restoring vintage kitchens

[mthibert]

I have just found a book that I found very helpful in getting ideas for the kitchen in my 1939 house. It's Bungalow Kitchens by Jane Powell and Linda Svendsen. There's a Chambers on p 122, but I don't know what model--an old one.

[ha_asfan]

In my opinion, themost crucial element in doing any restoration is to use the time appropriate materials. Kitchens are especially sensitive to mis-use of materials...the devil is in the details. Use linoleum NOT vinyl, go for wet plaster instead of drywall, select ceramic tile that is of the appropriate style and size and pay careful attention to grout lines and sizes. The use of stone slabs in vintage kitchens is not the norm. Small stone work areas are appropriate but not full run counters. Lighting can be elegantly simple and all appropriate styles are easily available. The most difficult aspect of a proper renovation or a restoration is to know when to stop. It is so easy to go overboard and windup with a 21st century "looks like an old kitchen" kitchen.

[lowracer]

Those authors have got a whole series of books on Bungalows. When we moved into our 1922 bungalow in Wichita, we were all set to modernize the whole thing, vinyl windows, aluminum storms, modern stainless steel kitchen, stone floors. Until we read those books.

Now we have got the house to where if the original owners accidentally time traveled into the future and walked in the front door, they would not see anything that would be out of place in 1922. (This does not strictly apply to the kitchen, basement, or upstairs sleeping porch, where I keep my computer stuff.) Yeah if they looked close they would see 3 prongs instead of 2 on the electrical outlets, and if they looked behind the couch they'd see a modern stereo with Bose speakers and subwoofer hiding there. They'd think our California King bed was utterly monstrous, nearly filling the bedroom with little room to move around it, and would likely marvel at the central air conditioning. But on a cursory walk-through, from the fully-restored 1917 Steinway grand in the livingroom to the mission furniture throughout, it's 1922 in here. The kitchen looks like an upgrade to 1930-something with a 1949 Chambers in it, so they'd probably think the Jetsons, no, make that Buck Rogers, had cooked in there.

We have even gone to the lengths of upgrading the electrical panel to GFCI circuit breakers so we do not have to put GFCI outlets in the kitchen or bath. Check your local codes, they may vary on this. GFCI outlets can not be made to look like any period but modern, yet you would not want to be without their protection.

I highly recommend those bungalow books to anyone living in a bungalow or dreaming of it. But beware, you may find yourself getting a bit compulsive about your restorations.

[lkeriegrl]

[quote]Originally posted by lowracer:
[b] I highly recommend those bungalow books to anyone living in a bungalow or dreaming of it. But beware, you may find yourself getting a bit compulsive about your restorations.[/b][/quote]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Or utterly paralyzed!!

Anyway, ditto the vinyl window etc plans. Now we're terry meany (Mr. Window) adherents.The most meaningful part of the bungalow style to me is the move towards simplicty and craftsmanship and away from clutter and mass production. Just read an interesting bit today--can't think of where--about the number of crafts-oriented jobs sustained by the protection and restoration of historic homes, vs. the short-term sugar rush of demolition & construction jobs associated with "redevelopment" projects. It's a matter of conservation.

I've mentioned Jane Powell here before but didn't realize she has other fans among our number (But of course she has!) The kithen book is presently on loan to a couple down the street who were just about to order all this new stuff for their old kitchen. I think maybe their contractor hates me now. We're new to the neighborhood and I was planing to lay low, but man, I got Bungalow Kitchens for my birthday in may from my mother, the librarian, who HATES to purchse books--but not as much as she hates to have to repeatedly renew interlibrary loans she made at the behest of her increasingly bunga-crazy daughter.

Oh! I remember whee I read it now--some non-powell bungalow book i pulled from the now-skinny summer reading shelf. Toddler in the sandpit near the swings, baby on the blanket, mommy on the comfy redwood bench reconnecting with why she ever wanted this &^*% house in the first place! Wish me luck. . . [img]wink.gif[/img]