1972 is alive--timecapsule untouched kitchen

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funktionalart

funktionalart

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Joined
Jun 2, 2014
Messages
1,162
Location
Rison, AR
One of the best things (to me) about house hunting is seeing untouched kitchens from the time I grew up. The design choices were often dodgy…which is why you'll find more intact kitchens from the 30s and 40s than you will those from 45 years ago. Enjoy--crazy linoleum, roman shades, stained glass ceiling fixture and a full suite of copper tone appliances!

funktionalart-2016082306495107529_1.jpg

funktionalart-2016082306495107529_2.jpg
 
Yes

...there's a lot of that floor, but minus the glaring issue close to the dishwasher (probably the cause of something very hot coming in contact), look how the floor has withstood the test of time. No wear pattern and no fading. At least when you bought flooring in that time, IT LASTED! Probably by myself on this, but I like the flooring. Very tired of "earth tone" obligatory colors of today, and the "keeping up of appearance" use of hard woods and SS in a kitchen. One dishwasher or ice maker malfunction away from major repairs unless protected by a container underneath. With this type of flooring, use of a wet vac & mop - you're back in business. Just my opinion.
 
Oh for sure, cheapskate landlords across the nation rue the day they stopped producing that style of floor covering.  Its unnatural durability was the source of nauseating aggravation to legions for renters, myself included.

 

I must say, without any reservation whatsoever, that in this case I'll echo the sentiments of so many young, first time, I-want-it-all-perfect-right-now HGTV house hunters in saying that entire kitchen needs to be blown to smithereens.
 
If it weren't so dingy I wouldn't want to light a stick of dynamite in there (after carefully moving the appliances to a safe place). I like Coppertone but many of the color schemes back then involving it make me wanna hurl, I feel it looks good in a contrasting environment. My grandmas coppertone Calorics looked like they had new life breathed into them after painting the cabinets an off white from the green-gone-radioactive-yellow-from-nicotine color they were before.
 
May have been a vacation/seasonal home so saw use only part of the year. There is much of that here where I live.
 
With that floor it would not be hard to cut a piece of flooring from under the stove or fridge and easily and invisibly patch that bad spot.  Not that anyone would really want to  - just sayin'...
 
"I love you Alice B Toklas"....

That's a funny movie. Especially like the part where Peter Seller's character's mother turns the burners on for the cook top because the guy sitting on it won't get off. He then jumps off in just a few seconds.
 
I'd replace the light, curtains, that floor (with linoleum tiles) and the counters to solid surface.. The appliances (except fridge) yall can have... Cabinets I'd keep if there where decent

I would have to use that dishwasher a few times
 
OMG!!! brings back memories...didn't someone use the word "hurl" above? I was 10 in 1972 but I thought it was gross even back then. It's even worse today!!! I'm just saying..I know there's someone that would love to have a "vintage kitchen" like that...ummm..not me
 
We can gag now, but that kitchen had people oooooohing and aaaaaahing back in the 70's. The only thing missing is a dark, heavy, ornate Mediterranean dining set. Do I miss that look? Not really; but it sure brings back memories of junior high.

Thanks for posting these flashback photos!
 
@ appnut

I agree with you on the size, storage space, and I'm sure the appliances obviously were made better than anything to day. I want to use that dishwasher too! But other than that, it made me cringe..
 
The link for the whole house is here:

I'd posted the 2 kitchen shots mostly because of the original appliances…but I actually am pretty taken with the house on the whole, in spite of the flooring in that kitchen (and it extends WAAAAY out into the big dining area...…This place was quite top-drawer when built…I love, love, LOVE the grasscloth wallpaper and the wood-beam ceilings. And just the spacious/warm feeling overall inside. Aside from a few flooring and wallpaper changes here and there, I'd probably not change it a whole lot. http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2505-Wedgewood-Dr-SE-Olympia-WA-98501/49376749_zpid/
 
If those cabinets are solid wood,

I'd just clean then up with TSP and linseed oil, change the floor, light fixture, counter tops, sink, and faucet. New appliances, and you'd have a millennial kitchen.
 
Those GE appliances

were built well. Inlay vinyl floors were also popular. One color or pattern for the border, and another in the center of the room. That's how those turquoise and yellow sun burst patterns were done.
I recall the kitchen floor in the Christmas party seen from Driving Miss Daisy.
 
Compared to many from that time period, that one isn't too bad.

The reason the floor has held up well is probably because it is inlaid vinyl, rather than a printed pattern. One of my neighbors just replaced her kitchen floor from 1972 last year. Armstrong Designer Solarian was a very popular brand of inlaid. Corlon is another inlaid product, which is currently available, and should give excellent durability.

http://www.armstrong.com/commflooringna/products/sheet/decorart-corlon/_/N-67sZ1z141y8
 
If the place were 10 or 15 years older and equally well maintained, it would be a stunner.  Spacious as it is, I can't stomach most of the interior's architectural and decorating treatments.

 

I just realized that the stained glass insert on the kitchen fixture is likely custom.  It's sagging, just like the custom leaded stained glass panel my parents inserted below a skylight above the stairway.   It had to be reinforced with a couple of cross pieces, which detracted somewhat from the design.  These pieces are quite heavy and lead is fairly soft, so you can see the results.  Maybe there's another place that piece could go -- where it would be vertical instead of horizontal.  Regardless, it's ready to come crashing down, either through negligence or aggressive demolition.
 
I love that house

The Brick entry is beautiful...
I am not fond of the grasscloth, but if it was in decent shape...

The walls need painting...If i could clean up the grasscloth and make it look nice fine, if not, sadly, i'd need to paint it or somehting... ...

I like the entry way light fixture... The remainder need to get replaced...

The worst room is the one with the pool table off the laundyr... I'd knock down the wall between the rooms and make it open,...room for a few laundyr sets and a nice faimly room with linoleum and painted walls...

The bathroom shower door and sinks need to be replaced, and so do the toliets... The light in the flower bathroom is fine though, i like those

The last bathroom pic is ok, even the floor.. Maybe a new potty for sanitary reasons...

Oh and I'd have to ditch the basebord electric heat

$12,000 max and I'd have a nice decent home to live in
 

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