Tiled Objets D'art

Kitchen Tile Back Splash 01, originally uploaded by MidModSTL.

This is it. This is what I would strive for if I had the option to do the kitchen back splash in any fashion I could choose. I don't even know if this example is actually vintage, but it sure looks right to me. The white flecked tile are classic mid century.

Tiles and mosaics were a very popular design element in the mid century. They moved beyond the walls of the bathroom and kitchen and became common on every day items, table tops and objets d'art (pssst... that's French for "objects of art", by the way).

According to what I've read, the 1/2-inch square ceramic tile size was seen in homes around about the early Sixties. It's use here in the photo with the 1-inch and other sizes make a mosaic eye candy pattern that's not too repetitive. The pale colors also help it to stay in the background without fighting for too much attention.

Brother Dear had made a tiled trivet in shop class back in those days. It's been in use in the kitchen every day since. I look at it, a little piece of MCM design history, and dream about having more of where these came from... it's light blue and white 1/2-inch ceramic tiles with gold flecks glittering off their surface. What I could do with a couple crate loads of those!

The Atomic Home Tour Continues

Well hello there, again!

This is your tour guide Babette again, and I'm very happy to be with all of you today. There's so much to see, isn't there? *gleem*

We've just finished up with the Living room, and now we'll continue on with our tour today by having a look at...


The Kitchen


This china hutch has been in this home and part of the family for many years, almost since the house was built.Oh dear *gasp!* As you can see the owner has been spending too much time chatting it up on his computer. He really should have gotten caught up on his housework and finished cleaning those dirty dishes before having a tour of his house, shouldn't he? ...Men! What can you do with them?...


The home owner told me that most of the items displayed in the kitchen belonged to his Mother. She was quite the vintage collector from what I understand.


And of course, the homeowner also has his own collections which he's quite proud of ...


In fact, I think you'll all agree that he's been collecting a little too much!

= = =

How much more of this snooping will the home owner allow???
Find out - come back next time!

Assignment: You Choose

Today I have a test for you. Don't worry, this involves nothing painful like a poke with a needle by a student nurse or reciting the Gettysburg Address while nasty children throw rotten tomatoes at you.

All that I'm asking is for you to pick just one of the following examples that you like best, and a short explanation why.

Now remember, I want to see your report on my desk first thing in the morning. If you do well on your homework, I may dismiss you for an early recess. But if you score poorly, you may be kept after school (along with those nasty kids who were caught tossing the tomatoes).

After all, I only said this wasn't painful... I didn't say there weren't any consequences. :D

Danish Modern Pole Lamp - $85

A Very Fifties-looking Sofa - $300

A Blonde Standing Trunk (Junior could store a lot of his horde in there) - $65

Spun Steel Soda Fountain Dessert Cup Holders - $22

Unique Vinyl-Covered Shell Chair - $175

Wrought Iron Bar Stool - $75



Steel Doctor's Desk - $250



Admiral? Television Set - Not for Sale... booo!

Temptations

Atomic Boomerang glassware! I feel like partying already!

hmmmm... One very laid-back Fifties clock, rounded edges... and I like the hands.

Hey! It's Ralph's bowling ball bag and bowling ball (inside the bowling ball bag)!

Anthropomorphic ware always looks good in the kitchen... but I don't know...


Yes, its a Lincoln Beautyware papertowel/foil/wax paper organizer. I must have this because I'm all about being better organized... plus it looks kinda spiffy :)

"Oh my darling Chrome Chair, *sigh* We can't go on meeting like this again!"
What will the neighbors think? Why must you lure me in so?... always begging for me to take you with me, when I already have a kitchenette set at home to think of.

Plumbing Paydirt!

Brace yourself... this is going to be a long one ;) If you happened to see a dark cloud of nasty words floating over middle America today, it's because I was working on the plumbing again. Actually I had incredibly good luck earlier this afternoon. You know the kind of fortune, the kind you only hear happening to the other guy.

Since I was already in the neighborhood, I had a look in the cramped little plumbing hardware that I'd been forced to beg for help from a year ago. This is the place that put an end to a four month long leaky faucet ordeal (a.k.a. nightmare! which included the cold water knob being blown off the tub, the bathroom getting flooded and my then 8 year old Junior so traumatized he couldn't be left alone in the bath for a week). This little shop carried the part for my fixture which nobody, not Menards, not Ace, or any of the big chains had ever seen before because it was longer in production.

Anyway, I had a look at what they had to sell me, and I was excited. There was not only just one but enough to give a person some choices in rebuilt mid-century faucets and accessories. Craigslist never had anything like this!

A clerk came over and asked what I was looking for. I think I scared him off because after I told him, he looked a bit lost and then walked back to the counter. LoL

After ogling the goods for a while, I caught up with the lost clerk and asked if he had sink basins too. He kinda mumbled and led me to the back. My hopes sank because everything he showed me was contemporary. Then I spied over the display fixtures to something way back, hanging from a peg on the corner wall. Chills ran through me - could it be? It was a porcelain kitchen sink, like we had when I was a kid.... like new and never used! It may have been covered in dust and cobwebs, and it may have been sitting around for who knows how long, but it was a thing of porcelain beauty.

The clerk didn't know what to charge since it had been forgotten so long, but I think he must have been glad to finally unload it - he asked only $25 for it. I was stunned... I forgot all about the faucets!

Another epic search was over and I took off for home with my sink like someone who'd just robbed Fort Knox.

...now where did I put that pipe wrench?...

Fab Fleamarket Finds for $15

Cinco de Mayo? Already??

Well, well, well... it certainly was a busy April bringing warmer weather upon us, and I've been working very hard to do my part to boost an ailing economy :)


This foot stool is puuuurrfect for my pad. I've always had a weakness for mid-century wrought iron. It's airy, light and seems to float above the floor. It also has a handy magazine rack underneath in case I'm feeling too lazy to walk two feet to put my reading material where it belongs. And this was a steal at $15... woohooo!




Harkerware produced several pastel-colored versions of this set in the 60's. I really like the flecked pattern to the glaze of these. The seller had combined equal parts of the Shell Pink and the Blue Mist sets... making for an extremely atomic-looking combo! I walked away with the whole thing for just $15. Go me! Go me!

Elkay Space Age Sink on eBay

Whoever thought that doing the dishes could be this Thrilling?

MID CENTURY RETRO MODERN SINK 1950's EAMES STREAMLINED
A dashboard style light & control panel, streamlined fixtures, and three basins - how could any one resist? Understandaby this is a rare find. Who knows how many of these are still around?

This I Like! Too bad the seller doesn't ship :/

Kitchen Tile Back Splash

Kitchen Tile Back Splash 01
Originally uploaded by MidModSTL

This I like.

I like it enough that I would replicate this in my own unfinished kitchen. The mosaic pattern in late 50's-early 60's 1" tiles would be absolutely appropriate in our little ranch.

Even the colors are perfect-o!

If only I could find a source for tile just like these... who makes the small 1/2 inch size anymore?

Candy Dishes for the Space Age

Any one for a mint?



Here's a couple of un-boring shapes to serve up your guests in retro style. Naturally the split boomerang is my fave. It's a bright red glaze over ceramic, maker unknown. The dappled green glass plate is also unlabeled.

New Cosco Retro Chair/Step Stool vs. the Original

Here it is, a kitchen classic, and it's been reintroduced by Cosco, finished in red, yellow and black. The new version is convincingly like the original, but with a few notable exceptions (so be warned if you're expecting to get the real deal). Appearance-wise, the four main legs fasten completly underneath the seat and I've read that the chrome finish does not stand up well over time. Also plastic has been substituted for metal for various parts. It's not as structurally rock solid as the original which was American made. This one's made in China.




You can order online from Amazon.com. It's available on various home sites such as Target and Home depot, but wasn't available at any our local retailers. Mine came from a flea-market (of course) covered in accumulated layers of grime, stained blue paint and nasty rust. A week and a little magic later, and the below photo shows the result. The corrosion came off with steel wool and the chrome below reappeared like new. The paint job was a bit more difficult, trying to find the proper shade of vermillion red, I finally settled with Testors Bright Red modelor's spray paint.

Junior now has no trouble at all climbing up it's steps to reach the forbidden cookie jar!

Time to Go Shopping

This beautiful modern chrome sputnik pendant light will make a stylish addition to any room. Features chromed metal frame, hardwire application only, canopy included.

Sputnik Light at Bella Modern

These aren't only attractive reproductions, they're the most affordable with 18 arms!

Kitchen with a Japanese Taste

Enter stage right - the Kitchen

Probably no room in the home did more to define the 1950's decade than the kitchen. Remember the Kitchen of Tomorrow? Why wasn't there a den, a bedroom, or even a livingroom of Tomorrow?

And all the gadgetery dreampt up! Go to any fleamarket or antique store and you'll find 10 times more kitchen related items than any other.

Our house lost it's essential 50's-ishness in the kitchen only ten years ago (sigh). After 40 years Mom wanted an update, so out went the original maple wood cabinetry, the built-in yellow-enamel stove and built-in yellow-enamel oven. The photos below show the identical pink units still in place next door at (formerly) Grandma's house. The formica countertop is vintage too.









The first thing to go was the old kitchen table from the 70's. The search was tedious, but my efforts paid off - as seen below. Swanky and very hip-happening! Charcoal formica top with chrome strip edging, black tapered legs and pink vinyl upholstery all perfectly packaged into a stylish yet comfortable feel. This set by Daystrom was listed by the seller as being of 60's vintage, though I've seen the same group offered as far back as 1953 in one publication. Daystrom was among the most productive manufacturers of mid century metal dinette sets such as this.