Making the most of our 50s/60s/70s homes

[Lelivre]

Following on from the 1974 thread here
...

This is for those with mid-century homes, trying to modernise or update them in a way that is sympathetic to that period.

There are a few of us out there, no lurking now, please join in!

Hopefully we can share ideas, products, gumtree/eBay/Carboot finds and other sources of inspiration. Also I hope, receive feedback on our plans and build enthusiasm for 'features' that others zealously take out!

For starters I enjoyed this article here

If you will; introduce yourselves, your homes and where you are with things

I'm jealous of your coving Lelivre. I've got none, just bare wall meets ceiling. Would it be poncy to fit some?

I do have a serving hatch from the kitchen, which I love, and we recently removed some fitted wardrobes to reveal very cute original painted/stencilled wallpaper (nursery zoo animals). Very Cath Kidston.

Aw the nostalgia!

Ok looks like I'm about to rethink coving. I admit where it's done well, it's classy looking, but where it isn't (hall, around all the doorways badly cut) it's horrid!

I'll be jealous of your hatch

lelivre glad you feeling the pelmet love:) In the other rooms, they are painted the same colour as the walls (mainly white). I did smile at the static van thoughts, cos I would love one.

I am normally firmly anti-pelmet, but those ones look good - clean, stylish.

Yes I can't believe I'm saying this but am thinking they would work nicely in my reception rooms. I won't put them in but if someone on my street was taking them out I would nab them.

Speaking of which, met someone taking out their 70 banisters all three stories, nice wood (mahogany or teak?) to put in glass (modern, how yuck ) and I got the lot for a fiver! The gaps are too big for tiny kids here so I'm hoping it will work, if not I will have a fabulous matching handrail on the other side.

love the sound of the banister and hand rails, sounds like you got an absolute bargain LeLivre well done! It just shows you can get lucky picking up good stuff, right time, right place.
I have teak hand rails and wide spindles(?) - would def not pass buildings regs now and are not child friendly at all. I have used banister safety plastic roll stuff to tide us over until DD is older. Its not a long term solution but does the job (I think I got it from GLTC ages ago).
BTW Orange oil brings the wood up a treat:)

Hello, looking for comments on these. Quite contempory but very affordable and finish/colour may fit?

With white bathroom suite.

Daylight minus green grout
It's more teal in daylight. There's a huge brick tile too (see brochure pic) but that's a shade darker and deep teal green IRL than the scored one in my hand.

Thanks for staying with me

They are lovely.

Those large brick tiles in the pic look more like painted shingles, the smaller ones are much nicer

Thanks sheba, I think I prefer the scored one too although the 50x20 tile look different IRL see pic

retro house people - am I way off here? I'm thinking the colour and finish are kind of right...I don't get much feedback from DH!

Looks on point to me! I love this sort of colour so you got my vote.

I m with sheba, def prefer the smaller ones. The colour is lovely, I really like the blue/green/grey palette - its like a nod to the era without being too tied to it. It would look fresh against white, and cool against wood/furniture also.
Have you thought which way up you tiling? The london brick (?) vertical style looks interesting and bit quirky. It would certainly make a bit of a feature of the tiling.

Apatite and nevertoomuch, thanks! I'm indecisive at the best of times.

Love your idea nevertoomuch, that could look really effective I wouldn't have thought to do that thanks

What is everyone up to?

I'm 80% through kitchen, bathroom and cloakroom. Lots of what I have done has been driven by cost, practicality and what is available to be locally but I would like to think it will turn out ok with a kind of 60s/Scandi feel.

I went with the teal rectangular mosaic tile and teal grout with a plain white large tile and it's turned out well.

Love to hear about any other projects, progress or inspiration you care to share on here

Our foundations are down now and walls going up. I'm having mustard yellow walls in the kitchen with teal splashback. Yeah, I'm going all out!

We've just had an offer accepted on a mid-50s architect designed house. Has some original features, but some aspects are out of keeping (kitchen and bathrooms are too contemporary). So, looking for inspiration for both decorating and furniture. I love mid-century modern design and architecture (hence going for this house!) and already have a few bits from that era in our 1960s flat.

If sale goes through we'll live in it for a bit before making any changes, adding furniture piece by piece, etc...

So, good websites for buying used mid-century stuff or blogs for inspiration (other than those already mentioned on here)?

Place marking.

We have just bought our first home - a late 1960s 3 bed semi. It has some pretty awful eighties "improvements" like artex everywhere, but the original kitchen is still there. The doors of the cabinets are still in good condition so we are hoping to reuse them when we re-do the kitchen in the coming months.

Apatite1 - you have got me thinking this evening about being more adventurous with colour. What you have planned sounds great! I tend to whimp out and fall back on lots of white or toned down shades of my initial brave ideas. Have you decided what material for the splash-back?

Welcome city and sortingcat. 80s improvements sounds familiar!

Citydweller - for me it is Pinterest and houzz for ideas. The apps are quick and easy to use. I just use key words like 'sixties' 'mid-century' and the room or colour. I haven't come across many blogs as yet. I check eBay for vintage habitat, heals, conran, Ercol. I prefer original furniture to the reproduction in stores as it often better quality and I can afford it!

Thanks re. recommendations. I haven't used either Pinterest or Houzz before, but I foresee many hours of happy procrastinating ahead...

Has anyone seen any good pics online for inspiration for mid-century kitchens? The place we're buying (1960s) has a too-modern kitchen (all minimal, shiny doors, etc), and I'm wondering if there's a way to make it more mid-century without spending a fortune (e.g. by just replacing the doors or adding tiles, etc)

Place marking!

Wish I had stumbled upon modern doors site before blowing ££££ at Cotsw

citydweller what are the colours of your kitchen?

This pic caught my eye (last weeks houzz newsletter) not to everyone's taste but I like it and it transforms the (quite dull) kitchen.

My colours are darker versions of what you've posted lelivre. The cabinets are white, teal glass splashback, yellow walls. I'd like to post a photo when it's done but afraid it will out me (it is rather unusual!) it's a very bright and happy kitchen