Show us your vintage home!

[dhermann1]

re: "Do you cook on it?" Here's another example of the fact that one of the cool things about the "vintage" lifestyle is that the old, mid 20th century appliances of almost every type work just as well as most modern ones, and some even better. Whether it's a stove, rotary phone, fridge, vacuum cleaner, etc., etc., they built them to last in those days, and they still do.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Ahem dhermann1! That phenomenon goes past appliances too. For example, the tiny, unmolested, 30s kitchen in my in apartment is so perfectly efficient. One of its advantages is that you can actually turn in place and be within a step or two of anything you need when cooking. I find the modern obsession with chrome kitchen appliances and "more counter space" funny. Folks nowadays have no conception of how much cooking people really did in the days before pre-packaged foods and microwavable items. My grandma used to prepare the most amazing meals ever known to humankind (IMHO) and she did it all on an old gas Wedgwood without a Viking sub-zero freezer or a 101 speed food processor!

 

[sheeplady]

I find the modern obsession with chrome kitchen appliances and "more counter space" funny. Folks nowadays have no conception of how much cooking people really did in the days before pre-packaged foods and microwavable items. My grandma used to prepare the most amazing meals ever known to humankind (IMHO) and she did it all on an old gas Wedgwood without a Viking sub-zero freezer or a 101 speed food processor!

Well, I think the need for more counter space is because of more appliances. A coffee maker, 6 or 8 slice toaster, toaster oven, food processor, standmixer, blender, microwave, etc. all take up a huge amount of space. Old toasters took up less room and there was no microwave or coffee maker to take up space for most people. With a dishwasher, you lose that cabinet space for storage, and everybody wants everything right there on the countertop. I read someplace that the average person in the US has 12-15 countertop appliances (or things with cords that plug in other than a fridge).

When we took apart our kitchen, we found the original layout based upon the paint marks and the spots in the original floor. They updated our kitchen in the 1960s, and the amount of counterspace was about the same before and after the remodel- I measured. About a wash for cabinet space (modern cabinets are a bit deeper), but they added a dishwasher.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Well, I think the need for more counter space is because of more appliances. A coffee maker, 6 or 8 slice toaster, toaster oven, food processor, standmixer, blender, microwave, etc. all take up a huge amount of space. Old toasters took up less room and there was no microwave or coffee maker to take up space for most people. With a dishwasher, you lose that cabinet space for storage, and everybody wants everything right there on the countertop. I read someplace that the average person in the US has 12-15 countertop appliances (or things with cords that plug in other than a fridge).

When we took apart our kitchen, we found the original layout based upon the paint marks and the spots in the original floor. They updated our kitchen in the 1960s, and the amount of counterspace was about the same before and after the remodel- I measured. About a wash for cabinet space (modern cabinets are a bit deeper), but they added a dishwasher.

I agree with you about the origins of counter space expansionist movement being the inordinate amount of marginally useful schlock. . . er . . . wonderful modern conveniences of the 21st century kitchen, but I never met a dishwasher that could get anything cleaner than I can . . . I don't require a pre-rinse down either LOL

If fact, other than a small microwave I keep tucked away, I make due with basically no modern appliances. I've always found most of them to be more hassle than they're worth. Take for example my saga of the steam iron. I wanted an iron with a steam feature, so I bought a high-end one; it died after a month. I sent it back under warranty; the replacement died too. By the time the third one arrived I'd given up on the idea an already gone back to using my 50s GE steamless iron + a damp pressing cloth for steam, which I've been doing for years with zero headache . . .

 

[Forgotten Man]

Fedoralover, your home is lovely, the use of area rugs is quite accurate for a 10s-20s home, the furniture is lovely, the layout flows and is inviting... Very cozy, warm and charming. If you'd like to take it one step further, a period fridge would compliment that lovely stove of yours. ;-) Also, they're very good on economy. Just a suggestion from one who uses one.

Vintage kitchens:

Guttersnipe, you're so correct about the older kitchens. At one time, they were small because that allowed the homemaker to move about without taking too much time in travel to one end or the other. The kitchen at that time was a practical place, there was also a door on those kitchens that kept the kitchen business in the kitchen.

We have a very simple 40s kitchen in our apt. Mostly original, we have a GE monitor top fridge that doesn't have the capacity of a modern fridge, however it's fine for the two of us and we know to cook only for two and it keeps less left overs going into cold storage. It's all about economizing one's habits. We have a three speed 1934 Hamilton Beach model B mixer on our counter, with a 1936 Toastmaster. A few canisters and a depression glass cookie jar. Our coffee is made by stove top peculator, modern coffee makers are easy, but the night before we clean and prep the pot for the morning and takes just a few minutes to perk that perfect cup, and no need for paper filters either!

microwaves are the devil, you'll never see one in our house... radiated food isn't on the menu here, no sir!

It's simple to live with antiques, so long you apply simple, basic habits, you'll find it's rather fun and educational!

 

[Big Man]

I spent the last couple of weeks repainting one of the rooms in my old house. The last time the room was painted was in the early 1970's when my aunt did some painting. So, needless to say, it was about time for a new coat of paint.

Before I began painting, I did some "investigating" on what color room may have been in times past. I recall my aunt saying that "Dad had the entire house painted yellow at one time." After careful scraping of several layers of paint, I did indeed discover what was once yellow paint. It appeared that that was the color the room was as early as 1917. I matched the old color as best I could (trying to account for almost 100 years worth of age on the paint), and began work.

It took me a while to get used to a yellow room, but it really grew on me and I like it now. Here are a couple pictures of the new paint job.

 

[Tomasso]

Good job, BM. I have a yellow bedroom and find it quite enjoyable.

 

[rue]

What a fantastic shade of yellow Big Man! It looks like a really happy room

 

[Lucky Strike]

Here's the "blank canvas", as it was around three years ago - this was taken the day before the electrician was coming in, then carpenters, painters...we were confined to the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen while they were doing up the living-room, dining-room/office and hall, which took them a month or so. Bathroom was finished just before I moved in, thankfully. (See my old posts in the WAYWT thread, it's the one with black-and-white-checked tile floor.)

Living-room:

Dining-room/office:

Hall with wardrobe and shoe-closet, which we kept:

Original jute wallpaper, 1931, sadly unsalvageable, and also impossible to replace:

(Don't look at the furniture, most of it has left the building.)

 

[Lucky Strike]

Continuation (please bear with me, the apartment gets better in time)...



View from kitchen or living-room, sundown:

Same side, late afternoon:

And in winter:

View from bedroom, late afternoon:

 

[Lucky Strike]

Third post; I managed to find doorhandles of the correct type for the whole apartment, nickel-plated, with bakelite grips. (Pics later.)

We also changed the frames around the windows from a very misunderstood previous attempt at "retro-ing" the place. The simple square ones are far more correct for the period, and also matches the original door framings.

Before:

After:

And here's the outside, it's the top floor:

Another detail; neo-classical coal/wood-firing stove, very martial decor. We call the the War Memorial.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Furniture: There's the rococo table from this thread, that's already moved over to our new apartment.

Some tubular steel furniture we bought in various places and had reupholstered, here's the "before" condition:

And after:

 

[Lucky Strike]

We also bought a late 17th century table (OK, I'd say roundabout 1700 exactly), and some mid-century-modern chairs that match passably in the tone of the wood:

And a cocktail cabinet, wedding present form my co-workers:

 

[Lucky Strike]

Here's the estate agent's photos. (We're somewhat reluctantly selling, as the son-and-heir arriving in a couple of weeks demands his own room, better kindergartens and schools than in the area - and we wanted an elevator, at least if we were going to live six tall flights up with a small child.)

We never got around to installing a new kitchen, so we'll sell it with the old, crappy one that was there when we moved in. Otherwise, all the walls were just plastered and painted again last week, and the bathroom is three-four years old.

We decided to leave the floors as they are, we've just scrubbed them brutally, which I think left a nice patina, although many people would want the floors refinished, I guess.

Living-room:

Looking into the dining-room/home office:

Dining-room:

Bedroom:

Kitchen, bathroom and plan:

 

[tonyb]

I'm really, really, really diggin' your pad, 'Strike.

If that corner sofa and chair were mine, I'd have been inclined to leave the upholstery as it was, but seeing how it's turning out has me appreciating why you went the route you did.

Please, keep the pictures coming. You've obviously put a lot of thought and effort (and a bit of money, too, I assume) into your home. It's looking like you had Eileen Gray over for a consultation.

EDIT: You posted again while I was banging out the above. So all I have to add is ditto, ditto, ditto.

EDIT, again: Congratulations on the new addition to the family. Still, it's kind of a drag to have to move after all you've put into that place.

 

[Lucky Strike]

I'm really, really, really diggin' your pad, 'Strike.

If that corner sofa and chair were mine, I'd have been inclined to leave the upholstery as it was, but seeing how it's turning out has me appreciating why you went the route you did.

Please, keep the pictures coming. You've obviously put a lot of thought and effort (and a bit of money, too, I assume) into your home. It's looking like you had Eileen Gray over for a consultation.

Thank you! That's very high praise in my ears - Gray is one of my absolute designer favourites.

EDIT, again: Congratulations on the new addition to the family. Still, it's kind of a drag to have to move after all you've put into that place.

Actually, I'm loving the new place; it's a 1939 building in a far more radical modernist/international style, and built to higher standards - there's polished oak floors, a big fireplace, a balcony, a bedroom for the offspring, and far, far better kindergartens and schools around than this area offers. The area we're leaving is a just-now-gentrifying, old working-class part of town, and schools, parking, quiet at night etc. isn't the priority for the students, hipsters and bohemians moving in around here. It was perfect for us before we started having kids, though.

The new place also has its original 1939 lift with "Long live the King!" WWII graffiti intact inside, and the old-fashioned type of expanding/hinged grid metal inner doors (very film noir, I feel).

 

[rue]

Wonderful remodel Lucky Strike and those views are amazing! I'm sorry you have to leave it.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Here's a few photos of the new place, it's from the sales brochure, so none of the furniture and stuff is ours, although some very nice pieces, I have to admit.

1939 and 1950s photos:

The penthouse flat was originally built as a place-in-town for Wagner soprano Kirsten Flagstad, but this fell through, presumably because of her...wartime troubles. The top flat was then bought by Gudmund Brundtland, cabinet minister and father of later prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, who grew up there.

Today's situation - it's built on a wedge-shaped plot, so it has a sort of flat-iron shape:

Lift (the metal draw-grid, or whatever it's called, is behind the door, and is attached to the lift's cage).

 

[Lucky Strike]

Living-room:

I'm planning on placing the corner sofa around the fireplace, and having the diinner-table by the window/balcony, like the previous occupants. That huge cabinet/shelf thing has left, and will be replaced by something lower.

"Nursery":

Thankfully, the previous owners were very good with uncovering and recreating original features, they managed to get all the correct door-handles, and kept the original teakwood window frames and sills. They're taking a couple of very period-correct lamps with them, which is of course a pity, but quite understandable.

Bedroom, I don't really like the new floors in the nursery and bedroom, as they don't match the original floors in the living-room and hall, but whatever:

Bathroom:

The kitchen will be upgraded somewhat, I'm considering having the cabinet doors lacquered white, and I want a stainless steel sheet between the upper and loer cabinets on the left:

Balcony and view:

And plan:

 

[tonyb]

Yeah, I can see how a person could get used to the new place.

I like the idea of the corner sofa defining the area around the fireplace. I'm thinking a credenza (or something akin to one, maybe) against the wall where the previous occupants' sofa was?

It would never occur to many people (most, probably) to put molded-plywood chairs with chrome-plated steel legs with a 300-year-old table, but it certainly works for me.