Clik here to view.
Nanette & Jim’s Mamie pink bathroom — built from scratch — to look like it’s...
Nanette and Jim won our 2013 The Hard Way Award for their blue bathroom remodel. Now, this dynamic duo is at it again — this time, with a gut-remodel that transformed their upstairs bathroom from 1980s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stash of NOS kitchen sink cabinet vents made by Washington Steel Products
After we featured where to buy the metal sink vent that Dawn used on her bathroom sink cabinet, the Retro Decorating Gods delivered unto Pam this ebay stash of NOS cabinet sink vents — including...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Holiday lawn displays available since 1948 — 66 years — from U-Bild
Here’s a gift we weren’t expecting this season: Another company — in business since the 1940s — still making its products from back in the day. Yes, U-Bild has been in business since 1948 — that’s 66...
View ArticleClik here to view.
To stain or not to stain — should all wood tones match in Max’s apartment?
Reader Max is about to move into a new apartment in Chicago and has been frequenting estate sales to collect vintage furniture for his new place. He has found several pieces he loves — a dining set,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
1960 to 1969 linoleum block Christmas cards — an artist’s special gift to her...
Oh my, this story is over-the-moon wonderful. June is a regular reader and contributor to the blog. Over on the Merry Kitschmas Facebook group, Pam saw her mention that her mother had made...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Vote for our The Hard Way Award — Bathroom Remodel winner for 2014
Update: Voting is closed. Stay tuned for announcement of winner Friday, Jan. 23. We believe that bathrooms are the most excruciating rooms in the house to renovate — and when you’re trying to do it the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Seven steps — and 70 hours (!) — for Kate to build a dollhouse from scratch
Are you ready to read the epic tale of a modern girl trying to build a vintage dollhouse from an original pattern? You can take the trip in warp speed — in comparison to the 70+ hours it took me to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Four places to buy beautiful double cone “bowtie” lights — from $79 to $205
Following up on more leads for sputnik chandeliers, we discovered what look to be four great sources for five styles of midcentury style double cone lights aka “bowtie” sconces — all made in the USA...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kate goes krazy for wallpaper as she begins decorating her 1955-pattern...
The reward for the 70+ tedious hours to build my 1955 Betsy McCall dollhouse? Now it’s time for the fun part — decorating the interior — starting with the walls. At first, I simply planned to use...
View ArticleClik here to view.
14 vintage wallpaper options for the dollhouse
Wow — I now have 14 different vintage wallpaper choices to consider for the kitchen and dining room of my 1955 Betsy McCall DIY Dollhouse. When I ran into a … blank wall … a few weeks ago, Pam asked me...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A colorful galaxy of Spaghetti Lights — 2 shapes, 4 colors, 5 sizes —...
This one is a real coup — the first photos in the blogosphere of Practical Props’ new spaghetti globe and orb lights — in fact, they took the photos at our urging. Yes, Practical Props, makers of some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Retro door light kits are back on the market — 22 midcentury modern options
If you’re in the market for a front entry door with retro style, another option has become available. The Millwork Market recently started started offering DIY Lite Kits that allow you to (relatively)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Dish Quik dishwasher — our 4th soap+water dishwashing wand
Pam keeps close daily tabs on her 200 ebay saved searches daily for one reason in particular — woddity spotting! Last week, she spotted this new one — a vintage Dish Quik dishwashing wand. This is our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A vintage pink bathroom for the dollhouse — including World of Tile mini...
Having built my own life-sized Mamie pink bathroom, it was no question that my 1955 Betsy McCall DIY dollhouse would get its own pint-sized pink potty. Fortunately, Pam was looking for something she...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Vintage linen laminates — 12 colors in my collection of 1950s sample chips
Linen laminates were among the most popular in the 1950s — I will even surmise the most popular choice for kitchen and bathroom countertops. Continuing to fill out our historical archive, I organized...
View ArticleClik here to view.
NBI introduces its sixth vintage reproduction kitchen drainboard sink — 60″ wide
New for 2015, NBI Drainboard Sinks has added a sixth design to its fast-growing lineup of midcentury reproduction drainboard sinks. This new design option measures 60″ wide. Like NBI Drainboard’s other...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ding dong, dollhouse! A working doorbell — and tiny hi fi to hide the sound...
Robert Dobrin, self-titled Chief Ding Dong at ElectraChime, has outdone us all this time — he has built a mini chime doorbell for my in-progress DIY 1955 Betsy McCall dollhouse. But where to hide the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
15 new mosaic floor tile designs for a retro vintage style bathroom
A hot tip from reader Shawn led us to discover Classic Tile Inc. — an all-new source (to us) for mosaic tile flooring options perfect for a retro-vintage style bathroom. The New York based company...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Throwback ’72: Corelle’s new True Blue pattern — a riff on 1970s Old Town Blue
Yup: Corelle. The company knows a rockin’ retro opportunity when it sees one, and recently introduced a new pattern — True Blue — based on its popular 1972 design Old Town Blue. To come up with the new...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Charming 1930 Tudor Revival time capsule house — with upholstered dining room...
Yowza — aren’t these the most delicious red velvet upholstered dining room walls that you’ve ever seen before? Or, that you have ever seen ever?! Thanks to a tip from reader Elisabeth, we discovered...
View Article