When post-WWII prefab housing was becoming passe, in the ’50s, a new version of the prefab home emerged – the kind of home with many of the mid-century modern design ideas that would become popular over the next decade.
1959
The original vintage Slinky toy was an all-metal spring that thrilled kids by ‘walking’ down stairs. Invented by accident back in the forties, it’s one of the classic toys that has stood the test of time.
Back in the 1920s, footwear manufacturers and merchants decided that X-ray shoe fittings could bring in lots of customers – people who would be thrilled to let a recent scientific advance help them find the perfect shoe. There was just a little problem…
The Tootsie Roll has a sweet legacy that started way back at the end of the 1800s, and continues to this day. From the early days, the unique chocolaty chewy candy was a huge favorite with kids. Find out more about them here!
Prell shampoo was popular since its introduction in the 1940s, and was best-known for being bright emerald green. Here, see how the product – and the brand’s message – changed from the ’40s to the ’80s!
Although they lacked the portability factor of hand mixers, the fact that these vintage table mixers could stir and blend and whip on their own was a huge boon for home chefs – as much then as now.
Years ago, old-fashioned clock radios like these were on pretty much every bedside table around America, both lulling us to sleep with music and radio shows, and getting us up for work in the morning.
Candy Land, the vintage board game that made millions of kids dream of an ice cream & lollipop world
Here, take a look back at some of the game pieces, cards, and several game boards for the vintage Candy Land game. Which ones do you remember most?
These vintage Lady Buxton wallets came in classic designs made of leather and leather-like materials, many having a small unique design feature to set them apart without being ostentatious.
The basic concept hasn’t changed much in 100 years, but vintage Erector Sets like these are still popular, still inspiring creativity, and still being used to build everything from mini roller coasters to motorized robots.
The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in 1955, and quickly became a favorite with car buyers… but that didn’t stop Ford from making a lot of changes to the model during those first five years. Here’s a look!
Here, see some of the colors – like pink and blue – and styles of the most popular vintage 1950s saucepans and kitchenware from the middle of the 20th century.
Take some time to take a look back at these retro wall clocks, shown here in both traditional & mod designs, to meet the needs of every type of vintage home decor style of the mid-20th century.
They toasted! They cooked! And, most important of all: these vintage toaster ovens warmed up TV dinners without needing to heat up the full-size oven. See how the little kitchen appliances evolved over the years, right up through the 1980s.
In the past, a few products – like Borden cheese – made it so their glass jars could be reused later as party or hostess glasses. Since people collected them, it was a smart use of double-duty packaging.
Sometimes we get the sense that people in the fifties lived in black and white. But as you can see in this collection of colorful vintage 1950s home decor photos, they lived with bright and bold hues, too.
See several vintage ways to decorate mid-century entrance halls & foyers – using authentic 1950s and 1950s finishes and colors that made them as practical underfoot as they were pleasing to the eye
Starting when vintage portable radios were finally small enough to be carried in the 1950s, through when they got almost too big to carry in the ’80s, here’s a little sound history of AM & FM radios from the days of transistors onward.
Jolly Time popcorn is an American company that got its start in 1914. Ten years later, they hit on the idea of selling their popcorn in cans to seal in the freshness so every kernel would pop.
Starting before TV was a really big thing, the old CBS Radio shows filled the airwaves with audio-only entertainment and news of every kind. Here’s a look at some of the programming!
What is a tomato soup cake? Find out with these vintage recipes for what was really a classic spiced cake – although with one unusual addition: a can of regular tomato soup.
Originally envisioned as a beer garden, this Florida destination has grown and grown. Here, see what the famous vintage Busch Gardens amusement park was like from the 1950s right through to the 1990s.
If you’re looking to make a bedroom look a little retro, take a look at these DIY headboards with a vintage look! They may be just the inspiration you need for some old-fashioned home decor.
With fun flavors like pink lemonade, toffee and macaroon, check out these 30 vintage cake mixes and varieties you just can’t get anymore.
Pepperidge Farm remembers… but do you recall all of these classic cakes, cookies, breads, turnovers & other treats they made years ago? (And did you know they once made canned soup?)
Check out some of the vintage Cessna propeller planes you could buy back in the fifties, sixties and seventies. They were popular for business use, but were also owned by celebrities and hobbyists.
With space-age design elements like starbursts and swooshes, and the large backplates, some of the most popular mid-century modern door hardware was absolutely iconic, and easy to recognize.
Though the name might not be up there in lights as bright as Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and Chuck Berry, Bill Haley & His Comets certainly deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence. Here’s why!
They’re the treats you probably always wanted your mom to buy — old-school cookies, including both classics and long-forgotten brands. Here’s a look back – see how many you remember!
Although tile was available in a range of hues, when it came to creating the vintage 1950s bathroom tile design ideas homeowners wanted, the most popular colors were the ones shown here.
See a Scholz Mark 58, a marvelous mid-century modern home built in 1958. From the blue bathroom to the wooden wall paneling, every inch of this reinterpreted California Ranch house screams retro… and we love it.
There was no question that these 1950s gloves for women were stylish – but they were also a required accessory for any proper lady. See pictures of dozens of styles, plus get vintage fashion tips & glove etiquette.
When you think about vintage Hostess snacks, do you start to crave Twinkies, fruit pies, Ho-Hos, Ding Dongs, or just some slices of squishy Wonder Bread? Revisit your favorites here!
From the middle of the 20th century, see some classic and some creative vintage 1950s kitchen tile design ideas that were popular decades ago!
When vintage Dial Soap debuted in the late forties, one of their selling points was ‘Dial smells good — not strong, not sissy.’ See how the product – and the message – changed over the years!
Back in the fifties, hairstyles took a lot of work just to be presentable. To help all that hard work stick around, millions of women used these popular 1950s hairspray brands. Here’s a look back!
When you look at these vintage Longines watches, think back to the era when wristwatches were as ubiquitous as our phones today – and almost as important.
While not exclusively the domain of the fifties, the popularity of vintage pink bathrooms – including pink toilets, sinks and bathtubs, and other home decor – reached its peak during the middle of the 20th century. Take a look!
Rock ‘n’ rollers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & Big Bopper died in a plane crash in 1959 – memorialized as ‘the day the music died.’ Here’s a look at some of the news stories from the time, and photos of the plane.
Look back at the experience passengers in the thirties, forties, fifties and sixties could expect when they sailed the high seas in high style on these fabulous old cruise ships.
Red, pink, gold & beyond – See the top vintage nail polish brands and colors from the 20th century, with shades & styles from decades ago – see how manicures have changed over the years!
These classic 1960 Mercury cars played up one of the most successful automobile marketing angles: luxury options, but at a low price. Look back at these old cars from the sixties, made by a division of Ford!
Looking at these mid-century bathroom color schemes of the ’50s, 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!
You couldn’t tell a ’50s housewife that pastel pink washers & dryers weren’t practical. They didn’t have to be practical – they were pretty.
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.
Looking back, it’s clear that young Betty White had all the same things we loved about older Betty White – the smile, the humor, the voice, the verve. Here’s a look at the early life and career of this actress!
Here, check out 22 vintage kitchen design ideas – from funky fridges to creative cabinetry – plus other retro appliances and home decor we don’t see very often nowadays!
Remember vintage TV dinners — shiny foil trays filled with delicious-looking dinner delights, waiting in the freezer for a special night? Plus find out the history of TV dinners!
When the old Victrola record players were first introduced, those turntables were some cutting-edge tech. Here’s a look at the history of the famous Victor Talking Machines!
This creative collection of ideas came from Crayola, the famous crayon maker, back in the 1950s. They suggest some simple old-fashioned ways for kids to have quiet fun at home with crayons and paper.
In the fifties, people wanted to know: What was rock ‘n’ roll music? Where did this wild dance noise come from – and was it safe for the kids? Should it be banned, or was it just a fad?
If you wanted to see stereotypical retro family cars, check out some huge classic ’50s station wagons that had fins & had rear-facing seats – including cars from Ford, Pontiac, Studebaker and Plymouth.
