Have you ever marveled at the charm and character of antique secretary desks? Let’s take a dive into the world of these stunning, multifunctional pieces!
Vintage homes & gardens
Revive Edwardian elegance with these 1910s home decor tips provided by a design expert from the era.
These retro laundry rooms have decor so fresh they could influence the modern versions! Take a look back at these washer and dryer areas from yesteryear.
Here’s a look back at some authentically vintage 1950s bedroom decor, featuring fabulous mid-century elements like colorful retro carpets, modernist furniture, and old-fashioned bedspreads.
See several 1960s sewing machines here. Turn the knob and automatically do straight stitching, fancy embroidery, mending, button-sewing and much more.
Here are a couple dozen 1960s gadgets and small appliances – bun warmers to coffee pots, toaster ovens to can openers.
America’s love for clean and bright clothes made these old laundry detergent brands into big business.
Who remembers when these vintage 1950s Singer sewing machines were new? One big seller was the Swing-Needle SINGER Automatic, which came in black or beige, in lovely cabinet or portable style.
From uprights to baby grands & more, these antique pianos are works of art!
This catalog of household goods was published to help people ‘spend’ the gift stamps they had earned at the grocery store — much like the better-known Green Stamps.
These cute build-it-yourself 1950s cabins exemplify midcentury architecture and design — in a mini format.
Supergraphics: The epitome of 1970s charm Warning! Scrolling too fast through this post may induce a psychedelic experience! With that out of the way… The
Vintage accordion doors like these were popular – and affordable – home improvements that almost anyone could install. Take a look back at some old-fashioned folding door styles!
This huge collection of 1940s vintage wallpaper samples show the decade was more colorful than you’d imagine from seeing just black and white photos. Take a look back!
While not as portable as hand mixers, the fact that these vintage stand mixers could stir and blend and whip on their own was a huge boon for home chefs.
This charming upper-middle-class home – a vintage ’70s designer dream house in Denver – was compact and neatly designed, the surfaces were hardy, the wallpapers were bold… and the style was so very seventies.
Why stop with the walls when decorating your home when you can add color and flair up high? Here are some retro examples of ceiling wallpaper – and even some old tips on how to do it.
With its gold edging and hardware, this style of French-inspired furniture design was popular for homes in the ’60s and into the ’70s. Take a look!
‘Suzy Homemaker’ was the name of a vintage line of toy appliances that encouraged girls to play by cleaning and cooking… just like mom!
Looking at these 1950s bathroom color schemes, you’ll see that the look of white, stark home decor was quickly disappearing. In its wake was a trend toward colorful designs. Take a look!
The A-frame house design is a tried and true style, and was especially popular for second homes and vacation cabins in the ’60s. See several retro A-frames here!
These bold and bright retro 1970s sheet sets and bedding ensembles delightfully epitomize the colorful fashions – both in home decor and clothing – of the groovy years.
One 1950s designer’s choice for this golden yellow living room decor: a large-scale wallpaper pattern that had white to dress it up, plus striped window shades for added smartness.
We’ve collected photos of vintage brick fireplaces from the 1940s through the 1970s, showing these fireplaces have been integrated into decor over those inspiring mid-century decades – and still maintain their charm as the warming heart of any home.
50s phones were more than just a means of communication — they were pretty household decorations!
Divide the spaces in your home with a colorful mid-century modern wood & glass dividing wall that gives a cheerful retro vibe!
One of the most lively of H&G’s decorator colors for 1965, Tiger Lily, made its first appearance in this pink & orange striped entrance hall decor – making it look like a circus or child’s party lay just beyond.
Whether you’re looking back to yesteryear to remember kids room decor of your childhood, or are thinking about recreating one of these looks today, we have a few dozen ideas for you!
Find out how the Homestead Act of 1862 helped shape American society in dramatic ways by playing a vital role in the settlement of vast US prairie lands.
Here are more than 100 colorful antique fabrics from right around the turn of the century – bright and bold vintage textiles that feature florals, tiny patterns, plaids, stripes, dots, paisley and other beautiful classic designs.
Living rooms changed entirely when these vintage console stereos came on the market – they were technology and furniture all in one!
Vintage bean bags were so popular in the 70s because they were fun and super comfy – filled with pillowy-soft polystyrene beads. Here’s a look back at dozens of old-fashioned styles and retro fabrics that were available back in the day.
The magnificent Conrad-Caldwell mansion – also known as the Theophilus Conrad house – in Louisville, Kentucky, was completed in 1895, and was a luxurious home with detailed stonework and woodwork.
The best part of this collection of vintage calendar towels is remembering the ones from years ago – just like our moms, aunts and grandmothers used to have in their kitchens.
These retro Christmas ornament craft ideas may be more than 50 years old, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less festive than you’d expect to see today! Take a look at how easy they are to do.
With a little thought and care – plus the inspiration of these lush holiday table settings of yore – you can create unforgettably nostalgic Christmas table settings that will be remembered for years to come.
Here are some crafty fabric Christmas ornaments you can make yourself. There are five different designs using an inexpensive patchwork design.
Here’s how to craft creative salt dough ornaments for Christmas! It’s easy to stir up a batch, and makes getting into the holiday spirit extra fun.
Take a look at these beautiful sequined ornaments and beaded fruit crafts from the 1960s & 1970s for a little DIY inspiration!
While you may think celebrity endorsements are a more recent trend in advertising, that’s clearly not the case, as you can see in these Bing Crosby ads from the 40s, 50s & 60s!
You could spot that Laura Ashley Home vibe at a glance – those patterns (often florals) with a warm and cozy English country feel. And in the 80s and 90s, Americans loved them. See dozens of vintage LAH styles here.
Here, remember a few of the vintage colored paper towels that almost every home in America had hanging in their kitchen, in a wide range of now-rare colors & patterns!
Spreckels Mansion – aka The Sugar Palace – was a completely over-the-top late Victorian home, was the luxurious residence of one of San Francisco’s wealthiest men at the time. Take a look back at the original version of this house!
Adapted from an article that ran in Better Homes & Gardens print magazine back in December 1970, this cute craft how-to for “colossal Christmas balls”
This cute and creative 1930s attic bedroom made the most of its space by incorporating custom-built canopy beds that fit perfectly under the eaves on each side.
This collection of vintage Pier 1 Christmas ads shows the great variety of gifts, home decor, and Christmas decorations they had available through the second half of the 20th century.
Ever since the 80s, the iconic conversation pit has seemed hopelessly out-of-date. Could it be poised for a comeback?
Check out some of the ways home builders incorporated decorative concrete block designs into the walled terraces and indoor design features of mid-century modern homes.
You couldn’t tell a 50s housewife that pastel pink washers and dryers weren’t practical, or that they wouldn’t still be fashionable in a decade. The appliances were stylish and pretty right then and there, at least to millions of women at the time.
Just look at the richly-textured patterns in this mid-century modern carpet! And the vintage 3-level pile apparently offered the highlights and shadows in expensive sculptured rugs.
Back when cheap Halloween party decor was a distant dream, people had to make their Halloween decorations the old-fashioned way: by getting creative. Ghoul School 1919 is now in session!
This Tucson, Arizona, kitchen from 1965, wasn’t a traditional Mexican-inspired kitchen, but shimmered with a familiar Mexican decorative material – embossed tin – put to highly inventive use
