As a child of the 1950's (LATE 50's thank you very much), I was imprinted from birth with certain home design aesthetics that might not be as appreciated by a mass market today.
Our family's first house, was the hip of heights for its time. The kitchen counters were cut from a boomerang patterned formica from a design created by one of my heroes, proto industrial designer Brooks Stevens.
The living room was dressed with blonde accent furniture (some of which I still have today). Guests sat on a curving, red sectional sofa. A great gold zebra, captured in mid-prance, hung on the wall. Cocktails sat on a round, gold and white mosaic coffee and downstairs, in the black and red asbestos-tiled rec room, a magnificent naugahyde bar was the center of the party scene for all of my parents' friends.
It was a bit like the set decor from the AMC hit series, Mad Men.
But the home's piece de resistance was the bathroom. The tiles were pink and the wallpaper was covered with images of Pierre and Fifi, French poodles who dined at cafes and walked along the Champs Elysee paw in paw.
I've never been the same since.
So, imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a blog dedicated to the preservation of the pink bathroom. Save the Pink Bathrooms is a place to honor the once-prevalent porcelain palace of 50's suburbia.
The site's stated goal is to get "a gazillion people pledged to preserve vintage pink bathrooms." The clever conversation is the brainchild of Pam from Retro Renovations, a place of inspiration on the web for like-minded mid-century lovers.
As a real estate agent, I see many delightful vintage bathrooms in the Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Collinsville and Maryville, Illinois areas. Once I nearly passed out because an office colleague listed an all-metal Lustron home in terrific condition, but I'll save my Lustron Lust for a future post. Among the bathroom tile selection pink is my favorite, but we often see blue, sea green and a very nice, neutral buff color as my clients and I explore homes for sale. The walls almost always are accented with rows of black tile and often will have fixtures in a variety of hues. You haven't lived until the pink tile is juxtaposed with a blue toilet, a faux marbleized sink and, I kid you not, black carpet.
Sadly, most of my clients discuss their plans to remove the pink tiles and create a more contemporary bath after they get settled in the new homes. I understand the urge to renew and from time to time will gently suggest that there are ways to modernize without destroying the charm of the era in which their home was built. (After all, you wouldn't rip that nasty original woodwork off of the Queen Ann Victorian, would you?) There are ways to leave the spirit of the room, but remove the offending fixtures, carpet and paint.
But, in the end, it's their house and they will have their own vision for its future. I am at peace with that as long as they are happy with the house I help them acquire.
All I ask is a little respect for the classic era that brought us cars with fins, Jell-o salads, pink bathrooms...and me.
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About the Author: Nancy Milton, GRI, is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Kristina Pratt help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on real estate in the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.
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About the Author: Nancy Milton, GRI, is a REALTOR with the Just Ducky Homes team at RE/MAX Preferred Partners in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Kristina Pratt help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on homes for sale in the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville, Troy and O'Fallon. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Nancy at Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.
(Please note that individual listings periodically mentioned in this blog are accurately described in terms of availability and price at the time of the posting. As properties are constantly coming on and off the market, please contact me for the latest information on those that are of particular interest to you.)
Yes, you heard that right. Do NOT try to paint your bathtub. I know you have a PINK tub from 1950 that is sure to incur buyer SHOCK. Sure, as a quick fix to sell your house, you may be tempted to pick up a do-it-yourself kit from Home Depot with "guaranteed" tub paint.
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