Hopin' and Wishin'

My kitchen progress is coming along, slowly, but surely.  Finding all the right pieces takes a lot of patience, and of course budgeting for some of the more expensive changes has to be accomplished one improvement at a time.  This year, we painted the cupboards peacock blue, created a chalkboard refrigerator and added to our collection of colorful 1950s housewares, including our pastel ceramic Monterey dishes.  My goals for 2013 are: finding the perfect retro oven (it has to be one of the harder to find 30" models), replacing the light fixture above the dining table, and re-tiling the back splash.  Maybe by 2014, I can think about new counter tops?!?

Bold indicates items that I covet, the rest is already in place. (From left to right): Our Peacock Feather blue cabinets, chalkboard fridge, white subway tile for the back splash,  vintage Pyrex, yellow wooden "eat" sign, Airstream kitchen hand towel,  1950s Wedgewood stove,  Yellow Lustro Ware canisters, "Why, yellow Gorgeous!" kitchen hand towel, mint green shake mixer, "Make Lemonade" printable,  aqua Lustro Ware reamer, gold star burst clock, pastel ceramic dishes, Amy Butler fabric in Coreopsis, George Nelson Saucer light, & mint green rotary wall phone.

What's your perfect kitchen?

XOX

Starstruck

I was lucky enough to grow up in a house with a lot of it's original mid-century features intact.  Besides the pink and black kitchen, the house had both a starburst doorbell and doorknob!  For Christmas this year, my mom got me my very own atomic star "bling". What do you think?

Sputnik was launched in 1957, but the starburst pattern was present in design features starting much earlier.  It was an era obsessed with space travel, high velocity machines, glass and neon, which inspired "Googie" style architecture.  Futuristic visions for the atomic age, had us all "reaching for the stars." 

 I found a similar door knob back plate at an antique store, but am still on the look out for a knob that will fit inside.  If you have any insight or resources about where I should look, please let me know.

From top left to right:

Sputnik light fixture, Star Glow dishware, children's Atomic Energy Lab toy, Franciscan Ware's beloved "Starburst" pattern (1954), aqua Pyrex, 1950s bark cloth fabric, Taylor and Smith dishware, and Nelson clock.