Kitchen Remodeling: Thoughts on "Retro"

[Mo Mason]

You would cry to if it happened to you.

I'd be cuttin' a bitch.

[BabyBoomer]

I'd be cuttin' a bitch.

 

Then it would be "Judy's turn to cry".

 

~ Boomer ~

[Mo Mason]

Oh, snap!!

[+ FreshFluff]

 

http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/midcentury-ranch-new-500x242.jpg

 

Hey, look. It's an Eichler!

[gezellig4u]

Ultimaltely, I have always valued relationships, no matter how brief, over things, no matter how long they may last. And, no things last forever.

[bigvalboy]

Hey, look. It's an Eichler!

 

Well not quite...lol

http://www.eichlernetwork.com/article/eichlers-balboa-highlands-granada-hills?page=0,1

I lived in one of the Eichler homes in the Balboa Highlands (sounds nicer than it was) in Granada Hills back in the day It was glorious. We had a pond that went from the court yard entry way, under a glass wall and continued into the living room. Before I leave this earth I always wanted to live in a Wright home, but alas...these old bones couldn't handle the cold of Chicago, where you can pick up one for a song, so for now, I can only dream.

[Bearofdistinction]

look at engineered stone instead of granite. you might want to pick up an issue of "Atomic Ranch" magazine to give you some ideas or sources. white subway tile in the kitchen with a penstripe could give you a retro look you're looking for.

 

 

My Parents had he original Levitt Homes Dream Kitchen in 1954-56

 

All Pink Porcelain Enamel Cabinets - Dishwasher - Washer - Dryer - Fridge all pink plus a Garbage Disposal

 

and the Countertops on the sink side were all stainless steel and on the other side Pink Formica with Gold Flecks

 

Too Fabu to Poo!

[+ Truereview]

http://statemuseumpa.org/levittown/images/lg_jpegs/D15P4.jpg

[+ FreshFluff]

Well not quite...lol

http://www.eichlernetwork.com/article/eichlers-balboa-highlands-granada-hills?page=0,1

I lived in one of the Eichler homes in the Balboa Highlands (sounds nicer than it was) in Granada Hills back in the day It was glorious. We had a pond that went from the court yard entry way, under a glass wall and continued into the living room. Before I leave this earth I always wanted to live in a Wright home, but alas...these old bones couldn't handle the cold of Chicago, where you can pick up one for a song, so for now, I can only dream.

 

Heh, the roof angle looked similar. Your house sounds very southern CA, especially the pond. Maybe you can rent Falling Water for a month?

 

I spent part of my childhood in an Eichler, which instilled in me an appreciation for a clean, minimalist aesthetic. That's what a Chinchilla Persian is all about.

[bigvalboy]

Heh, the roof angle looked similar. Your house sounds very southern CA, especially the pond. Maybe you can rent Falling Water for a month?

 

I spent part of my childhood in an Eichler, which instilled in me an appreciation for a clean, minimalist aesthetic. That's what a Chinchilla Persian is all about.

 

I love it FF. Eichler's were very special. Even then we knew how special they were...As for Falling Water, can you imagine living there? My FF is going to need someone who appreciates such things.

[+ FreshFluff]

I love it FF. Eichler's were very special. Even then we knew how special they were.

 

I think Eichlers were always considered special in your part of the state. In my area, people used to bitch about the radiant heating systems. Now that they're rarer, people like them more.

 

As for Falling Water, can you imagine living there? My FF is going to need someone who appreciates such things.

 

Someone who can overlook the mold.

[bigvalboy]

Someone who can overlook the mold.

 

lol...and the crumbling concrete, but in all fairness, what great lady doesn't need a little "lift" ... every now and again.

[Bearofdistinction]

My Parents had he original Levitt Homes Dream Kitchen in 1954-56

 

All Pink Porcelain Enamel Cabinets - Dishwasher - Washer - Dryer - Fridge all pink plus a Garbage Disposal

 

and the Countertops on the sink side were all stainless steel and on the other side Pink Formica with Gold Flecks

 

Too Fabu to Poo!

 

Pretty Close to the Original == But I remember the colors as more vibrant

 

http://statemuseumpa.org/levittown/images/lg_jpegs/kitchen_front.jpg

[+ Truereview]

@gallahadesquire , so is this project on hold while you recover from the knee surgery? I'd love to see pictures after the remodel.

[Carrie Davis]

yUP

[klifhangar]

I agree with the comment that the retro gets "kitschy" quickly. I would do very classic, clean lines - maybe subway tile, quartz counters, natural wood or white cabinets. I think this style of kitchen looks great in an older home.

[rvwnsd]

I agree with the comment that the retro gets "kitschy" quickly. I would do very classic, clean lines - maybe subway tile, quartz counters, natural wood or white cabinets. I think this style of kitchen looks great in an older home.

I agree about the white cabinets. A friend has a house built in the 1970's with the original white cabinets. She re-paints them every few years and they never look dated.

 

One additional thought about the retro appliances. The styles look right, but were appliances really turquoise and coral during that time period?

[+ Gar1eth]

I agree about the white cabinets. A friend has a house built in the 1970's with the original white cabinets. She re-paints them every few years and they never look dated.

 

One additional thought about the retro appliances. The styles look right, but were appliances really turquoise and coral during that time period?

 

My understanding about appliances is yes although not everyone had them. But think of the avocado and harvest gold appliances from the 1970's. Also remember how car interiors often echoed the color of the exterior.

 

I actually miss colored car interiors. The only new car I ever had was a 1990 Honda Civic (which I had until 2003-gosh I miss it). It was going to be my 4th car, and the first that I was paying for. I was excited about the opportunity to pick the car model and the color. I had always wanted a red car, and I thought this was my chance. If I remember correctly, when I finally decided on buying a Honda Civic, the interior of the red model came in that grey which is so common today. But the blue model still had a blue interior at that point. I chose the blue model specifically because it had a blue interior.

 

My dream car is an older 1960's mustang-possibly a convertible-red with red interior.

 

Gman

[+ quoththeraven]

My understanding about appliances is yes although not everyone had them. But think of the avocado and harvest gold appliances from the 1970's. Also remember how car interiors often echoed the color of the exterior.

 

I actually miss colored car interiors. The only new car I ever had was a 1990 Honda Civic (which I had until 2003-gosh I miss it). It was going to be my 4th car, and the first that I was paying for. I was excited about the opportunity to pick the car model and the color. I had always wanted a red car, and I thought this was my chance. If I remember correctly, when I finally decided on buying a Honda Civic, the interior of the red model came in that grey which is so common today. But the blue model still had a blue interior at that point. I chose the blue model specifically because it had a blue interior.

 

My dream car is an older 1960's mustang-possibly a convertible-red with red interior.

 

Gman

 

That's weird. The only new car I ever bought was red (more crimson/candy apple than firetruck) with a tan interior. I had to special order a gray interior.

[rvwnsd]

My understanding about appliances is yes although not everyone had them. But think of the avocado and harvest gold appliances from the 1970's....

That's the thing. I remember the avocado and harvest gold appliances of the 1970's, but I've only seen pictures of white appliances before that.

 

...I actually miss colored car interiors. The only new car I ever had was a 1990 Honda Civic (which I had until 2003-gosh I miss it). It was going to be my 4th car, and the first that I was paying for. I was excited about the opportunity to pick the car model and the color. I had always wanted a red car, and I thought this was my chance. If I remember correctly, when I finally decided on buying a Honda Civic, the interior of the red model came in that grey which is so common today. But the blue model still had a blue interior at that point. I chose the blue model specifically because it had a blue interior.

 

My dream car is an older 1960's mustang-possibly a convertible-red with red interior.

 

Gman

 

Oh, car interiors used to be soooo much better than today. My first car was a gently used silver/light green Pontiac Sunbird with very light olive corduroy seats and black dash/door panels. LOVED that interior. The next was a red Plymouth Horizon with red seats and maroon dash. Also LOVED that interior. Since then, somewhat blah interiors.

[+ Gar1eth]

That's weird. The only new car I ever bought was red (more crimson/candy apple than firetruck) with a tan interior. I had to special order a gray interior.

 

My newest car has a grey interior. But then the outside is grey/silver too. It wouldn't have been my 1st choice. But I needed a car, and I bought it off a family friend.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

 

One additional thought about the retro appliances. The styles look right, but were appliances really turquoise and coral during that time period?

 

My understanding about appliances is yes although not everyone had them. But think of the avocado and harvest gold appliances from the 1970's. Also remember how car interiors often echoed the color of the exterior.

 

I actually miss colored car interiors. The only new car I ever had was a 1990 Honda Civic (which I had until 2003-gosh I miss it). It was going to be my 4th car, and the first that I was paying for. I was excited about the opportunity to pick the car model and the color. I had always wanted a red car, and I thought this was my chance. If I remember correctly, when I finally decided on buying a Honda Civic, the interior of the red model came in that grey which is so common today. But the blue model still had a blue interior at that point. I chose the blue model specifically because it had a blue interior.

 

My dream car is an older 1960's mustang-possibly a convertible-red with red interior.

 

Gman

 

 

 

 

That's the thing. I remember the avocado and harvest gold appliances of the 1970's, but I've only seen pictures of white appliances before that.

 

 

 

Oh, car interiors used to be soooo much better than today. My first car was a gently used silver/light green Pontiac Sunbird with very light olive corduroy seats and black dash/door panels. LOVED that interior. The next was a red Plymouth Horizon with red seats and maroon dash. Also LOVED that interior. Since then, somewhat blah interiors.

 

http://www.littlethings.com/original-1950s-kitchen/

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii612/rexmaker/CF408EBE-A31F-48CD-851A-C18F89C7FDD5_zpsfdg2pqet.jpeg

 

Gman

[gallahadesquire]

The knee surgery is over, and recovery is going slowly. The doc said it was much worse than he thought (he's not an optimist at baseline), and i had soft tissue contractures that will take a long time to get over. I did, however, do full-circle pedaling both forward and backwards at PT on Thursday ... that was a major step forward!

 

Getting back on topic: The house was built in 1954. The owners I bought it from bought it in 1974, I think. When I got it, it had wall-to-wall yellow-green [more green] shag carpeting, except the rear bedroom, which had a varient of burnt umber. The wall were green. The trim was green. The back hall was brown paneling. The bathroom was '50's and had green indoor-outdoor green carpeting, as did the front stoop.

 

The kitchen had brown cabinets with black hardware. Everything was harvest gold (I should have taken photos): Dishwasher; side-by-side refrigerator; and split-level electric stove. The back was about an inch higher than the front. The floor was harvest gold. The floor was like this, or close enough:

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4O0ONKDmxv0/Twd5RVQrc3I/AAAAAAAAAUI/--zqvPguIDY/s760/main_linoleum_0710.jpg

 

I assume they were from a late '60's - early '70's remodel. Well, I hate side-by-sides, and the dishwasher was beginning to fail, and the stove DID fail, so off I went (we're now late '80's) to the appliance store. I made the guy's day:

"How can I help you?"

"I want

this

stove,

this

refrigerator, and we need to discuss dishwashers."

"OK!" (he was on commission).

In order: The front panel of the dishwasher died in 2007. (Replaced 2010) The oven igniter went in 2004 or so (replaced) . The fridge is getting more and more iffy. Odd fact: I can't get a new bottom-freezer to fit in the space, because they are now several inches taller. So I get to rip out an over-the-refrigerator cabinet and side-of broom closet.

 

I know it's impractical, but I'd love to do bead board cabinets with black or chrome hardware:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5bPKYqZb-8/UjoB4YDEwNI/AAAAAAAAApQ/jcRzN2-FurA/s640/IMG_7424.JPG

 

I have three (3) drawers in the current set up, so essentially ANY change out will be an improvement.

 

I can't abide stainless steel, which is fortunately going out of style. I figure, any redo will be acceptable to a new owner: White appliances. Subway tile backsplash. Light yellow paint. Faux formica; thank goodness stone is going out of style for countertops (although I love Ubatuba).

http://www.minimalisti.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/uba-tuba-granite-pictures.jpg

 

I don't know how much longer I'll stay here. All of my friends have left, and I'm bad at making new ones. But the kitchen HAS to be done over.

 

Oh, an interesting article on old colors. There were a lot, and yes Virginia, there was tourquise.

http://www.colorcombos.com/kitchen-appliance-color-choices-article.html

 

http://www.littlethings.com/original-1950s-kitchen/

Who says the french door refrigerator is new?

http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/vintage-GE-Americana-refrig.jpg

http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GE-Americana-refrigerator.jpg

 

I'd love one of these:

http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wall-refrigerator.jpg

Or worse yet:

http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ge-refrigeration-center.jpg

Full page:

http://retrorenovation.com/2013/04/08/ge-wall-refrigerator-freezer/

[+ Gar1eth]

The knee surgery is over, and recovery is going slowly. The doc said it was much worse than he thought (he's not an optimist at baseline), and i had soft tissue contractures that will take a long time to get over. I did, however, do full-circle pedaling both forward and backwards at PT on Thursday ... that was a major step forward!

I'm glad you are seeing improvement.

 

 

The floor was like this, or close enough:

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4O0ONKDmxv0/Twd5RVQrc3I/AAAAAAAAAUI/--zqvPguIDY/s760/main_linoleum_0710.jpg

 

 

I still like the floor

 

 

I can't abide stainless steel, which is fortunately going out of style.

 

My mother has a stainless steel refrigerator, and it's horrible for showing fingerprints.

 

While I'd be fine with kitsch, if you think you might be moving wouldn't it might be better to do a more neutral style?

 

Gman