Recreate yesterday’s sunny coral-yellow-green 50s style kitchen

I've moved: Please see my dramatically improved site: RetroRenovation.com

Today: Modern day products to recreate yesterday’s flashback kitchen. My finds include:

Formica microdot laminate in yellow: http://www.formica.com/publish/site/na/us/en/index/laminate/colors_collections/microdot.detail.6900.0001.html

Wilsonart brushed yellow laminate: http://samples.wilsonart.com/p-134-maroochy-brush-4745-60.aspxmples.wilsonart.com/p-134-maroochy-brush-4745-60.aspx

Sherwin-Williams Pink Flamingo Paint from the Suburban Modern palette: http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/paint_colors/paint_color_palette/color_themes/suburban/int_suburban.jsp

Armstrong’s Marmorette (true linoleum) sheet flooring in Green Parrot:http://www.armstrong.com/commflooringna/product_details.jsp?category=linoleum&item_id=2770

Pretty cool! If this kitchen wouldn't make you happy - nothing would!

Rubber tile for retro floors

These rubber tiles appear to have the same features as VCT and linoleum - and I really love the marbleized effect. http://www.burkemercer.com/flooring/rt_marble.asp

Azrock Cortina #423 is my favorite 50s style flooring

Forced to make final decisions about my kitchen reno, I have settled on this Azrock Cortina tile - #423 Autumn Haze. I haven't installed it yet, but the sample looks FABULOUS. Very streaky -- rather than "blotchy" like so many of the other VCT tiles today. I am going to install the tile at a 90-degree angle to each other.

In my research - looking through many old 50s kitchen catalogs - I think this particular tile is a great replica. My biggest regret is that I must buy it in 12" squares. All tiles today seem to be in this size, at minimum, it seems. In the '50s, from what I can tell, 9" tiles proliferated. In my home, all the tiles (under carpet in the basement, the original kitchen flooring) were 9" square -- as is the parquet in the dining room and the cork tiles in the foyer and bedrooms. In my back hall, the beige/white/black/coral streaked linoleum (fabulous) is 6" square. Fabulous! Oh well.

I also think that Flex-Tile is worth a look:

- Flex-thru tiles, Architectural series -- http://www.flextile.net/

Here is the url for Azrock Cortina:

- And Azrock Cortina -- http://www.tarkett-commercial.com/floors/site/en-us/topic/azrock/article/12533/article.asp

Note: The Azrock people were great about getting me samples. Give them your business!

50s style flooring - Linoleum & Vinyl

Looking at photos of interiors from the '50s, it is clear that both vinyl composite and linoleum were used. Here are sources I recommend today:

- Armstrong Commercial floor tile - Standard Excelon Imperial Texture. One homeowner I heard from said the black was identical to what is still in his basement. There are 75 colors, three shown above (the last three, larger images). Note, in my downstairs basement bedroom, the original homeowner used a mix of browns to beautiful effect - so have fun. Note, this flooring will last forever and ever. See more at: http://www.armstrong.com/commflooringna/product_details.jsp?item_id=381

- Armstrong also makes true linoleum -- see their website, and so does Forbo Marmoleum. Note: While these are quite beautiful, and environmentally friendly to boot, they do require more care and are not considered completely waterproof.

- Toli Linotesta - is another product that I have found that resembles the marble-like look of lineoleum, but has the greater durability of vinyl composite. 3 colors pictured above (first three, smaller images). See more at http://www.toli.com/linotst_home.html

- Finally, try cork. It's quite beautiful. It has the same care-ability issues as linoleum. There are many suppliers around.