Caption This: A 1950s Homemaker Ponders…

What do you think this young homemaker from the 1950s is thinking about?

“I wonder if that gold refrigerator I bought will look dated in a few years?”

“Should I hang that horse and jockey wallpaper in my kitchen?”

“If only I had a portable stereo in here!”

Write your own caption for her in the comments and tell us what you think she’s got on her mind.

(I’m working through the weekend on a project deadline, so I hope you guys will come up with some good captions to keep me entertained while I’m slaving away. Come on–don’t fail me now!)

Photo via DarkRoastedBlend.

If You’re Hooked on Retro Rooms:

• Retro Kitchens
• The 1950s vision of a waterproof future
• A 1950s kitchen with a portable stereo cart (before the iPod!)
• A Contemporary Kitchen that Looks Retro
• Retro Living Rooms from 1956

Cobble Court: A French Norman Country Estate

 

This grand old home known as “Cobble Court” sits on 9 rolling acres. It has 9 bedrooms and 8 baths, and it’s on the market for $8.7 million. It was built in 1933 to look like a French Norman country estate and definitely looks European. Surprisingly, though, it’s not really French–it’s right here in Ohio, just a few miles away from my house (no, we don’t all live like this in the Buckeye State, I’m sorry to say).

I already showed you the grand staircase with the red carpet (Staircases That Would Make Scarlett Swoon). Now here, as promised, are pictures from the rest of the house.

To take a look inside this great estate, click “more” below:

Before & After: A Colorful Kitchen Makeover

A Beautiful Abode has a great interview with Aja, “the Super Shopper” today that I really enjoyed. I checked out the photos Aja has on Flickr of her 1956 brick ranch, and they included this amazing, you-can’t-believe-it-until-you-see-it, kitchen makeover.

Just take a good, hard look at these pictures. Do you see much potential there? I’m afraid I wouldn’t have. But Aja did.

Before the iPod: the Portable Stereo Cart

Dark Roasted Blend asks: “Now, do you appreciate your iPod more? In the 50s you had to carry the CART with you, wherever you went.”

You know I love me some retro, so I got a little crazy with excitement when I found this photo via bb-blog. The homemaker looks more excited and proud about her portable stereo than she does her Christmas dinner.

See that big black box on the top of the cart? That’s what we used to call a record player, kids! (And I admit I’m old enough to have one in my basement, along with several wooden crates full of records that I’m unable to part with.)

Bored with the Same-Old Speakers? Try These

 

They’re ”Woofers.” Get it? I’m not sure whether to be amused or disturbed at the idea of having decapitated dogs sitting around around the house.   

For more information and another photo of the Woofers, click “more” below:

Get Your “House Fix”

Here are some fun links for you to check out if you need to get your “house fix” today:

Over at Retro Renovation there’s a post about the classic Cary Grant movie “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” (one of my favorites!) and photos of kitchen styles from that era (late ’40s). You have to stop by to see the red kitchen that has a wallpaper border featuring vegetables that appear to be dancing and singing in some sort of conga line (click the photo to enlarge it so you can see the veggies close up).

Read about The Swelling McMansion Backlash on MSN’s real estate page. According to the article by Christopher Solomon, cities are finally saying no to Hummer houses and starter castles with energy-consumption restrictions, petitions and outright building moratoriums.

Or, for a laugh, go to Charles Hugh Smith’s website to see his tongue-in-cheek concept for a new magazine called “This Old McMansion.” This month’s features include articles like “Horrified Homeowner Discovers: ‘My Entire House Is Made of Fake Veneers, Glue, and Wood Chips!’”

Daniel McGinn, the author of House Lust (read my interview with him here and my review of House Lust here) has an article on Newsweek.com called “Affording Your Dream Kitchen.” It’s about how one lucky couple got a $45,000 renovation for just $7,000 by having their house featured on HGTV’s “Spice Up Your Kitchen.” An interesting look at what goes on behind the scenes.

Excuse Me While I Hose Down My Furniture…

In the 1950s, they envisioned a future that was plastic and waterproof. The teeny-tiny caption says, “Because everything in her home is waterproof, the housewife of 2000 can do her daily cleaning with a hose.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a drain in the middle of my living room! There are some days when it would certainly come in handy….

Via Dark Roasted Blend.

If you like retro, check out:

• Retro Kitchens
• A 1950s housewife in her yellow kitchen
• A 1950s kitchen with a portable stereo cart (before the iPod!)
• A Contemporary Kitchen that Looks Retro

Coco Chanel’s Apartment at 31 Rue Cambon

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

I’m working on an article about Coco Chanel for Kiki magazine’s summer issue and have to share photos of her chic apartment with you.

Coco Chanel lived at the Ritz in Paris but worked and entertained within walking distance at Rue Cambon. There are four floors: the Chanel store is at street level, haute couture dressing rooms are on the second floor, her apartment is on the third, and her workshop is on the fourth. The rooftop of the building is said to have some of the best views of Paris.

Stokesay Court: the Private English Estate Used in the Keira Knightley Film “Atonement”

I love the Oscars. All day I tried to think of a way to justify writing about them on a website dedicated to houses. Then it occurred to me–write about my favorite house from a movie in the past year! That’ll work.

As you know, I have a habit of watching certain movies over and over again just because I like the set design (as I admitted in Houses on the Big Screen), so I couldn’t resist taking this opportunity to post a photo of the movie set I’m rooting for.

It’s the English manor Stokesay Court, which was used in “Atonement,” and it’s my pick for this year’s Academy Award.

Can You Guess What This Is? Answer Below!

When I saw this today, it stumped me at first. What was it? It reminded me of the Skyline Blinds I showed you a few days ago–but with a view of Manhattan instead of Paris.

Take a guess in the comments.

Update: Well, I think I’ve tortured you all enough. I loved reading all of your creative guesses, though! Amy of Lemons&Roses came closest. Way to go, Amy!

Click “more” below to see the answer:

Cheaper Way to Get the Stainless-Steel Look

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If you don’t want to invest in all-new stainless-steel appliances, Thomas’ Kitchen Art has the answer with a new product called Liquid Stainless Steel.

With a large starter kit that costs $139 you can paint up to 3 appliances. It’s water-based and isn’t technically paint–it’s 100% liquid stainless steel, just like it sounds.

That’s a pretty nifty trick to pull off for $139 (much cheaper than replacing everything in your kitchen), but I’d like to see what it looks and feels like up close. My parents painted our old gold refrigerator dark brown (seriously–but in their defense, it was the early 1980s when nobody knew any better) and it always had odd bubbly bumps on the surface that screamed “diy project!”

Thomas’ Kitchen Arts’ website has an entire photo gallery to inspire you with creative ways to use their product. I especially like the idea of painting over brass doorknobs to make them silver. (I hate mine–but do I hate them enough to paint over every single one in my entire house?)

Sometimes, though, the “inspiration” goes just a little too far. Take this old kitchen, below. Can you imagine what it would look like if they painted the wood cabinets with liquid stainless steel?

Poll Results: Are Stainless-Steel Appliances Out?

After reading several articles suggesting that stainless-steel appliances were “so 2007,” I asked you whether or not you agreed. The poll just closed, so I thought you’d like to see how it turned out. Looks like the majority of you agree with me that stainless is a classic look that’s here to stay.

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Do you think stainless steel appliances are on their way “out” in ‘08?

• Yes–2008 is the year we’ll say goodbye.
  17%
• Not yet–they’ve got a few more good years.
  34%
• No. Stainless is a classic look that’s here to stay.
  47%

Total Votes: 46

Just for fun:

• Read the original post: Are Stainless-Steel Appliances on the Way Out?
• Go to Appliancist to read about high-end appliance trends, which includes this new 36″ German-made Liebherr refrigerator shown at the top of the post.
• Read A Cheap Way to Make Old Appliances Look Like Stainless Steel.

Bringing the City Home: Skyline Blinds

Living in the suburbs but longing for the city? Here’s a quick and easy way to bring the skyline of Tokyo, Helsinki, Paris or Stockholm into your own humble abode, even if the view from your window is actually of a farm field or your neighbor’s overstuffed trash cans.

I wonder if that cute little guy comes with it?

To see additional photos and read about the artist who created the Better View Curtain, click “more” below.

Strange Stuff for Your Home

Leggo my . . . washing machine? If you’re looking to make a statement in your laundry room, then the Eggo Washing Machine from Brazilian household appliances company Brastemp may be the answer (photo via Coolhunting). The brain-child of designer Jun Nakao (above), the Eggo holds up to two pounds of delicates at a time. Watch the Eggo’s dramatic “birth” in this video, in which a giant stork made out of vegetable paper “delivers” the machine. File this under, “Gotta see it to believe it.”

Bored with chairs that have four legs? Then check out CribCandy’s list of the top 99 Strangest Chairs of All Time, which includes the “Rubberband Chair,” the “Corset Chair,” and the truly bizarre “Fat Eames Chair.”

Longing to decorate your toilet? Then check out Vital’s site on Etsy where you can buy decals to post on your porcelain. You can dress up the back of your toilet with designs featuring jellyfish, motorcycles, skeleton keys, and more (starting at $10). There’s even a cowboy who looks a little like Charlie Sheen in “Young Guns.”

I think my favorite is the puffer fish. What’s yours?

House Tour: 1908 Mansion in Compton Heights

I love touring fabulous houses, even if the only way I can see them is online. I’m betting that since you came to a site called “Hooked on Houses,” you do, too.

Here’s a 100-year old mansion in the Compton Heights neighborhood of St. Louis that has 4,400 sq ft with 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. When they say “they don’t make houses like they used to,” this is what they’re talking about.

It was impeccably restored and features stunning millwork, stained glass, original pocket doors, and seven original fireplaces. It’s on the market for $645,000.

Mark Twain’s Mansion in Hartford, Connecticut

NOTE: THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS A “GUESSING GAME” UNDER THE TITLE, “CAN YOU GUESS WHO LIVED HERE?”

Can you guess which famous literary figure lived in this Hartford, Connecticut house from 1874 to 1891? Here are your three clues:

1) He was born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835. Missouri was a slave state at the time, which influenced his work and beliefs as an abolitionist.

2) He worked for a while as a miner in Virginia City, Nevada, but soon realized he was better suited for writing at the town newspaper, The Territorial Enterprise.

3) One of his famous quotes was: “Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn’t.”

Retro Rooms: The 1950s Kitchen

“Once you understand the nature of color, space and design . . . your home will reflect good planning and radiate a personality only you can give it.” (Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book, 1956)

I just discovered this vintage decorating book published by Better Homes and Gardens in 1956 and had to buy it. It’s in an aqua-blue binder with illustrations like the one above acting as chapter dividers.

I especially enjoyed the photos of modern kitchens and thought you’d get a kick out of seeing them, too.

Staircases That Would Make Scarlett Swoon

There are staircases that simply get us from one place to another. Then there are staircases like this that make a statement (which may be, “You’re not good enough to tread on me–try the back stairs off the kitchen”). 

I may not feel entirely comfortable living in a house with a foyer the size of a high school gymnasium, but I like to look. Just for fun, here are a few of the biggest and baddest–and most interesting–I’ve come across on the MLS lately. 

To see more staircases that make a statement, click “more” below:

Love is a House

Happy Valentine’s Day from Hooked on Houses! Here’s my Valentine to you: “Love is a House” by the Force MDs. You gotta love the ’80s.

Whether you’re currently in a serious relationship with a house or not, I hope your day is happy! Now strap on some shoulder pads and your favorite oversized jacket and dance like it’s 1987.

The Futuro: A House That’s Out of This World

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“Futuro represents the modern, comfortable way of housing–practical coziness. Futuro is the dwelling of the future.” (1968 brochure)

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Remember the groovy Venturo Modular Home I showed you recently? Meet its predecessor, the Futuro, which was designed by the same forward-thinking Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in 1968. Whereas the Venturo promoted a “come for the weekend in your orange bikini” kind of lifestyle, the Futuro was more “come for the weekend in your silver space suit.”

Suuronen designed the Futuro when he was commissioned to create a modern ski cabin. It was built out of fiberglass-reinforced polyester plastic and was light enough to be lifted to remote sites by helicopter, where the steel legs could adjust to any terrain.

Only 96 were ever built, and only 16 are in the U.S., so this is a rare sighting of one in Wisconsin (it’s a vacation rental, so if you want, you can experience it first-hand).

I can only imagine what some unsuspecting hikers must think when they come across this spaceship in the woods. And then the hydraulic hatch door opens and the stairs slowly descend….