Examples of vintage tile work?

[DecoDame]

Hello, folks.

First, brief background: We're in the midst of remodeling our kitchen and trying to recreate a 30s-40s era look. The building was a 40s orchard storage building - basically a large, open garage when we purchased it! - and we've lived the first 10 years in it with just the most basic modern (read: cheap) functional kitchen furnishings and are ready to do something about that now. So, we're starting from scratch, really. And using as much salvaged items as possible...

Anyway, we are looking to tile the kitchen counter and backsplash (probably a hexagonal on the counter and subway on the walls) and I'm a little stumped on what to do about the "trim" - all the pieces that cap the edge of the counter, meet the wall, work around the sink (we have a salvaged enameled cast iron), etc.

I'm very visual, and I'm just looking for pics of period examples of this to give me a sense of what to shoot for. I've proven very incompetent at navigating the search engine here - can anyone point me to already existing thread(s)? Or any outside links?

Looking for pictorial resources, for inspiration and education, basically.... Much obliged!

 

[dhermann1]

Look at the RetroRenovation blog. She has a lot of info on tiles, plus a vendor with a huge warehouse full of vintage tiles of all sorts. She's more oriented to 50's and 60's "Mid century modern", but she has a lot of info and interest in earlier periods, as well.
http://retrorenovation.com/
And there are some good images here:
http://www.antiquehome.org/Inside-your-house/1940s/1940s-Kitchens/

 

[MPicciotto]

Look at the RetroRenovation blog. She has a lot of info on tiles, plus a vendor with a huge warehouse full of vintage tiles of all sorts. She's more oriented to 50's and 60's "Mid century modern", but she has a lot of info and interest in earlier periods, as well.
http://retrorenovation.com/

That blog is EPIC!! Thanks for sharing it. I've squandered the entire evening on it already.

Matt

 

[DecoDame]

Thanks, dherrmann1. Those are some interesting links. But a little off the mark for what I've in mind...

I'm having a heck of time finding pictures now - tho it seemed it was in every reno hardware catalog I saw for years. This is the best/closet picture I can find, myself, so far (to narrow it down):

http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/customers/settingdisplay.html?setting_id=111&category=kitchen

(Does that come thru - the "Stevens" kitchen?)

I'm particularly interested in all the trim and cap bits. Pictures showing how they were used in the day.

 

[DecoDame]

In case anyone does a search for similar info in future, I'm adding this...

I actually found a book that's been very helpful:

"Bungalow Kitchens" by Jane Powell. The title put me off at first, as I associate Bungalow with more of a Mission/Arts and Crafts house with lots of stained wood, but this includes that and just about any other style between 1900-1940s.

She has broken things down to era and feature (floors, faucets etc), and explains what was commonly there and what materials used... Great period info and plenty of pictures of renovated examples. Again, very helpful and highly recommended.

Cheers.

 

[cookie]

Thanks, dherrmann1. Those are some interesting links. But a little off the mark for what I've in mind...

I'm having a heck of time finding pictures now - tho it seemed it was in every reno hardware catalog I saw for years. This is the best/closet picture I can find, myself, so far (to narrow it down):

http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/customers/settingdisplay.html?setting_id=111&category=kitchen

(Does that come thru - the "Stevens" kitchen?)

I'm particularly interested in all the trim and cap bits. Pictures showing how they were used in the day.

I have walked into kitchens in Deco Era houses just like that even in 1920s houses...