How to Do 1950s Home Decor
- 1
Retro punchbowl.
Serve delicious punch out of this funky plastic punchbowl. Notice the bowl has gold flakes embedded in the plastic which is typical 1950s home decor fashion. - 2
Porcelain shakers.
Use any pair of these salt and pepper shakers in your kitchen. Porcelain shakers, also called range top shakers, were often given away as gifts when you purchased a new stove.
If you look really hard, you may find a set of red bullet-shaped plastic shakers which truly reflect the look and feel of 1950s home decor.
In the summer, don your hostess apron and serve iced tea to your guests on a metalwork tray like the one pictured here. - 3
Chalk ware fish.
Hang these perfectly pink chalk ware fish complete with bubbles in your bathroom. If you paint your bathroom walls turquoise, you'll be color styling 1950s version. - 4
Burl wood & hairpin legs.
Look for 1950s furniture with the much desired hairpin legs. These legs are made of angled iron and they are called hairpin because their shape resembles hair pins.
Scour garage sales and thrift shops for pieces like this burl wood table with hairpin legs. Set it at the end of your divan. Place a chartreuse pottery table lamp topped with a star-flecked fiberglass shade on this cool table to add light in the room. - 5
Chenille bedspread.
Furnish a guest room bed with a vintage chenille bedspread. Place a couple of throw pillows made of retro bark cloth fabric on top of the bedspread.
Look for old bedspreads on Ebay, in flea markets and thrift shops. You can even barter for old spreads and fabric. Check out free websites like Craigslist to place a barter ad. - 6
Miramar planter.
Hang metalwork pottery planters from swinging plant hooks. This chartreuse hanging planter from Miramar of California, dated 1956, originally came with a tarnished brass finish on the metalwork.
Spray paint the metalwork black. A little black in a room adds a touch of class. - 7
TV Lamp
This glass block tv lamp is original and comes on a wooden stand. Go for the real authentic 1950s home decor look. Flip the block over so the open side is up. Insert large red plastic flowers inside the block.
Set the tv lamp on top of your tv to help deflect the "harmful rays" and possible damage to your eyes, which was a common belief when the television was new and available to everyday Americans.
Find a footed planter like this one produced in Japan. Note the footed feature is typical 1950s. - 8
Sew 1950s.
Set a small formica-topped table (with hair pin legs to boot) in a corner of the living room. Use your modern sewing machine to whip up some bark cloth curtains and pillows for a true 1950s home decor.
P.S. Try to situate the tv so you can sew and still join your family in watching the latest episode of "Sky King". :)
