A Golden Question About Color

[sudsomatic]

 

 

I'm curious how people on the board see the color most commonly known as Harvest Gold in vintage appliances. In particular Maytag's version... California Gold / Harvest.

 

Do you see this color as a yellow, an orange, a brown, or a gold? Is it even possible to pinpoint it to a single color family or is it more of a unique color unto itself?

 

 

 

 

 

[hippiedoll]

Before...

I knew the correct name, I called the first Maytag I got, a 208, MUSTARD YELLOW.
D

 

[toploadloyalist]

Starting in 1969, Kenmore replaced 'Harvest' with 'Tawny' Gold.

 

[sudsomatic]

Thanks guys ...

 

 

I can see Mustard yellow.. particularly honey mustard, without the specks.

 

Tawny would be like Lion fur right? I'm guessing it evolved into more of a brown then?

 

I asked for input because I'm struggling with which way to go on the color, in trying to find a compatible hue that exists in a limited palette of choices.

 

I am almost ready to put my much loved Maytag 806/808 set into use finally. I feel like there will be some tune up necessary and a little bit of cleaning, but I can't wait to put them into daily (well, actually more like weekly based on my laundry schedule) use.

 

That's my main goal, to get them in a permanent spot and do any maintenance that might be required and then just enjoy them, but I know later on I may decide to work on their appearance. The old girls are beautiful as they are, but I've thought that, down the road.. once I know they are mechanically sound I might try restoring them cosmetically as well.

 

They both have chips and scratches to the exterior finish, worn button letters, etc. the little things that happen over time when something's been around for awhile. Because of that, I'd love to have them repainted, but getting them out somewhere to have that done isn't possible due to lack of the right vehicle. I know any thing I tried to do from home, such as spot touchups with the tiny bottles or hand painting with cans or a gun I wouldn't be happy with the finished product.

 

So I looked into an easier, DIY option, something I discovered when researching having appliances painted at an Auto Body shop... Vinyl Wrap. 3M and other companies make giant 5 foot wide rolls of the stuff specifically for covering cars to change their color, add printed graphics,  etc. It's something that has been adopted in Appliance refreshing as well, for people that want to hang on to their old appliances in their remodeled kitchens but find that their old Biscuit colored fridge doesn't fit with their new all White color scheme.

 

I haven't found much info on covering washers and dryers in it, but the stuff is made to hold up to cars driving in rain and snow so I feel like it will work around the washer lid and top. Vinyl is not only stretchy but it also works like shrink wrap.. it conforms to curves and angles when you slightly stretch it and then apply heat, so  the rounded corners and curved in areas should look nice and tight. The finish is gloss so once it's applied it appears painted and also mimics a porcelain finish.

 

All of that brings me to my original question, my set is white, but I've always loved California Gold/Harvest. In fact I almost got a set in Harvest originally but the washer in the set I chose had the lighted tub and that won out over the color. But... in using Vinyl Wrap to cover the set I realized I can change the color, and without taking away from the sets value. Vinyl Wrap can be removed later on so that the original paint stays intact, if I painted it a new color it would be a permanent change.

 

My only problem is that Vinyl Wrap does not come in Harvest.. for some reason, car enthusiasts don't want that particular shade on their sports cars. You can find Harvest Gold wrap in crafting sizes.. but it's only a foot wide and would never work for any of the areas on either appliance without multiple, visible seams. It's lower quality as well and likely not as durable as Auto Wrap.

 

So.. it leaves me to try to find a close color in some of their other color families. I'm color blind so I don't see colors the way others do. So I was asking in that respect. Seeing what Harvest "looked like" to others. Someone in my family said they always saw it as the color of diarrhea..haha. And someone else said they remembered it being orange. Neither person really has a fondness for all things vintage appliance , the way this board does, so I figured I'd asked more knowledgeable folks.

 

 

[de409]

I have a NOS factory Maytag door with liner and gasket in Harvest Gold if it helps...

 

[sudsomatic]

That's very cool ...

 

 

de409,

 

Thanks! That's very interesting, to be honest I don't know that it would help in finding a Vinyl Wrap color so much as it would make me reconsider the whole getting it painted thing, so as to match it exactly! haha. But since mine is in really nice shape, door and all, I guess it's probably better to save that one for someone with a scratch and dent model that's already in the proper color to begin with.

 

I'm guessing it's probably not the style of dryer door with window that hippiedoll found for hers? I'd be re-thinking pretty quick in that case.

 

[de409]

No, it is not a window style door. Just metal.

 

[lowefficiency]

I think the problem with defining "harvest gold" is that many folks immediately visualize it in shaded form, thereby incorporating a whole range of shades into the definition...

>> My only problem is that Vinyl Wrap does not come in Harvest.. for some reason, car enthusiasts
>> don't want that particular shade on their sports cars.

Before you give up on vinyl, remember that advertising shops have printers that can print any color, pattern, design, or graphics you want on vinyl for advertising wraps on vehicles. Given an image sample of a solid color, it wouldn't be unreasonable at all for one of these companies to simply print a giant sheet of your specific harvest shade for you. Given some dimensions, they would even be able to incorporate the shading if you'd like... although that would require more precision on your part to orient it correctly when installing!

 

[sudsomatic]

Good idea!!!

 

 

LowEfficency,

 

   Thank you, that's an idea definitely. I hadn't considered that as I was sticking mostly to vehicle vendors that strictly sold solid colors. It's a nice compromise, I'm going to research it.. see if the printing can hold up to the stretch involved to maneuver the tight 90 degree corners of the washer and dryer tops and not fade to white in those areas, in trying to make the sharp angles.

 

You're right about the variations in shaded HG, that's something else that I didn't put into perspective when framing the question. I know that from my perspective, original California Gold, non shaded, is the version I picture when I think of Harvest. I do like the shaded look too though.

 

On that note... the idea of incorporating the shading into the printing is pretty genius actually. I know I've read several threads on here where members have speculated on the easiest way to repaint a machine and replicate shading with an authentic look, I think your idea might just be perfect. The dealers that sell Vinyl Wrap specifically for fridges have those custom prints available to make your appliance look like a vintage pop machine, an old castle door, A British Phone box.. etc. They have the placement down to fit just about any modern fridge model, it shouldn't be too hard to position the shaded gradient areas to hit the right spots on a washer dryer.

 

 

 

 

[lowefficiency]

Sure thing!

The shops that do this are used to some really tricky situations - fitting graphics to all of the curves and complex shapes of vehicles - so I would think that scaling and alignment for shaded rectangles should be a piece of cake for their graphic artists. Heck, they might even give you a too-good-to-refuse price for installation too if you brought the machine cabinet in, seeing as how much simpler it is than the vehicles they normally do.

I have no idea on the fading characteristics, or how good the solid patterns look up close, so those are good things to consider. Might be worth a few phone calls!