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What You're Wanting: A Retro-Modern Kitchen

casasugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0800

I've become a little obsessed with the Life archives, which were recently added to Google Images. If you're not careful, you too could be pulled into hours of poring over images from America's past. This image, of Joan Wilson whipping up something yummy in her stylish circle skirt, was taken in 1950. I love the look of her kitchen, which would be a classic look in today's midcentury modern-obsessed kitchen world. Of course, you don't want to simply re-create this look in your home, though. You also want to add a modern, up-to-the-minute touch to the retro look and, of course, a lot of your own style.

So, for the latest What You're Wanting, I want to know how you'd furnish, accessorize, and style a retro-modern kitchen. What table would you choose, or would you keep the one shown in the photo? How about chairs and benches? Would you choose a different clock? What color scheme would you work with?

Add all the finds to your ShopStyle Living stylebook, and create a look tagged with the phrase Retro Modern Kitchen. Private message me if you have any questions. Oh, and as extra incentive, I'll give some Sugar schwag away to my favorite look!

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Guess the Decade

casasugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:00:53 -0800

The delightful site Found in Mom's Attic documents vintage advertising from the 20th century. I've rounded up some of the best home ads from the site. Can you guess which decade each ad is from? Source

Question 1

1 of 10

Which decade is this ad from?

Retro or Modern?

casasugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:07 -0800

Think you're au courant on current-day styles and those from thirty-odd years ago? Put that belief to the test when you take my quiz! Some of these photos are from slideshows of current houses, while others are from the 1971 book Decorating and Design by Jacqueline Inchbald. Can you tell the difference?

Question 1

1 of 10

Retro or modern?

How-To: Decorate With a Retro-Look Fridge

casasugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:00:02 -0700

I love the look of '50s-era fridges, and appliance company Big Chill gives you the appearance of a 60-year-old fridge while updating its efficiency and function. To see how to integrate this fridge into a variety of kitchen decorating plans, check out the slideshow. Source

Midday Muse: Retro Pink

casasugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:00:02 -0700

I love retro-tech accents, and this pink telephone is definitely hitting all the right buttons for me. Do you have an old-school telephone in your house? Source

Roundup: Retro Tech Accents

casasugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:15:44 -0700

Before the general populace relied on key cards, laptops, iPhones, and cars to get through their busy days, such technological advancements as the typewriter, the skeleton key, and the bicycle were the height of fashion. Not only are these classic shapes superbly functional, they're also quite beautiful, which makes them the perfect inspiration for home accessories.

To add some retro tech flair to your home,

This Just In: More Interiors from Project Runway

casasugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:00:33 -0700

Did you catch the first episode of Project Runway season 5 on Wednesday? While I was initially afraid that I couldn't put season 4 behind me, luckily, I was hooked on the new cast of designers within the first 10 minutes. (I was definitely lured in by Blayne and his insane tanning obsession, as well as his leotard creation).

I recently found even more photos of the contestants' living quarters. You were split about the first photo, which many of you found too Ikea-heavy.

To hear my thoughts on the other interiors,

Love It or Hate It? iPod Pillow

casasugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 03:01:18 -0800

Nothing like chillaxing with your tunes and a retro pillow...with an iPod pocket ($19.95). Am I right or am I right?

Love It or Hate It? iPod Pillow

Love it

Hate it

Undecided

Ask Casa: Should I Buy This Furniture?

casasugar — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 08:17:07 -0700

Hi Casa,

I saw this chair and sofa on Craigslist today. I love the lines and they would be fun for decorating my first real apartment I got after getting my first job out of ollege. Pink is not my most favorite of colors and I can't afford to have them re-upholstered. Should I tolerate the pink (it's kind of a dusty pink, no?) and maybe re-upholster down the line when I can afford it? If it would help, i live in an apartment in a renovated 1920s hotel. It also has great "bones," with molding, hardwood, and black and white tile in the kitchen. The walls are painted a warm beige/light creamy brown color.

Thanks,
Mindbolt
To see my answer, along with a widget with my suggestions for re-upholstery fabric choices and textiles, just

Get the Look: Updated Diner Kitchen

casasugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:14:48 -0700

I like the retro diner vibe in kitchens, but it's easy to overdose on reproduction chrome furniture and 1950s kitsch. So for this Get the Look, I decided to create a modern and sophisticated kitchen with subtle nods toward diner style. Here's how to recreate it.

The palette: Avoid cute overload by steering clear of bright and/or primary colors. Instead, opt for understated white-and-silver appliances, and throw in some darker tones like brown and forest green.

The furniture: Rather than go for a matching table and chairs with typical chrome accents, I decided to pair diner chairs with a modern wooden table that merely takes its design cues from the '50s.

For the rest of what you need,

Midday Muse: A Very Brady Bedroom

casasugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 12:00:36 -0700

I love looking at decorating books from the 1970s. The rooms are always a little much, but the ideas are in the right place. Consider this very "Brady" bedroom that Desire to Inspire uncovered in a 1973 book. The idea I would steal? The contrast between the cutesy pendant lamps, the floral bedspread, and the rugged chair.

What Adjective Best Describes Your Decorating Style?

casasugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:11:00 -0700

Most of us incorporate many styles into our home decor, but if you had to choose one adjective to describe your overall vision, what would it be?Source

Midday Muse: Fun Retro Florals

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:16:04 -0700

As today's Midday Muse, I'm admiring this set of retro-floral notecards by A Punkin Card Company. The unlikely combo of hot pink and baby blue with olive green and brown shows how to give cutesy florals an edge. How could you use this idea in a room?

via Hostess with the Mostess

Get the Look: Haight-Ashbury Hip

casasugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 05:00:19 -0700

This year marks the 40th anniversary of San Francisco's legendary Summer of Love, giving Bay Area locals an excuse to indulge our lingering hippie tendencies — and that, of course, includes decorating.

Retro '60s-inspired furniture is everywhere these days — almost TOO everywhere — but I'm partial to the regal but rough-edged flower power of SF circa 1967. This fun and funky look, which I'm calling Haight-Ashbury Hip, is at once exotic and laid-back, recalling the lush, psychedelic artwork of rock posters (for inspiration, check out the highlights from the era in this coffee table book, The Art of Rock). To learn how to get the look in your living room,

Definition: Retro

casasugar — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 11:28:00 -0700

An adjective used to describe either home furniture and accessories that were made in the past or new products that evoke past styles. Though no distinct time period is associated with "retro," the term is typically applied to designs from the 1940s to 1970s, as opposed to much older antiques.

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