Backgrounds set the mood!
Presenting pinch pleat walls of drapes! Have you found those in your 1950’s home and wondered why they’re there? Read all about why you use them as a “background” and other 50’s style tips! Taken from the “Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book” Copyright 1956, we thought we’d turn Mid-Century Photo Friday into a learning […]
How to build a color scheme
Taken from the “Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book” Copyright 1956, we thought we’d turn Mid-Century Photo Friday into a learning experience. This week we tackle color – which if you’ve seen full color photos in the 50′s, they had a different interpretation of. I wonder how many interior decorators still follow the following rules?
Mid Century Color – or why 50's TV was black and white
I can hear Pam screaming in argument, but I really think one of the issues with incorporating TRUE 1950’s decorating styles into our lives today is that the colors were SO bright. In their defense, I don’t even think these two rooms are really that bad. The bottom one is supposed to be a little […]
Just when you thought Christmas was over…
This was spotted over on Boing Boing, but I love this idea of custom gingerbread house to look like your home! And it’s midcentury (whoopee!) I think I like this one even better than the modern one I posted before! 🙂 There’s more to the kitchen sink saga but I’ll post it later today. Sigh, […]
Kindred spirits at Retro Renovation
Check out Retro Renovation where they certainly seem to share the same vision we do! With great pictures from 50’s books and magazines, they are helping people to authentically recreate 40’s-60’s interiors! And they aren’t even slaves to the modern style! Hooray! Check out this kitchen…and their suggestion for kitchen cupboards! Well, I’m embarrased to […]
Terra Cotta windowsill detail and fire safety
It’s a bit hard to see, but we have cool curved walls into each of the windows and terra cotta window sills (I think they’re terra cotta). Unfortunately we also have plastic storm windows, bleck! However, they’re better than no storm windows at all! On the subject of windows, we’re taking off the bars on […]
Detail of Kitchen handles from other house
My friend over at Ranch Handy posted about this Kitchen (not hers) quite some time ago, but I’m not sure she ever found these handles…aren’t they cool? I also LOVE the knotty pine cabinet doors. We had a ton of this in our old house – knotty pine built ins and we loved it. Even […]
Detail from our house – doorbell
This is our doorbell. We love it. Very cool and very original. Nothing amazing sound-wise, but I think the style is awesome. Again, this is an example of things that aren’t really “atomic” but are 50’s. “Normal” house things. I like atomic, but frankly most of it doesnt’ really “fit” into our house – I […]
Trimming PomPom Junipers
You all may remember our bushes in front of our house:Here’s what a professional does with them. Not that I did a “bad” job, but hoo-whee, I think they look terrific like this! Thanks to Big Mall Rat (Scott) for his research on my bushes. Even after I gave him a hard time for cutting […]
Our dream: the "right" 50's patio cover.
By the way, if you had told me in the “pre-kid” days that I would ever have obnoxiously colored toys in my back yard I would have slapped you (even though I’m not a violent type)…if you can see enough in the pictures, you’ll see that our slack finishing of the patio has allowed dirt […]