Show us your vintage home!

[russa11]

that is a cool looking clock.

 

[Big Man]

"New" edition to my home ...

I recently added a "new" edition to my home - my great grandfather's clock. My great grandfather had this clock from sometime in the late 1800's until his death in 1943. For the next ten or so years I don't know what happened to it, but it was given to my Dad around 1950. When my Dad got the clock it wasn't working, so he "tinkered with it" till it began to run again. The old clock ran continuously from that time until a couple of years ago when it just stopped. I tried to "tinker with it" myself, but to no avail. After my Dad passed away back in November, I took the clock to someone who could properly make the necessary repairs. I got it back this weekend, and it is once again running like it should.

There's something about that steady "tick-tock" sound that is reassuring to hear. The old label inside the clock says "warranted if well used". I wonder if the clock maker ever envisioned that old clock running (and keeping perfect time) all these years later.

 

[imoldfashioned]

I've always admired these houses; on a street full of Boston capes they look like they were dropped in straight from California. Seeing their red tile roofs covered in snow yesterday made me smile.

I adore that window on the right.

In the summertime they have the awnings extended and it looks lovely.

 

[dhermann1]

Progress report - advice solicitation

You may remember I moved into my apartment in a beautiful 1939 vintage Art Deco apartment building in The Bronx last April. It's been a long slow process, and much of my place remains a debris field. But junk is finally making its way to the basement.
I've been making myself totally nuts over my kitchen. Here are the results so far, and I'd like .opinions on something.
Here's how it looks from the kitchen door tight now:

I'm using the old bread box as sort of a theme for the whole thing. The moulding is fire engine red, I got a chrome pot rack, a retro battery powered clock, and a retro kitchen stool. Oh, yes, and a new very 30's - 40's ceiling fixture from Rejuvenation.com. I'm thinking of painting the cabinets white, and adding chrome deco knobs and pulls, also from Rejuvenation. (They have great stuff.)
You'll notice the curtains. Here is where I want advice. I got a pair of 30's vintage authentic feed sacks on Ebay. Cheap, $17 for the pair. I made simple curtains out of them, in fact I just hand sewed them. We're talking crude but effective, here. But they're only 44 " high by 37" wide, so they don't quite reach the top of the window.
I also got 2 full yards of reproduction material, also a 30's pattern, but brand new and, of course, available in whatever quantity I need.
So here's my quandary: Which looks best?
There's one shot with just the feed sacks up, tied back with twine.

Here's the new material, thrown up like just a valance:

And here's the old material, with the new as a valance:

So which looks most promising? A friend at work who does quilting (and is utterly tickled about my little project) thinks they look nice in combination.
I just have the feed sacks up, (on a spring rod, so I can move them up and down), and I sort of like them as they are I though I might put a wood valance with little scallops across the top, as they did in that era. That will cover up the gaposis. But it's another mini project.
Opinions?

 

[dhermann1]

And finally

And finally, turning around and looking at the door from the inside is this. The ceiling fixture I had previously held 3 60 watts bulbs. The new one has a single 150 watt bulb, which is not quite as bright. So I found a little wall lamp on Ebay for under $20, and stuck it up. It's made of either plaster or porcelain, I guess probably porcelain, and I ran the wire down the door frame and plugged it into an on/off switch that plugs into a receptacle, so it makes it a light switch.

I'm having fun!

 

[David Conwill]

The wife and I both agreed - the two fabrics together looks the best. I can't speak to era appropriateness, however.

We're in the negotiations to buy a c. 1920 American Foursquare ourselves. It will be our first house. Here's hoping the inspection doesn't turn up anything catastrophic (or rather, that there's nothing catastrophic for an inspection to turn up).

-Dave

 

[texasgirl]

As a quilter too I like the combination. I think the cabinets painted white would look great too. And I have the same clock as you! But I love it- great job

 

[MaryDeluxe]

Hi DH,

Your place is coming along very nicely! Here are my thoughts on your fabric....

I think they work really well together! Good Job! Don't be afraid to mix prints just try to keep the color consistent.

The length of you feed sack curtains bothers me so I suggest taking some of your new fabric and adding it to the bottom of your feed sack fabric to make it longer.... Will work really well together and look super cute!

I think combining your fabrics and making cafe curtains would be your best bet...

EDIT: This si not my kitchen, it's a picture from a book about curtains...just wanted to show a visual for you....I'm an art teacher I like visuals!

 

[Miss Caroline]

i think maybe some red fabric sewn tothe bottom of the feed sacks to lengthen them.
i can't clash things you see, so the idea of mixing patterns literally scares me.
I also like the cafe curtain idea too!!

(ps... I may be being really dense... but what are feed sacks... and if they are what they sound to be ie. sacks that hold animal feed.... why are they so pretty looking?)

 

[MaryDeluxe]

Miss Caroline... check out this site for some info! http://www.quilthistory.com/feedsacks.htm

 

[dhermann1]

Feed sacks

Here's the story:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=36224
I just love the idea of having a 30's apartment with original 30's material in the windows. Unfortunately the material is 44" long, unhemmed, and the window is 47" high.
My other idea is the put a wood valence-oid thing across the top of the window, like they did in that era. Does anyone know what that's called? With a scalloped bottom edge.
MaryDeLuxe: Would you just please come to New York and take over this project for me and do it right? That would be SUCH a relief. BTW, is that reproduction material on your cushions?

 

[Foofoogal]

My other idea is the put a wood valence-oid thing across the top of the window, like they did in that era.

I definitely agree with you. Little scalloped wood valance across the top. Move the yellow lattice panels with the flowers down to edge of sill. I would not mix the 2 unless possible making a ruffle out of 2nd plaid material and add it to bottom of panels.
Definitely paint the cabinets white or maybe a light, light yellow color matching the curtain yellow. It may be hard to match the styling of the wood valance and the cabinets though so you will have to make them same color paint I think to pull them together. or the wood valance red and use red knobs on the cabinets.
Something else that might look cute is getting that tin they put on ceilings and either painting it or leaving it natural. It comes in alot of different ways. You can find it at Lowes or Home Depot.

I miss decorating a home.
Can you tell.

How girly do you want it to look? You could also make little flower tiebacks. lol

 

[Foofoogal]

There's something about that steady "tick-tock" sound that is reassuring to hear. The old label inside the clock says "warranted if well used". I wonder if the clock maker ever envisioned that old clock running (and keeping perfect time) all these years later.

that is an amazing gorgeous clock and label BigMan. Just found this thread.
So glad you got such an heirloom working again. Precious really.

 

[dhermann1]

GIRRLLYYYY????

Girly???? Hey, I'm a MANNNLY MAN!!! A MANNNLY MAN!
Well, maybe a little. Nah, I just want it to look nice. So no ruffles.
Actually, as I mentioned before, this little project is creating amusing reactions among some co-workers. One female colleague just thinks the material is too gaudy for a kitchen (?). But my other male colleague is SOOOOO shook up about it! Hey, what do I care? I just want a beautiful home.

 

[Forgotten Man]

I've always admired these houses; on a street full of Boston capes they look like they were dropped in straight from California. Seeing their red tile roofs covered in snow yesterday made me smile.

I adore that window on the right.

In the summertime they have the awnings extended and it looks lovely.

Those two homes look total California Spanish Revival! It was all the rage here in Southern CA in the 20s and 30s. There are many in Pomona and Pasadena.

 

[MadelienneBlack]

I may be in the minority here, but I think just the feed sacks with a wooden valence on top would look the best. The two fabrics just clash too much. Not only that, but I doubt mixing fabrics like those would be very period appropriate. But I could be wrong, of course.

Moral of the story, your kitchen is adorable. Yours too, MaryDeluxe! When I get a place of my very own, I can only hope to have it look that good.

 

[dhermann1]

How did you know my kitchen has a door bell??
Nyuk nyuk.
Thanks.

 

[CherryRed]

I may be in the minority here, but I think just the feed sacks with a wooden valence on top would look the best. The two fabrics just clash too much. Not only that, but I doubt mixing fabrics like those would be very period appropriate. But I could be wrong, of course.

Moral of the story, your kitchen is adorable. Yours too, MaryDeluxe! When I get a place of my very own, I can only hope to have it look that good.

I'm agreeing with you. I like the old fabric much better. I also think the combo of the two looks too modern.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Very unusual to get any snow here in SC, and we've had it snow twice in 13 days. This was taken this morning after we got about 1 inch.

House was built in 1943. It was white before the previous owner went with the blue siding.

 

[Big Man]

... My other idea is the put a wood valence-oid thing across the top of the window, like they did in that era. Does anyone know what that's called? ...

It's called a cornice.