Home - Mid-Century Style Magazine

From Flame to Flicker: Inside a Working Neon Shop

You walk into a neon shop expecting nostalgia. You leave thinking about chemistry, electricity, municipal zoning codes, and 1940s craftsmanship. That’s what happened when I toured Morry’s Neon, a family business opened in 1985 by Morry and his son Glen, a business built on a neon legacy that began in 1946 when Morry first started bending glass. Established the same year America decided diners, drive-ins, and optimism were perfectly reasonable things to mass-produce, Morry’s has

Route 66 at 100: Why the Centennial Is Igniting a New Era of Retro Road Trips

As the Route 66 Centennial approaches, something interesting is happening. This isn’t just an anniversary tour or a nostalgia lap. It’s a full-scale reawakening of interest in the American road trip—one rooted in history, preservation, and the lived experience of the road itself. The centennial is acting like a spotlight, illuminating not just the highway, but the stories, architecture, roadside culture, and communities that grew up along it. And people are paying attention. Travelers want

Los Angeles Potteries: A Whimsical Walk Through Mid-Century Ceramic Dreams

From our retro coffee table to yours comes a great book – an awesome gift or something to pour over in our own home! Suppose you’ve ever spotted a cookie jar shaped like a hamburger or a canister set with tropical fruit motifs and thought, “I remember that design!” or “I have to have that design!”. In that case, you’ll want to get your hands on Los Angeles Potteries: A Collector’s Journey through Artistry, Craft,

El Cortez Hotel: Where Vintage Vegas Still Lives

Opened in 1941, the El Cortez Hotel & Casino is one of Las Vegas’s oldest operating casinos — and one of its most authentic. In a city obsessed with reinvention, the El Cortez is a rare survivor, maintaining its vintage spirit while still feeling alive and relevant. Preservation That Matters In 2013, the El Cortez earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s easy to see why. The building’s Spanish Colonial

'30's House post – My friends are doing "Trading Spaces"

So, for the next few days I’m going to digress from my love of 1950’s vintage homes because my two friends in the neighborhood who own 1930’s homes are both taping this week for an episode of “Trading Spaces”! What’s particularly amusing about this, is that neither house (or owner) is particularly “design challenged”….I think both of them have done a nice job of decorating….however, they thought it would be fun! I’m DYING to see

Mixing my worlds

If you read my “other blog” you realize I love to stitch. I’m a crazy quilter and a self-confessed fabric-o-holic. However, I think I’ve found the perfect blend of my love for midcentury style and my love for fabrics. This past Friday I had the chance to help a gal in our neighborhood mount a piece for an exhibit of these wonderful fabrics: The design is by Lucienne Day, who is one of the most noteworthy British designers

Century 21 domed theater is worthy of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

We’ve written about the endangered domed theaters in California in the past, and a small victory was won this April by the State Historical Resources Commission agreed that the former Century 21 theater in San Jose is worthy of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In an article from the Eichler Network, the owner of the Century 21, however, has opposed the listing and wants to tear the dome down. Being named

Update on the Boots Motel – SAVED!

A huge update from the Boots Motel website! IMPORTANT UPDATE: August 15th., 2011 The Route 66 Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce that two Route 66 “Roadies” (fans of the Mother Road) have been successful in their effort to obtain financing to purchase the Boots Motel in Carthage, Missouri, and expect to close on their purchase in about a week from this date. The buyers plan to restore the historic motel and re-open at