I bought a 1930's era home, but I did what any 21st Century gal would do about it-- I hopped online and got to browsing the interwebs. What I found was that I am far from the first to hatch a bloglet about home ownership or house renovation, and I definitely won't be the last. I just hope that I'm not the worst! But I don't consider that proliferation of homey-housey blogs a problem. Out there in the blogosphere are hundreds of like-minded souls. It's good to know, while I'm sniffling and trying not to cry about wrecked bathroom tile, there is probably someone else, somewhere, about to put a crowbar through a window, either by tantrum or by accident (I don't judge).
But if you're going to start with retro design blogs, you have to start with Retro Renovation. You'd probably have to end there, too. Launched in 2007 by Pam Kueber as part of her own mid-century remodeling project, the blog is sleek in design and friendly by nature. The feature photo of Pam wielding a cordless drill and wearing a 1950s cocktail dress is all you need to know. This is a woman who comes across like the neighbor down the street who knows all the best junk shops, mixes her martinis strong, and has a dry wit about her obsessions.
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| Copyright 2011 Retro Renovation |
We all need a friend who knows how to rock high heels and power tools. Preferably at the same time.
Retro Renovation is a clearing house of information for anything having to do with homes and interior design in the years 1930 to 1970. Vintage steel kitchen cabinets, pinch pleat drapes, era-authentic paint colors, atomic age furnishings--- you name it, Pam's got something to show and tell. And she doesn't just enthuse, either. She shares product links and sources for services. She does her research on the history of the American lifestyle from those decades and relates them in fun ways. I learn something valuable every time I visit her site.
What I admire most about her blog is the tagline, "love the house you're in!" That's pretty revolutionary thinking when we're living in an era of rampant consumerism that markets dissatisfaction with everything so it can sell granite counters and lawn irrigation systems and endless, expensive permutations of keeping up with the Jones'. She casts a smart, critical eye on the raging remodeling trend that might in fact be erasing a very important part of our recent history. While I'm so glad I found my house and it found me, I'm also glad I found Pam for ideas, inspiration, and sources. She'll always be welcome on this doorstep.
What a sweetheart you are! Your house is so lucky to have found you! xoxo
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