Down to earth, period-correct home renovation resources.
September 29, 2015 2:27 PM Subscribe
Our house was built in 1959. We're looking for resources for period-correct fixtures, trim, furniture…everything really, and are getting a little lost. We'd prefer resources broken down by construction year.
Our house sits somewhere in the venn diagram of "Bungalow" "Ranch" and "Cottage." Here's an exterior shot…anyone with a better description that can help with this question, feel free to toss it in the mix. That might actually help with my broader question.
Five years ago, the house was gutted somewhat, most of the fixtures were replaced with builder-grade off the shelf stuff from Home Depot and other box stores. None of the stuff is bad, its just really plain. The work was well done for the most part (except the bathroom tile looks like it was done by a 5 year who did the whole thing with a hacksaw, superglue and a BAC) so nothing on our list is time sensitive. The structure and internals of the house are in really good shape (new electrical, plumbing and insulation!), but we're starting to identify things we'd like to upgrade, change, or restore closer to the original design. We're having trouble finding resources that are time-period specific. We'll just find things that are labeled 'vintage' or 'midcentury.' And that's just confusing us. What would work in a midcentury atomic-ranch, just doesn't work in this house. What would work in a craftsman bungalow might be closer, but still doesn't really work either. Our personal tastes have a pretty wide range, so we're sort of letting the house dictate the direction we take with any upgrades we embark on.
A specific example, is when I go looking a replacement bathroom faucet, I go look on a couple websites, check out restoration hardware, and just do a search for '1950's faucets', but the results I get are so varried and broad that I'm just as lost when I started. When I find a reproduction, I can't always tell what it is a reproduction of, or when the original was.
I'd really prefer a resources where I can research the possible types of faucets (or trim, or flooring, or whatever else item we're looking at replacing) that would've been installed in the house, or houses of similar design and era. Decade-level resolution would work, but I'd prefer something a bit more fine grained if at all possible.
Where should I be looking hive-mind? This is clearly not my wheelhouse; I'm not sure of search terms or even some of the, probably more common resources for projects like this. I'm no expert, but I'd rather not go to school to become a historical interior designer or architect just to redo parts of the house, but I would like to be more informed and purposeful with our fixture choices.
Our house sits somewhere in the venn diagram of "Bungalow" "Ranch" and "Cottage." Here's an exterior shot…anyone with a better description that can help with this question, feel free to toss it in the mix. That might actually help with my broader question.
Five years ago, the house was gutted somewhat, most of the fixtures were replaced with builder-grade off the shelf stuff from Home Depot and other box stores. None of the stuff is bad, its just really plain. The work was well done for the most part (except the bathroom tile looks like it was done by a 5 year who did the whole thing with a hacksaw, superglue and a BAC) so nothing on our list is time sensitive. The structure and internals of the house are in really good shape (new electrical, plumbing and insulation!), but we're starting to identify things we'd like to upgrade, change, or restore closer to the original design. We're having trouble finding resources that are time-period specific. We'll just find things that are labeled 'vintage' or 'midcentury.' And that's just confusing us. What would work in a midcentury atomic-ranch, just doesn't work in this house. What would work in a craftsman bungalow might be closer, but still doesn't really work either. Our personal tastes have a pretty wide range, so we're sort of letting the house dictate the direction we take with any upgrades we embark on.
A specific example, is when I go looking a replacement bathroom faucet, I go look on a couple websites, check out restoration hardware, and just do a search for '1950's faucets', but the results I get are so varried and broad that I'm just as lost when I started. When I find a reproduction, I can't always tell what it is a reproduction of, or when the original was.
I'd really prefer a resources where I can research the possible types of faucets (or trim, or flooring, or whatever else item we're looking at replacing) that would've been installed in the house, or houses of similar design and era. Decade-level resolution would work, but I'd prefer something a bit more fine grained if at all possible.
Where should I be looking hive-mind? This is clearly not my wheelhouse; I'm not sure of search terms or even some of the, probably more common resources for projects like this. I'm no expert, but I'd rather not go to school to become a historical interior designer or architect just to redo parts of the house, but I would like to be more informed and purposeful with our fixture choices.
Best answer: I call your house a 1950's cottage. It's not what people think of with the word "ranch." I have a similar house with maybe a touch more 1950's "flair" (though not much more) in the Portland area and I do remodels and additions. These homes are very common. These houses were developer/builder homes. Not typically made for any specific resident and so are often utilitarian but also very well made. "Atomic" they are not. So, I think very simple and minimal treatments look best in them.
For baseboards, I do a squared off trim. Clean lines are your friend in these homes. For fixtures and faucets -- look for simple and minimalist designs. For lighting, look for lamps that throw light on walls or ceiling -- 8' ceilings abound so it's nice to make use of them as a reflector.
On the front of your house, I'd love to see something more special with the window to the right -- a bedroom? Maybe something wider or a "corner" window. You could also add a roof over your porch to extend to the street, increasing its "cottage" vibe. And a lively paint update.
The deal with these homes is they are blank slates. Craftsman would overwhelm them but the true fixtures that you would find originally in these homes tended to be very "everyman" and not very special to our modern eye.
At Schoolhouse for your home, I'd choose on that page maybe Nova or Alabax. Metal and aluminum were also popular and those aren't too "atomic" for your house. You can get a better sense for scale and charm in person if you have a chance.
What I find kind of a bummer about my house is it has just a few tiny features that speak to the era and a personal touch – the original fir plywood cabinets in the kitchen, a graduated shelf design at the kitchen island, and a squared rail design at the entry. If you do anything in your home, try to find something that gives it the "love." If we live here much longer, the cabinets are going to go and the shelf design isn't very practical so I need to find some way to incorporate something interesting into the house that makes it have some heart. Maybe a screen somewhere?
posted by amanda at 4:15 PM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
For baseboards, I do a squared off trim. Clean lines are your friend in these homes. For fixtures and faucets -- look for simple and minimalist designs. For lighting, look for lamps that throw light on walls or ceiling -- 8' ceilings abound so it's nice to make use of them as a reflector.
On the front of your house, I'd love to see something more special with the window to the right -- a bedroom? Maybe something wider or a "corner" window. You could also add a roof over your porch to extend to the street, increasing its "cottage" vibe. And a lively paint update.
The deal with these homes is they are blank slates. Craftsman would overwhelm them but the true fixtures that you would find originally in these homes tended to be very "everyman" and not very special to our modern eye.
At Schoolhouse for your home, I'd choose on that page maybe Nova or Alabax. Metal and aluminum were also popular and those aren't too "atomic" for your house. You can get a better sense for scale and charm in person if you have a chance.
What I find kind of a bummer about my house is it has just a few tiny features that speak to the era and a personal touch – the original fir plywood cabinets in the kitchen, a graduated shelf design at the kitchen island, and a squared rail design at the entry. If you do anything in your home, try to find something that gives it the "love." If we live here much longer, the cabinets are going to go and the shelf design isn't very practical so I need to find some way to incorporate something interesting into the house that makes it have some heart. Maybe a screen somewhere?
posted by amanda at 4:15 PM on September 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
My house is from 1960. A lot has been changed, but we still have an original master bathroom. The vanity is wrapped with light gray Formica and the tile is light green. The medicine cabibet has sliding mirror doors and the frame is chromed. The light over tne cabinet is two bulbs set horizontally behind a glass cover.
Before renovation, the big bathroom had a dark gray Formica vanity and pink tile. The fixtures are just ordinary.
It's hard for me to understand anyone wanting to keep true to the era. Small houses were being built by the millions for little money as people moved to the suburbs. They were built on the cheap with none of the craftsmanship of earlier eras. Plastic products were coming in and replacing oak and maple.
MeMail me if you would like pictures.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
Before renovation, the big bathroom had a dark gray Formica vanity and pink tile. The fixtures are just ordinary.
It's hard for me to understand anyone wanting to keep true to the era. Small houses were being built by the millions for little money as people moved to the suburbs. They were built on the cheap with none of the craftsmanship of earlier eras. Plastic products were coming in and replacing oak and maple.
MeMail me if you would like pictures.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Could it be an American Small House?
More on the American Small House.
posted by Violet Hour at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2015 [4 favorites]
More on the American Small House.
posted by Violet Hour at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2015 [4 favorites]
Seconding Retro Renovation - you've got what they call a "Midcentury Modest" house!
posted by plasticpalacealice at 6:40 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by plasticpalacealice at 6:40 PM on September 29, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 2:51 PM on September 29, 2015 [1 favorite]