In our price bracket we'll be tossing up between paying a bit more for a house that's 'done' or getting a cheaper fixer-upper. One of my major priorities is having a non-ugly kitchen. I'm currently living with peeling brown wood veneer, chipboard shelves covered with Contact, damaged orange counter tops and three different types of orange and brown tiles. Plus fake brick wallpaper on a decorative archway. When I own a house, I will not tolerate these things. I'll be satisfied with a clean and functional basic cream kitchen (as long as the oven works - did I mention our oven only does 150º or 220º? No baking going on over here) but if we were to replace a crappy old kitchen I'd be hankering for a bit of 50s style.
I linked to this cute kitchen a couple weeks ago - here's some more inspiration (click images for original sources).
The original thing! Those decorative ends are the living end.
(I've only just noticed the ad says "A housewife cannot but be gay". I believe in the 50s your options were that or Prozac.)
This one's a bit too girly-shabby-chic for me, but the turquoise is nice. I've got the right kind of table but still need matching chairs.
This kitchen reno comes with full DIY instructions. I think a lot could be accomplished just by having the right kind of cabinets to start with- doors smaller than cabinet fronts so the frames and doors can be painted separately. Although getting the right counter top would make a world of difference...
Speaking of counter tops: In 2007 Formica reissued a number of retro laminates for kittens like you and me. See the full range here. No idea if they're available in Australia. Mine's the Aqua Boomerang.
Ooh, and maybe some Quilted Aluminium!
More 50s kitchen inspiration can be found on Elle Decor, No Pattern Required and the Ikea Fans forum. If one thing's for certain, any budget reno I do is going to involve some Ikea.
* Affordable? The international standard is that a property is affordable when it costs around three times the household's annual income. Melbourne is currently six or seven times annual income.
* Affordable? The international standard is that a property is affordable when it costs around three times the household's annual income. Melbourne is currently six or seven times annual income.
5 comments:
I love the boomerang pattern! Awesome. And I had no idea that the international standard was 3 times annual income. We paid just that for our house last year. Happy house hunting! We moved 2 weeks before my baby girl was born - I wouldn't recommend that, but it wasn't all that bad.
Ooh, I didn't know it was called quilted aluminium, that's what my 50's kitchen dresser has! Very dirty, mind you, but I'm loving that I know about it, now!
YAY! Apparently our new house is considered "affordable" based on international standards (even when I finish work!). That somehow makes me feel better about our financial situation.
Gosh! The choices. The agony of choice! Though how exciting it must be to plan a kitchen such as this. Those re-released Formica designs are brilliant.
Personally, I love the top picture. My idea of the perfect retro kitchen is one or two "staple colors", accented with pops of bright red and/or yellow, using appliances, dish towels, curtains, throw rugs, etc. Vintage linens are one of the best and easiest (and changeable) ways to add accents to your retro kitchen. Bored of one accent color? Just change the tablecloth! Great photos, btw.
P.S.
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