mark now has a website to list them all for sale. Thanks to Mark, who wrote me yesterday:

We have about 25 patterns on there currently and will be uploading the rest over the next two-to-four weeks or so. They are mostly organized and ready to go, we just need to get them all in digital format … Check them out for purchase on http://urbnuprising.com

The post Georges Briard tiles — New Old Stock — now listed for sale online appeared first on Retro Renovation.

If you want a retro style exhaust fan in your retro or vintage style kitchen, check out the VentAHood® Classic Series that Laureen used in her fabulous Wren & Willow kitchen. VentAHood® has been making exhaust fans since 1933. And true to their history, this Classic Series under-counter exhaust fan has satin trim with that circa-1933 VentAHood® polished logo right in the center — perfect!

There’s also a second, sharper-edged style.

Above: And just because I know everyone’s going to be gaga about the whole look with the vintage Chambers stoves, too….

Officially known as: VentAHood® CLH9 – Premier Magic Lung® Under Cabinet

The official name for this range hood exhaust fan is VentAHood® CLH9 – Premier Magic Lung® Under Cabinet. The range hood comes in four widths and a variety of CFMs that can be specified based on your needs / range specifications / building codes, etc. And, it looks like it may be available in up to 19 standard finishes or be custom painted to RAL colors (additional charges may apply.)

As seen in Laureen’s kitchen

Note, Laureen set hers up sans wall cabinet. I am not sure how she did that, and I’m feeling like I’ve pummeled her with too many questions given the three stories that I did on her remodeling project; I am sure your contractor or salesperson could help figure this out this old-skool approach.

VentAHood® — in business since 1933!

It’s always fabulous to write about companies that have been in business for so long. A snippet from VentAHood’s history page:

The History of Vent-A-Hood®

Founded in 1933, Vent-A-Hood® Company, Limited is a shining example of the entrepreneurial spirit. In 1937, Carr P. Collins, Sr., a Dallas financier and founder of Fidelity Union Life Insurance Company, financed this family-owned company. Miles Woodall, Jr., nephew of Collins, was recruited in 1938 to manage the company. Today, his son, Miles Woodall III, is CEO of the company. The company moved to Richardson in 1961.

Vent-A-Hood® was the first manufacturer of home cooking ventilation and range hoods. The first range hoods were manufactured in a house with a dirt floor in Dallas, and then sold door-to-door. The owners would literally go out and make a sale, then return to the shop to make the hood for the customer…. read more

More info about the Classic Series:

Head over to VentAHood®’s website for all the details (note, I am not an expert on how to specify one of these for your home — on this, consult with properly licensed professionals):

• VentAHood® CLH9 Classic Series range hood / exhaust fan

Thanks, Laureen, for this awesome tip!

The post Retro range hood exhaust fan complete with retro logo from 1933: Vent-a-Hood® Classic Series appeared first on Retro Renovation.

I’m old, so there aren’t many things I “need” anymore. But for Holiday 2016, here are a few ideas with “real people” appeal. Stuff I bought for myself this year. Not necessarily “retro” or “renovation” oriented, but hey. Note: All the links in this story are affiliate links.

What is more classic than family and friends sitting around the kitchen playing board games? This Thanksgiving, we were introduced to Catan. It was super fun — I adored it! And when I got home, I bought the whole getup, the basic set and a bunch of the extensions. 

Link: Catan 5th edition

Plus, there are are extensions to add 5-6 players … to add Seafaring real estate … and more.

I am also kind of obsessed with playing Connect 4 right now.

I bought this for myself and LOVE it. I’m calling it “retro”, because I spent my college junior year abroad, 1979-1980, in Madrid, Spain. There, they put steamed milk in their morning coffee. Steamed milk makes your coffee all that more delicious. When I visited my brother this autumn, he had one of these Nespresso milk steamers, so I bought the same kind. I’ve been using it daily since October and yummmmm, my coffee is betttttttter than ever.

Link: Nespresso Aeorccino Plus Milk Frother

Okay, so my brother had the Nespresso maker too, so I got one. For my afternoon espresso. I also buy the pods for the espresso online.

Link: Nespresso VertuoLine Coffee and Espresso Maker and espresso pods

I bought one of these classic George Nelson ball clocks for my brother and sister-in-law as a housewarming gift. It’s beautiful. There are other colors, too.

Link: Vitra Men’s George Nelson Ball Clock

Theo Chocolate Organic Sea Salt 70 Percent Dark Chocolate

Chocolate bars are cheaper by the dozen, and apparently this dark stuff — organic, free trade, non-GMO too — is good for you!

Link: Theo Chocolate Organic Sea Salt 70 Percent Dark Chocolate Bar, 3 Ounce — 12 per case

Okay, so this next one, I don’t have. But it intrigues me. As I mentioned at the outset, I am old. This could actually be quite useful.

Link: KINGSO LED Motion-Activated Glow Toilet Bowl 8 Colors and there are other such designs too

More gift ideas from some other blogger-friends

• Check out my friend Margaret of AWaytoGarden.com’s list of stuff for gardening, cooking, putting food up, and more.
• Humuhumu of Critiki.com also has a great list of gift ideas for tikiphiles.

Merry merry, happy happy, everyone!

The post Practical(ish) gifts for holiday 2016 appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Welcoming 2017, here’s the story that now has become our Retro Renovation new year’s tradition… kind of summing up the bumpy journey so many of us share, or can expect to, when we decide to undertake a period-inspired renovation including preserving what we have and/or using hard-to-find and salvage material. Yup: Taking this less-traveled route means you are in for an adventure. You may find yourself walking the very fine line between genius and insanity. You will need tenacity, patience, a good spirit, and faith that you are on a righteous path. The Retro Decorating Gods will be with you, throwing flower petals — and burying barbed wire, just to test your mettle — they love to make mischief, too.

My The Hard Way essay, originally published in Dec. 2007, less than two months after I started the blog:

We know about taking the road less traveled. To me, doing things the hard way has the same allure. The hunt for the perfect estate sale light fixture, the set of vintage cabinets that are just right, the document wallpaper that pulls things all together.

Honestly, the reason this blog even exists is that after completing big projects, I had so much info in my mental hard drive about the hard-to-find resources available to renovate, remodel and decorate a mid century home — all obsessively and endlessly researched — that it seemed a shame to simply be done with it when my projects were completed.

But the dangers of the hard way came into focus this week, when I pulled Palm Springs Stephan into the vortex.

A week ago Friday night I spotted the brand new, mint-in-box, never installed set of circa 1958 bathroom fixtures in this exact photo, on a forum. They’d just been posted. Hot! I happened to be emailing a bit with Stephan, and knew he was working on a bathroom renovation.

Long story short, he was very excited about the prospect of pink fixtures and spent hours back-and-forth with the seller in Cheyenne, Wyoming, trying to certify the exact color, before he sent a certified check. Hours with a tile store to coordinate tile. Planned to switch the plumbing. Worked out shipping. At one point, he thought it was a done deal.

Ultimately, though, the color didn’t pan out for him, and it was back to plan A.

The moral of the story is — I guess — to know thyself. If you really truly want very special retro finds to complete your renovation vision, it’s gonna be a roller coaster. Requiring patience, tenacity, and a belief that once you put your vibes out there, the Retro Decorating Gods will send you what you need. If you think that sounds fun — so then, will be doing it The Hard Way.

P.S. Anyone within driving distance of Cheyenne, Wyoming, interested in a set of brand new, mint in box, never been installed Crane bathroom fixtures? Tub, toilet with really cool seat, sink with chrome legs/towel bar, lav faucet, tub faucet. $1000. Email Gary, who seems very nice and appreciative of them, at: [item sold]. He can give you the whole story, which begins in North Dakota.

Oh yeah. They’re not really pink. They’re beige. Or taupe. Or a sandy pinky beigey taupe. Something like that. Buckle up.

This post was originally published Dec. 9, 2007, then repeated on Jan. 4, 2008, and every year since 2010 as our first story of every year.

Have you found gratification in doing your renovating and remodeling projects The Hard Way???
But tell the truth, sometimes don’t you just want to throw in the towel, take the “what’s easy to install today” route, and move on???

The post Doing things “The Hard Way”: Do you have what it takes? 2017 appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Voting for our 2016 “The Hard Way Award – Bathrooms” is under way (vote here), and now, it’s time to take a look at our contestants to win “The Hard Way Award – Kitchens”. I went through the archive and selected six finalists. Now it’s time for YOU to vote! The voting poll is at the bottom of this story — click one to vote. 

Which of this five remodels do you think should win? Voting is open through Friday morning, Tuesday morning, Jan. 17. I’ll announce the winner for both competitions the next day..

What criteria would I use to select a winner? Hmmmm…. how about:

• Pursuit of detail — how challenging — how “doing things the hard way” — was this project?
  • How many old house obstacles needed to be overcome?
  • How difficult was it to obtain the products used?
• Creativity — props for pushing envelopes and as described above, for going the extra mile to achieve a creative vision.
• Suitability — to the house and its era.
• Overall vibe and story — there’s more than one way to retro, so as they say, everyone’s a winner!

That said: There are no rule-rules (and except for everlasting Retro Renovation, there are no prizes), so take a look and pick your favorite!

Our contestants:

#1 Drew and Amy’s atomic inspired kitchen remodel in a 1960 parsonage

Newlyweds Drew and Amy bought their fixer-upper — a parsonage built in 1960 — three years ago. Smart folks, they tended to fundamentals first. But all the while, they were planning for the fun stuff — a necessary kitchen remodel. Their design mixes modern with retro — all the while aiming to be sympathetic to the original architecture of the house.

• Read Drew and Amy’s story… see all the photos… then consider your vote. (Opens in new window / tab)

***

#2 — Ondrea and James’ English Rose kitchen: Two sets refurbished into one joyful remodel

Ondrea and James paired up, and soon enough, were feathering their Bristol, UK, nest with a “new” kitchen. In this case: combining two sets of vintage aluminium — (in U.S. talk, aluminum) — English Rose kitchens into one… and there’s lots to the story, of course!

• Read Ondrea and James’ story… see all the photos… then consider your vote. (Opens in new window / tab)

***

#3 — Roger & Lynsey + two sets of vintage St. Charles kitchen cabinets = a gorgeous midcentury modern kitchen remodel

Here’s another pair who searched out two sets of cabinets to create the one kitchen of their dreams. Roger and Lynsey remodeled their 1953 kitchen featuring St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets. When they bought this house, it had been unoccupied for five years — yikes!

•  Read Roger & Lynsey’s story… see all the photos… then consider your vote. (Opens in new window / tab)

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#4 — Heidi & Scott recreate a 1950s birch wood kitchen for their Cinderella ranch house

The Great Recession — along with another project, renovating a rental house — slowed down Heidi and Scott’s ability to begin renovating the kitchen until about two years ago. By then, they knew just what they were going to do, and had the resources to do it. Their goal: to rebuild the kitchen as close to the original 1956 version as possible, with just a few, mostly invisible, ‘upgrades’.

•  Read Heidi and Scott’s story… see all the photos… then consider your vote. (Opens in new window / tab)

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#5 — Pat and Bill’s St. Charles kitchen remodel

When reader Pat and her husband Bill initially moved into their 1951 ranch home, they weren’t fans of the original St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets, which were in rough shape after years of use. Pat priced out how much a complete gut remodel would cost and realized it wasn’t in her budget. After pondering her situation for a few years and discovering Retro Renovation’s stories about readers who had successfully refinished their steel kitchen cabinets, Pat knew that she could do it, too.

•  Read Pat and Bill’s story… see all the photos… then consider your vote. (Opens in new window / tab)

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#6 — Wren & Willow’s little bit of perfection 1940s kitchen remodel

Laureen Scrivan, owner of the general contracting company Wren & Willow took took a needs-work 1940s cottage and gut-remodeled it to look brand spanking new — new, ala 1940. The initial intent was to renovate the house, then rent it out. But she and her husband loved the end result so much — they now live in it! P.S. Does this really belong in “The Hard Way” category, since Laureen is a general contractor? I pondered the question, then decided it’s “in,” because it’s a… culmination of her lifelong story. 

•  Read Laureen’s story… see all the photos… then consider your vote. (Opens in new window / tab)

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So now it’s time to vote! Voting closes Tuesday night, Jan. 17.

VOTE HERE — vote once — choose one:

The post Vote for our “The Hard Way Award – Kitchen Remodel” winner — 2016 appeared first on Retro Renovation.

The oven in Christine’s kitchen — complete with original-finish pink Lyon kitchen cabinets — finally gave up the ghost and could no longer be repaired. A mini-makeover was soon under way — and the “after” — just lovely! Double-happy for me, Christine was able to use our new laminate — Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart First Lady Pink — for the project.  Christine has been extremely generous in providing detailed information about the contractors and resources she used. 

Photo viewing tip:
On a desktop computer, after page has fully loaded, click on any photo and it should double in size onscreen so you can see the detail better. Click ESC or off the photo to return to the story.

Christine writes (edited to combine multiple emails):

Hi Pam:

I finally got a chance to take some pictures of my pink kitchen remodel. As you’ll see it was designed around the original 1962 Lyon steel kitchen cabinets.

Above: Before. Alas, the oven could not be fixed.

My pink oven broke, and the appliance company in California, which I found through your blog, and which sent me parts in the past, couldn’t rebuild the part I needed this time. So I had to say good-bye to the oven, hello big counter top and laminate wall.

I started the remodel the same month you released your laminate line. SOOO lucky for me! The installer even created matching grout so the counter and backsplash look seamless. Thank you for creating this wonderful boomerang laminate. I LOVE it!! I wish I could’ve used it in so many more places, but some got broken during the remodel.

When we took the pink stove out we found two glitter laminate chip samples —  one for the kitchen and one for the pink bathroom. The pink counter in the pink bathroom had been removed before we bought the house. I tried to salvage the gold counter top but the biggest piece was damaged by the oven that sat on it. The other side I had planned to reuse in my basement, but it didn’t work out. I gave the largest, nicest piece away so it wouldn’t go to the landfill.

As you know, I’m still trying to sell the left over Wilsonart pink pieces on Craigslist here and the metallic laminate here. I was able to use a lot of the pink laminate I bought — I use smaller pieces as place mats, the front of my old stove cabinet drawer, or other DIY projects. It won’t go to waste — it is just TOO cute! I just kept trying to find more counters around my house to use it on.

• Counter top: Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart First Lady Pink [see all of our stories about the line here.]
• Edge: Wilsonart Satin Brushed Natural Aluminum
• Pink grout: Miller Urathane Grout to match counter *Purchased through The Floor Store
• Floor: Azrock VCT Pinch of Salt * Purchased through The Floor Store, installed by Adams Interiors
• Refrigerator – Fisher & Paykel
• Dishwasher – Bosch
• Slide-in Stove – Fisher & Paykel
  • Appliances all *purchased through Basco Appliances, installed by Corrib Construction, Sharpe Plumbing and Precision Electric
• Sink and Faucet: Kohler Vault sink, Mirabelle faucet *Purchased through Ferguson, installed by Sharpe Plumbing
• Window: Milgard *Purchased through 52nd Ave Hardware, installed by Corrib Construction
• Lights: Ikea globe lights, GE LED bar light *Purchased through IKEA and Home Depot, installed by Precision Electric.

Above: Toward the end of setting up this story, I asked Christine if she could send a photo of herself to include with it. She asked if I wanted her to set one up with her wearing her mother-in-law’s 1960s prom dress. Heck to the yeah! And oh my, it’s fabulous, she looks fabulous in it, and they both look fabulous with the pink kitchen! It’s a fabulous fest!

Thank you, Christine, for so much time to write up your resources, take photos and invite us into your kitchen. Which is, of course: Perfect! 

The post Christine gives her pink 1962 Lyon kitchen some retro TLC — including Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart First Lady Pink laminate appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Congratulations to our “The Hard Way Award” winners for 2016: Jim, for the pink bathroom that he built, inspired by his grandmother’s, and Scott and Heidi, for their restoration of the classic 1950s birch kitchen in their Cinderella ranch house. Kudos to all our finalists! And, thanks to everyone who voted!

Hey, do you have a Retro-Renovated kitchen or bathroom that’s “done” — and a The Hard Way story to go with? Contact me, I’ll explain where to sent photos, and I’ll consider you for a story here on the blog. Could be, you’re a 2017 winner!

The post Congratulations, Jim and Heidi and Scott — “The Hard Way Awards” winners 2016 appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Some photos, nom nom:

Above: The mystery piece. As reader Rosemary suggested in comments, yes, perhaps it is the top / back / corner of a banquette… but the rest of the pieces are missing. I’ve already put the kit away. But as soon as I can I’ll get it back out and assess the sizing to guess if this is a possibility. Thanks, Rosemary, for the idea!

The post My rare Lyon Kitchen cabinets saleman’s sample kit — with real metal cabinets ! appeared first on Retro Renovation.

One of my favorite features in time capsule houses is the old clocks centered above the sink or above the dinette. Where I live, it’s not uncommon to see these old clocks plugged into a recessed wall plug — no visible or dangling electric cords. How did they do that: With recessed “electric clock receptacles” framed right into the soffits or walls.

Disclosure: ebay and Amazon links are affiliate links.

I was checking to see what old was new at warehouse full o’ New Old Stock hardware seller nomoredrama4me — whose warehouse full o’ wonders we have featured several times before — and I see that she has a few of these >> New Old Stock Electric Clock Receptacles for sale. Please be aware: I have no idea whether these oldies are still to code — get with your own properly licensed professional to determine potential safety/code issues if in fact you are interested in installing one of these.  Be Safe/Renovate Safe!

Immediate update: Howdy hudee: Allen says these are still made — and with three-prong — cool!:

Oh, and nomoredrama4me looks like she has some other new New Old Stock up since the last time I checked, too. I am guessing it’s going to take a while longer list all the its and bits in that warehouse.

The post Recessed electric clock receptacles — new old stock AND modern-new from Leviton and Pass & Seymour appeared first on Retro Renovation.

LaDonna loved the look of vintage steel kitchen cabinets, but wanted the features of wood. So, taking a cue from the vintage Elgins at her parents’ house — and inspired by her grandmothers’ kitchens — she mimicked the look with 3/4 overlay slab doors. She also incorporated New Old Stock liner tile from a Retro Renovation ebay find, and has tips for matching its size to subway tiles.

Elgin plaque and Mom’s gas company cookbook

LaDonna writes:

Hi Pam,

I have very fond memories of both of my grandmothers’ houses and decided to merge elements from both of their kitchens to create a “comfort” kitchen into my no-character brick ranch. My parents still had their Elgin steel cabinets left over from their 70’s kitchen reno, but I remember hitting my head on them and how sharp they were. So, I decided to recreate them in wood.

Pam notes: Photo edited; logo includes complete last name — what a great idea!

Later, my mom and dad sold their house and Dad gave me the metal Elgin plaque as a momento. I even had a plaque made to put where the metal Elgin sign would normally be using our last name in place of “Elgin”.

New Old Stock liner tile with Grandma’s Salt and Pepper shakers

I purchased some of the tiles on ebay from Angela for my backsplash and paired them with white subway tile. I found that they are the same thickness as porcelain 3 x 6 subway tile and not the thinner ceramic 3 x 6 subway tile.

A close up of the liner tiles and S&Ps

My tile installer had no problems, and I love the way it looks!

Enclosed work station with Mom’s Pyrex

Grandma’s McCalls cookbooks and Jewel tea set 

My countertop is quartz, but I picked a style that reminded me of laminated countertops. I also live in an all electric house, therefore a vintage gas stove was out of the question, so I opted for a GE Artistry range.

I liked the GE Artistry refrigerator but it was also smaller than I wanted. The one I have now is a Samsung.

Kitchen sink with Grandma’s Bittersweet dishes

My most favorite thing in my kitchen is the NBI double drainboard sink since I think that gives it the most charm.

Thank you for your wonderful blog and giving your readers the resources to help them in the remodeling of their dream homes.

Sincerely,
LaDonna 

Nicely done, LaDonna — a blend of old and new that shows off your beloved collections and gives you tremendous decorating flexibility.  Thank you for sharing!

The post LaDonna creates a retro-style kitchen that would make her grandmothers proud appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Do you adore Fiestaware? Well now, you can add even more to your kitchen — as tile for your walls or backsplash. Yes, The Homer Laughlin China Company  — the maker of Fiesta® Dinnerware — has teamed with Limelight Tile & Ceramics of Pittsburgh to create Fiesta porcelain tiles. The tile is available for pre-order now, with deliveries planned to begin late spring. The tiles are available in four different designs and 14 out of the 15 Fiesta colors — with Shamrock coming soon! 

Thanks to Jocelyn for this Fiesta-fabulous tip!

For more info, see:

• Homer Laughlin’s blog story on the Fiesta tile introduction
• Limelight Tile and Ceramics

The post Fiestaware tile is now available for pre-order — 4 designs, 14 colors appeared first on Retro Renovation.

My new hunka hunka: A vintage, lighted display clock that surely was used in a store that sold Geneva cabinets. I jumped on this Buy-It-Now the moment I saw it on ebay. I already have a Geneva kitchen merchandising banner in my kitchen full of 1963 Geneva kitchen cabinets, and this was a perfect addition. 

I also have a vintage sales banner in the kitchen

As promised, the case lit right up and the clock started turning the moment I turned it on.

The only thing is: Its operation is controlled by the plug. I need to get an adapter with an on/off switch so that I don’t have to plug it in all the time. The clock will always be wrong. But that’s okay. It’s the whole lighted aspect, along with the clock turning, that makes this a super duper piece of sales memorabilia.

Right now I have the clock set standing on the counter, in the corner where my Treasure Craft cookie jar set has sat for 10+ years. The clock is designed to stand, or, there are openings in the back to hang on the wall. It’s just 24″ wide, so I have several great spaces in the kitchen where it could fit if I hang it. I need to think about where to place it for the long term, including how the plug fits in. 

The clock was made by Price Brothers Inc. of Chicago and New York.

Hey. Chicago. Traveling to Kentucky for my father’s 80th birthday, I picked up the book “Devil in the White City.” What a fantastic book — riveting and such amazing research — it won a bunch of awards. But warning: Serial killer also involved. The book the TRUE STORY of all the famous architects and landscape designers behind the creation of the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Their “White City” World’s Fair that was an architectural and entertainment marvel. But ACK, at the same time as the fair, the “devil” nearby was Dextering young women, and author Erik Larson weaves that depravity in, too. Like I said, true story — stranger than fiction. I’m 90% done. Highly recommended! 

The post My vintage lighted display clock from a Geneva kitchen cabinets store appeared first on Retro Renovation.

“I always tell my students that if they are serious about writing that they should live in a very modest house and try to keep expenses low so that they don’t have to work themselves too hard to pay the mortgage. They think I’m kidding, but I’m not.”

Another of my favorite stories of all time, originally published in 2012, back while I continue to wrestle with my taxes:

We have a famous author in our tribe — and she shares her Retro Renovation story with us today.  Bonnie Jo Campbell‘s recent book of short stories, American Salvage, was a National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, and her 2011 novel Once Upon a River: A Novel (affiliate link)(I LOVED this book!) continues to earn rave reviews from virtually everyone who reads it. For example, in July 2011 the New York Times Review of Books, reviewer (and famous author herself) Jane Smiley wrote:

As in “American Salvage,” her celebrated story collection from 2009, Campbell has a ruthless and precise eye for the details of the physical world…. Campbell so intently scrutinizes Margo’s [the teenaged protagonist] inner life that she does not seem to be asserting any larger point about American culture or human nature — but she is…. It would be too bad if, because of Campbell’s realistic style and ferocious attention to her setting, “Once Upon a River” were discounted as merely a fine example of American regionalism. It is, rather, an excellent American parable about the consequences of our favorite ideal, freedom.

“Before”

After: Bonnie’s kitchen updated included replacing the original, worn countertop with Arborite Red Xabia. She trimmed it with aluminum trim from RetroTrims.com. And she added a Kohler Delafield sink with hudee ring and a new faucet. Retro Renovation help her point her local retailers to these products.

The reason I choose this particular excerpt of Jane Smiley’s review, is that I sure would pay attention to any renovation done by an acclaimed writer with a “ruthless and precise eye for the details of the physical world”! Bonnie’s story is that she waited 24 years to replace the worn countertop original to her Kalamazoo house, using resources found here. Read her books and you would never doubt that, of course, she would keep her updates in line the midcentury modest design of the house. Moreover — and here’s another place I  pay big attention — she underscores the benefits of “modest.” Bonnie writes:

Hi Pam — A bit about our house:

I call it a swamp house, and my husband and I bought it in 1987 for $24,500. I always tell my students that if they are serious about writing that they should live in a very modest house and try to keep expenses low so that they don’t have to work themselves too hard to pay the mortgage. They think I’m kidding, but I’m not. It’s very hard to make time to write in any case, and so if there’s a way to spend less time earning a living, then follow that way. I also am honest when I say that my poor housekeeping is part of the plan.  I can have a clean, well-kept house or I can get books written, not both.

And that was a lot of the reason why I never took the time to improve my kitchen, because I wanted to keep my focus on my writing.  And it paid off.
My last two books American Salvage and Once Upon a River have gotten quite a bit of critical acclaim. So I was able to take some time out to make my kitchen a nicer place to be. I still might not have done the improvements had my brother Tom the plumber not been unemployed.  I had done some babysitting for him a few weekends, and he wanted to pay me back by helping me with the sink and counter.

The house was built right after WWII, as were many of the houses here, and I know the house was built by a single man, because it was built without a single closet. The kitchen is fairly small, with a modest amount of storage. There’s not really room for a refrigerator in the kitchen, so I keep it in the utility room. When my husband’s mother moved in with us a few years ago, we put on an addition, so we now have a four bedroom, which allows us both to have offices, which is a great luxury.

“Before”

I’ll say up front that my goal was just to get a new counter and sink because my old one was just terrible. And I  lived with the old one for 24 years.  I’ve been pretty distracted in that time, first studying mathematics as a grad student and then becoming a Novelist.

I had a pretty challenging time getting the sink I wanted since all the plumbing places around here told me I could not get a sink to install with a hudee ring. From these photos you’ll see that the sink was hopelessly stained because all the porcelain finish was gone. The countertop laminate was a travesty. The wall behind the sink had shelf paper on it. (Yes, I lived with it for 24 years.)

Here are some before photos of counter plus my husband Chris Magson and brother Tom with Hudee Ring (before cutting plywood).

The stove is a Kalamazoo brand stove that my husband became obsessed with. It’s sort of a museum quality piece, a replacement.

I also have an amazing red microwave… not sure how I lucked into that at Sears. Maybe it’s not retro, though the food processor beside it is.

As for the wide photos, I truly regret that I didn’t sweep my floor and polish it a bit.  I’m attaching a kitchen floor picture, one that shows how nice the floor looks when it’s waxed. We’re kind of a farm family here. We burn wood and keep donkeys, and so things can be pretty messy.

Cheers!  Bonnie

Thank you, Bonnie, for taking the time to share this all with us. (Again, readers, Bonnie can attest how I torture featured contributors with the back and forth.) Your swamp kitchen update is perfection. And no need to apologize for unpolished vintage floors — we have all been there!

Read more about Bonnie Jo Campbell’s kitchen update (and her life):

• On her blog, Bone-Eye: A Writer’s Adventures.
• And, here is the website for her books.

If you want to buy one or more of her books, you can also see them here: Bonnie Campbell’s books on Amazon (affiliate link).

Readers, note that I wrote about Arborite Red Xabia appears to be a good substitute for crackle ice laminate. You can see the effect very clearly here. Red crackle ice is going to be much more expensive, because it is a specialty product. Also, I have a sample of the red cracked ice laminate from some years ago, and I was concerned about the pixelation of the digital printing. I know other readers have used it, though, and were happy with it. Bottom line: Get samples — large samples, preferably — before you commit.

Products that Bonnie used to create her retro red countertop: 

• Arborite Red Xabia laminate.
• Aluminum edging from Eagle Mouldings — Note, this install required three different pieces. Bonnie says she used: “(1) Face nosing 13/16″ (with holes drilled) A-274; (2) Cove E98 MFA for 1/16″ material worked well for join of counter and backsplash, and it came together nicely at the corners (as you’ve show); and (3) At the top of the backsplash, which was laminate mounted on 3/16″ plywood, we used J-caps 1/4″ E401 BA MFA.” Talk to Thor at Eagle Mouldings — he’s eager to help.
• Kohler Delafield porcelain cast iron double-bowl sink with metal rim.
• The faucet is a Moen, Bonnie says.

The post Bonnie Jo Campbell — an author and her modest kitchen, revisited appeared first on Retro Renovation.

While she tended to some other business, seller Pam took down her ebay listing for the remaining inventory of New Old Stock Emerson-Pryne exhaust fan covers left over when House of Fans closed. These are 12″ wide. Get ’em while the gettin’ is good — I bought one last time around, but I still need to put it up, ugh.

Listing (affiliate link) >> New Old Stock Emerson Pryne exhaust fan covers on ebay

The post New Old Stock Emerson Pryne exhaust fan grilles available again appeared first on Retro Renovation.

Nosing around flooring websites for what’s new, I spotted this new Moroccan-style “Filigree” luxury vinyl flooring just out from Mannington — note, it’s sheet flooring incorporating a 6″ tile design. This tile reminds me of sheet flooring from the 1970s — hurray for pattern finally coming back to vinyl floor tile!

Moroccan- and Cuban-style tiles are a very popular contemporary look today. But — designs fairly similar to this were also all the rage in the 1970s, albeit there were real color-colors then. If you have a 1970s house, I think this tile would work given its faded look. (The full-strength colors in another Mannington line, Deco, make that tile too contemporary for a 70s restoration look, in my opinion.)

Filigree comes in four washed out colors. The other two: 

Above: Hey, beige!

Mannington luxury vinyl sheet flooring: here.

The post Flooring for a 1970s kitchen or living area: Moroccan-style Filigree luxury vinyl flooring from Mannington appeared first on Retro Renovation.

A Lustron house for sale — and I spy: a renovated kitchen that includes Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart® Rock ‘n Roll Ruby boomerang laminate countertops. It’s so nice to see this yummy red boomerang countertop in this cute historic house! Thanks to Andrea Kubachko of Urban Durham Realty, who has listed this Lustron for sale, and to photographer Jed Gammon of Jed Gammon Photography for permission to use these photos. And thanks to Virginia, who tipped us to this house via our Facebook page.

Our laminate collection was introduced a little over a year ago. There are seven colorways. Kate and I were super happy with the way Rock ‘n Roll Ruby turned out — these photos make me like it even more.

• How to get samples directly from Wilsonart.
• You can buy the laminate easily from Home Depot.
• Read the launch story with all the details.

Oooh: Look closely at the open wall cabinet — looks like our laminate was used as backing there, too, to give even more pizazz to the dinnerware on display. Great idea!

We’ve written a wee bit about Lustron houses over the years: 

• Lustron house #549 — reconstructed inside the Ohio Historical Society.
  
• The story of Lustron house #549 — including a 38-page booklet chronicling its disassembly.
• The Museum of Modern Art takes an historical look at prefab homes.

Pretty! I will add, I kinda named this one “Ruby” not just because it was red, but also because I knew a Ruby once. She was fun!

Link love:

• Lustron for sale
• Contact realtor Andrea Kubachko
• Thanks for photo permissions  from Jed Gammon of Jed Gammon Photography

The post Spotted in a Lustron house for sale: Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart® Rock ‘n Roll Ruby laminate appeared first on Retro Renovation.