Color of Vintage Bathroom Tiles

The intention of all my blogs and articles is twofold. First and foremost is to give the reader “permission” to think, choose, and be comfortable with their own decisions concerning purchase, placement, and installation of vintage lighting (or any other item) in their home. Secondly is to give the reader useful information.

Somehow an “only this way is correct” authoritative mentality seems to be the norm, freezing people from making their own decisions for fear of doing it wrong. We should be giving credence to our own unique preferences and each of us should be guided by our intuition and sense of style. The whole arts & crafts movement was based on individuals wanting choice from the mass-produced “this is what you need (want)” commercialism. We need to give this permission back to the individual. Art Deco can be beautifully combined with Arts & Crafts or Spanish Revival or Victorian. This is exactly what one would have seen in the common home of the early 20th Century. Sure, using a specific term to describe a specific item gives one the air of authority, but as the bumper sticker says: Question Authority. And not just the kind with a badge.

It is nice to learn what style our home is, but not to then be tied to whatever design is designated to that style. This was brought home in a recent blog I read where someone asked what color of white tile would be most appropriate in the 1" hex tile for a period bathroom. (Not what color of tile, but what color of white tile). This seemingly had stopped the homeowner from moving forward. I answered whatever shade of white you like, AND trust your decision. I recently completed a “period” bath using new 1" white hex floor tile. In the bath I also installed a vintage claw-foot tub, 2 vintage white pedestal sinks (from different manufacturers, 16 inches apart), 3 vintage white porcelain wall sconces and 2 antique white porcelain ceiling fixtures with milk glass shades. All of the colors of white were original, appropriate AND none of them exactly matched. The bathroom is fabulous.

Point being, there were a lot of choices back then, as now, and any of them would be a correct choice.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

If You Have To Ask...

Another question we get on occasion and one we recently received was if the multi-colors on a vintage fixture was original. Many vintage light fixtures had multi- colored highlights, often referred to as polychrome or polychromatic, from the Greek words meaning multi color. Monochrome is used to describe a fixture of a single color.

Some vintage fixtures have retained their polychrome finish very nicely, muted shades of reds, greens, and blues. This coloration was never meant to be the focus on the fixture, but rather the "accessory" to it. These colors were almost always pastel, and usually applied by air brush; the colors faded nicely into the background. Thinking of Linda's earrings here.

What we are seeing out there today are people trying to repaint the colors or simply repainting the entire fixture in colors, totally absent of any consideration of what the original fixture looked like. In the catalogue section of our website there are numerous fixtures with a polychrome finish, all in muted shades of color, all appropriate for the fixture and time. None of the examples have brightly painted reds, greens or blues, much less the bright purples, hot pink, or vibrant yellows some are using to re-paint vintage fixtures.

So yes, multi-colors were original to certain vintage fixtures, as in the images above, and they will look right when you see them. If you have to ask, then you know the answer.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

Baked Light

The newest addition to our website is a pair of 1920s solid bronze wall sconces. What is rather unusual about these is their original shades are made of Bakelite.

http://vintagelights.com/product/1/solid-bronze-pair-of-vintage-wall-sconces-with-original-bakelite-shades.html

Bakelite was a forerunner to plastic and was developed near the turn of the last century. Dr. Baekland established the General Bakelite Company in 1910, to supply the rapidly growing demand for a plastic type product.

We occasionally see bakelite used in various parts of vintage lighting fixtures and even less frequently we see bakelite shades. Bakelite has a beautiful glow and was manufactured in some great colors, like tortoise shell, wood grain, and bright solid colors which makes it a very collectible item in today's vintage marketplace. One drawback of the bakelite shades was their tendency to turn black where the heat of the light bulb was most intense. With every increase in light bulb wattage this problem increased. You can see the blackened centers of the shades in the above image. The dark discoloration is much more noticeable when the light bulb is off.

Vintage bakelite is very collectible and an easy, non-destructive test to determine if an object is true bakelite or just plastic made to look like bakelite is to wet a q-tip with 409 cleaner and gently rub in a discreet place on the piece. True bakelite will discolor the q-tip in a yellow to brown color. Plastic will not discolor the q-tip.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

It Takes a Keen Eye...

The above image illustrates what a typical fixture looks like before and after we get our hands on it. Before we purchase any fixture, such as the one on the left, we have to know a few things about it.
First and foremost, is it appealing to me and would others find it appealing, what should it look like when refinished, what would it take to get it into condition to sell, what would the projected selling price be, can the wiring be replaced and if so, what it would take to restore the wiring to a safe working condition, what pieces, if any, are missing, who would the target purchaser be, does anything about it look out of place, are its proportion and scale correct? Then a quick check for damage and anything that is hidden or concealed. And the final question, is this something we can make a profit on or in lieu of profit, is there any other compelling reason to purchase it? Typical market research, but it must be done almost instantly, with authority, and with an absolute belief that I will make the right choice to pursue it or not.
I used to have to think about all these questions; now it is second nature. I can decide if I am interested in a used fixture in seconds, How? I listen to my eyes and I trust that my brain knows the answer. It does.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

www.VintageLights.com

Looking Outside the Square Tube Box

Once again, in a conversation with a customer, I was reminded of the curious path I have taken to get here. This customer had a concern that a certain fixture did not fit their perception of an "Arts & Crafts" fixture.

When I first became aware that I was living in a "Craftsman" home and that a sideboard I saved from my grandfather's basement 10 years prior was in the "Mission" style, I began to really appreciate this unique American style. But along with that I had somewhere picked up the misconception that Arts & Crafts light fixtures were square, fit into a certain style box, and were pretty much utilitarian in nature. Boy was I wrong. The Arts & Crafts movement was all about just the opposite.

But I understood where this customer's perception came from, as I had been there. Frequently the 3 terms used to describe this style are Craftsman, Mission, and Arts & Crafts. And sometimes they can be used interchangeably. Each has a different flavor of the time and I think a lot of folks, like me, initially do not understand the difference. These easily recognizable "Mission" fixtures are just a small part of the richness of the Arts & Crafts era.

Yes, the square fixtures are from the Arts & Crafts period, yes, the square fixtures look terrific in a Craftsman home and yes, these fixtures are also of the Mission style.

I think I was so enamored by the furniture of the Stickley era that I associated everything Arts & Crafts to that particular style.

I am glad I looked around that era and expanded my view to outside of the square tube.

Open your eyes and listen. PB

www.vintagelights.com

The Real Story out of the Box

Reading through one of our favorite magazines yesterday, Cottages & Bungalows, I noticed a story box with suggestions about where to go for additional information on bungalow styles. There were 4 books recommended, suggesting they can be found at Amazon. Should it be no surprise that VintageLights.com has 2 of the 4 in their vast and ever growing collection of vintage books and catalogues? And that their entire collection of vintage catalogues are free? It would set you back over $50 if you purchased these 4 paperbacks at the big A. Paperbacks!

The vintage catalogue selection at Vintagelights.com not only has the Internets largest free resource of vintage lighting catalogues but also Sears Kit Homes, interior decorating, Bungalow and home plans, plumbing, lawn and garden books and promotional pamphlets. All original, all in their entirety, all from about 1900 through 1939, and all FREE. Some of these catalogues are not reproduced anywhere else, making this resource unique, helpful, and important.

We are glad to help.

Above image from the book Architectural Woodwork by The Curtis Companies, 1920.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

Design Drought

I often mention the design, style, and proportions of vintage fixtures, properties most contemporary fixtures seem to have a lack of. Whether it is from lack of classical design study or just the blinders-on rush for the dollar (or yuan), most of today's lighting fixtures wither and pale in comparison to pre 1940 vintage fixtures.

Take the above image for example. How many classic design elements do you see? The knight, coat of arms, dragons, fleur de lis, ivy, lance and flag, and the bent cross or fleur de lis finial. But what is it about this fixture that grabs your eyes and keeps them moving about the fixture, savoring its sinuous curves the way a jawbreaker rolls around your mouth? Strict adherence to classical design elementation. In the image on the right, note how each line intersects the tips of key elements 4 to 7 times. This is VERY deliberate. Each curve, each leaf, each element is placed in such a way your eye just rolls around the fixture, seemingly at random. Similar to the way your eyes move around when looking at nature. There is a comfort in such a fixture because its design elements mimic the design elements in nature. Unseen yet felt.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

Simple yet very Elegant

During the teens and 1920s there was a very popular home decorating style referred to as the "sanitized" look. Also an exciting time in medicine when great strides were made in successful vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus, TB and whooping cough (History lesson). Not to mention the decade Band-Aids were invented.

The "sanitized" look was born from the emphasis on cleanliness and disease control. As a result, one of the most popular looks of that era was white on white. White glass shades on white porcelain fitter. White subway tile was also the standard of the day. To this day, this color & style is still one of the most popular in vintage lighting.

As things progressed, some color was added to the porcelain fixtures and tile. Black, green, light yellow, pink and lilac were taking the place of the sterilized white look. This produced fixtures which were very simple yet they also were very elegant. The above images shows a custard glass shade with black stripes on a seafoam green fitter. Great vintage bathroom or kitchen light fixture.

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Ready, Fire, Aim

We are just finishing up a set of 1920 - 30s "Storybook" style vintage ceiling fixtures. There are three 5 light, one 3 light, two 2 light, one pair of sconces and a very rare table lamp. I know I have had some of these fixtures for over 4 years, waiting until I could do justice to them by developing a finishing technique which would match the original finish and retain an appropriate sheen for an 80 year old light fixture. Looking back at the finishing process I am a bit surprised how little trial and error there was to arrive at the finished product this time. Using several different techniques, tools, and finishes in a very specific order produced the desired results. It was like my brain already knew what to do and I just had to be willing to follow. And I am very happy and satisfied with the results.

Interestingly this coincides with an upcoming issue of American Bungalow magazine due out the middle of this month. They are doing a short feature on Vintagelights.com and this set of vintage fixtures was one they may include.

I submitted their image not yet consciously knowing what the refinishing process would be, but I must have already known. Had I not pulled the trigger by submitting them for consideration in the feature who know how many more years it would have taken.

They will be our next featured item on our home page.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Light Investment

With few exceptions, Vintage Lighting still offers one of the most cost effective ways to to bring what is commonly called "Vintage Charm" to your home or business. Sure, "Vintage Charm" is subjective, different for everyone, and to certain degree, "cost effective" is also subjective.

But here are a couple of facts which bring "cost effective" into the realm of objectivity.

1. Again with few exceptions, no contemporary lighting fixture retains its value once placed into use, nor will it increase in value over time.

2. The underlying reason vintage lighting continues to increase in value (and it has even over the past 6 months) is that it is a very limited resource. There is no more being made. This is it. And every time a 1920s shade is broken, the value of those remaining goes up. Supply and demand. More than one of our customers consider their purchases an investment.

It may cost a little more up front for vintage fixtures but the pay off is not only monetary (in the long run) but in the daily appreciation of its contribution to your home's beauty and authentic "Vintage Charm".

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

The Eyes Have It

I remember the first time I saw the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in person. "Big church" was about the extent of my acknowledgement.

After a job change I decided to take some Architecture classes at the University of Washington. Of course I could only take the introductory classes, but that's all it took. The professor was a seasoned pro who could bring the magic of the ancient Greek buildings to the Space Needle come alive. (He spent his summers in Athens trying to find ways to save the Parthenon from acid rain and other air-borne destructors).

About 3 years later I was again in Paris. This time when I saw Norte Dame with its flying buttresses and vaulted rooftops I was literally stopped in my tracks. What I was seeing this time was an almost unbelievable structure of beauty, grace and engineering that took several generations to complete. For the rest of that day I could not stop marveling at its enormity of both scale and imagination. Norte Dame began with a cornerstone almost 850 years ago but for me it started with an entry level class at the U of W. There I found a new way of seeing and appreciating the world in which I live, which carries on today in my profession.



Listen To Your Eyes. PB



http://vintagelights.com/

Vacuum packed

I read an article the other day which asked "Why Vintage Lighting?" The answer was obviously from an online form where you just plug in a title and a couple keywords and out pops a meaningless jumble of ver(gar)bage. I guess it helps to fill some void, much like all the "designer" home decor, found now even at Safeway, where your eye may look at it once then you will never see it again, even if you look right at it. Proof that it must be true that Nature abhors a vacuum.

Now that I have vented a bit, there is no time here to answer "Why Vintage Lighting", which was my original thought. sorry, next time.

Maybe I should wait until after I had my coffee...

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

Proper Vintage Bathroom Lighting

Another recent query we received and one we often field is "What is the best lighting solution for a vintage bathroom, specifically around the mirror?"

This question is pretty vague so lets try to narrow down some answers for a couple of the most common scenarios. If you have a medicine cabinet or just a mirror over the sink or counter and if room on each side permits, a vintage wall sconce on each side of the mirror at (the woman's) eye level gives the best illumination for detailing the face. Sconces with shades or using inside frost light bulbs help to minimize shadows. Another sconce above the mirror or a small pendant drop close to the wall will also help balance the light.

Sometimes the mirror is the width of the wall above the counter and usually here you find the typical light bar with 6 round bare bulbs (or worse, a fluorescent light bar). Recently a local customer came to us with this dilemma, the mirror the length of the wall. We provided him with 3 matching pendant drops of opaque milk glass which he had mounted into 3 new ceiling boxes. A bit more costly but a solution he was grateful for.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

www.VintageLights.com

Patience and Planning

With the California Poppies popping up, it is a sure sign of Spring, even though last Friday morning there was 1/2 inch of snow on the deck. And today, Monday, it is going to hit 80 degrees. We are loving it.

Now is the time to start planning those outside projects that are on this summer's list. I mention this because it seems all too often we are hit with requests for a specific type of vintage lighting fixture (in this case vintage porch lights), and the electrician is coming out next week to install it.

When you know that vintage lighting is what you desire there are two things to remember: the first is patience and planning and the second is, if you find something you like, purchase it on the spot. We have a good track record of finding specific vintage fixtures if given enough time. But the "electrician is coming out next week" is one of the surest ways to end up with dandelions instead of golden California Poppies.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Bring Back the Magic

Some call it beauty, some call it a felt emotional responce, and some just refer to it as magical. That inexpicible sense of self and emotion when in the presence of something that stirs us in a positive way.
The old lighting fixtures have it, the old buildings have it, Nature has it.
Maybe we all need a little more magic in our lives.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

www.VintageLights.com

Too bad we can't go fishin'

As I kid my father would cut me out of school on Friday for a long weekend of fishing in Eastern Washington. We would meet up with Carl "Curly" Gleason and his son Carl Jr. for the trip over highway 2. Camp out Thursday night in the riverside park in Wenatchee and hit the lakes Friday. Specticle, Wannacut, Alta, and Twin lakes all gave up their treasured trout to us. God, it was just beautiful in the Methow and Okanogon Valleys. Still is.
One thing I remember though was the talks Dad and Curly had about politics. Their respecive views were as divergent as the water spilling from the broken aquaduct high above Specticle Lake. They would sometimes talk the whole drive over and back as well as late into the night. At that age I had no idea exactly what they were talking about, but I knew they had opposite views. But I also saw the respect they had for each others views and how they could put it all behind when another lunker hit the orange Flat Fish we were slowly trolling behind a Ford Fender. They were life long friends despite of, or because of, their different points of view.
Maybe that is why I am troubled by the tone of today's politicial rheteric; I learned a bit about mutual respect rowing that wooden boat around Alta with 3 lines in the water.
Too bad we can't all go fishin'

p.s. Curly was bald.
p.s.s. An old fishing buddy Joseph Demeo in image.

www.VintageLights.com

Port of Indecision

In previous posts I asked why so many people are afraid or VERY cautious when it comes to making decisions concerning design elements in their home (or anything else). It occurred to me that "Politically Correct" could be partially to blame. PC is nothing more than the McDonalds Mentality in a political dress. The least common denominator, acceptable mediocrity, etc etc. And yes I chow down a Big Mac every now and then.
The danger of PC is that it is a form of a lie, an innocuous partial truth or a lie of reserve. PC is another example of giving the illusion that one never needs to venture out of the port of indecision, one never needs to set their own sail, to discover their own strengths and weakness and to see the setting sun from another point of view.
PC obscures the truth, waters it down like the new beers from St. Louis.

There is nothing like a warm summer day, standing with your own two feet planted firmly on the deck of a sailboat under way, with a nice cold micro-brew in hand.

Listen to your eyes. PB

Yep, that's me.

www.vintagelights.com/

A "Great Truth" from the 20s

One of the things I like about cruising the old lighting catalogues is the stark contrast of purpose between  early electric fixtures and today's.  Here is an excerpt from a 1920's Lightolier catolog:
"Throughout the length and breath of the land builders of modern homes have learned the great truth that nothing is more essential to real home beauty and comfort than correct lighting fixtures."

Listen To Your Eyes.  PB

www.vintagelights.com/

Authentic Original

In a recent, respected, periodical we found the following descriptors of different contemporary products, all trying to invoke a sense of the past. Some do a fair job, most fail miserably. None can actually deliver on what the underlying marketing promise is: Comfort or Beauty from an Authentic Original.

period...
historic...
antique...
arts & crafts inspired...
historically inspired...
in the style of ...
vintage...
from the arts & crafts movement
in the Arts & Crafts tradition
old fashioned quality
in the Craftsman style
in arts & crafts style
in the spirit of ....
Greene & Greene inspired...
built in the craftsman tradition
period inspired...
original arts & crafts designs (contemporary)
in the craftsman style...
in the traditions of .....
authentic arts & crafts...(contemporary)
in the arts & crafts tradition

Listen to your eyes.  PB

www.vintagelights.com

No really, Vintage Lights Addiction

Yesterday we received an order from a returning customer who confessed to a Vintage Lights fetish. Afraid of what exactly that meant (but assuming it was meant as: "something which has spiritual or magical powers"), we left that confession lying there.

So over the past few days we have had 2 addictions, one disease, and one fetish in the Vintage Lights arena (and a "powerless" decision to purchase, although in decision there is power).

So leave it to VintageLights.com to come to the aid of those addicted, diseased, powerless and fixated with Vintage Lighting. We will be soon be launching the DailyElixr.com and/or the Daily Elixr on Facebook, where those individuals in need of a Vintage Lights fix will be welcomed with the lights on. We share your passion!

www.vintagelights.com