Your Fireplace 1967
January 31, 2013
I think looking back at anything from the 1950's, 60's and 70's is very enjoyable, and collecting from that era is fun too. I am a baby boomer!
I picked up this Sunset Book, copyright 1967, "How to Plan and Build Your Fireplace" for $1 yesterday while thrifting. Unfortunately the photos inside are all black and white, but so was the television set at my house in 1967.
We never had a fireplace, unless you counted our Junger's fuel oil space heater in the kitchen.
If you are not familiar with a Junger's space heater, it looked something like this. (Photo - AmericanListed.com.) Not decorative at all, just utilitarian.
I remember this type of fireplace cover. They were like metal screen drapes. I also remember that familiar brass, (probably) round raised relief tray on the mantel too, and everybody had a log holder like that.
How about the paneling above the fireplace? I wonder how many of us have ever joined a linky party to show off a mantel like this? I think a lot of these photos are mid Century modern and very spartan. This photo's caption says "Redwood, black marble, in scale with a large and simple living room create generous-sized hospitable fireplace".
More paneling, and very sparse decorating. Zero clutter. Captioned as "Earth tones of the ceramic tile fireplace, board on board redwood walls combine to evoke an intimate mood in living room. Floor is green ceramic tile. Nine foot ceilings".
Not even a mantel here. Captioned as "Honey colored wall paneling is carried over fireplace facing, notched to provide a planting shelf."
My current house actually has a built in desk in the den. Captioned as "An intimate library fireplace".
Furniture looks uncomfortable, and fireplace mantel is protected by asbestos! Captioned as "Mantel of rough 6 x 12 inch timber matches rugged character of fireplace. Stones, set in concrete, came from building site during excavation. Wooden mantel protected from fire with asbestos sheathed with copper".
Interesting paneling squares here. Captioned as "Bookcase is traffic divider masking a down stairway, rail on the other side. In front, tile from hall flows past to merge with fireplace hearth".
This room has a more traditional vibe. Captioned as "Plywood treated with Belgium wax backs bookcases. Hand tooled pine beams blend with dressed stone facing of flagstone hearth".
Interesting room layout. Captioned as "Arrangement of the fireplace, bookshelf wall, and a built in sofa creates a warm atmosphere. This concrete block fireplace acts as a room divider".
These rooms all seem like they would be on the dark side. Lots of wood and brick. Captioned as "Open sided fireplace built in two shades of Roman brick blends with the horizontal lines of the varnished cedar walls, bookshelves and built ins" .
Captioned as "Floor to rafter bookcases make for a studious corner near the fireplace. Facing of the fireplace and flanking benches benches laid with 2 x 8 inch tiles. Mantel is formed by a single beam".
I am going to share more photos from this book in another post. There are some great free standing fireplaces and more 1960's decor to come.
We never had a fireplace, unless you counted our Junger's fuel oil space heater in the kitchen.
Captioned as "Rough plank mantel blends with rough texture of the dressed sandstone fireplace".
I know that I would have to fill up this mantel. The plant and the plate are just not doing it for me. Captioned as "A long turquoise blue mantel joins the fireplace and bookcase, matches the horizontal line of Roman brick facing".
This is much more like it. I could do niches. Captioned as "Niches over the fireplace show off art objects. Shelves for books utilize waste space created by slight extension of the fireplace".
I love the corner chair. Captioned as "Color of gold Roman brick fireplace repeated in wall and simple mantel. Wood storage locker at right".
I remember the hearth seating like this in 1960's homes. Captioned as"Bookshelves fill a solid part of the wall. Notice how the grille for an air-circulating fireplace is worked in with the low height shelves for albums. Niche for the painting is an architectural "frame". Raised hearth for extra seating".
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Hi Carlene! I love looking at these old decorating books. I used to check them out at the library just to look back.
ReplyDeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Those rooms look like the ones on old tv shows like I love Lucy. Wonder what future bloggers will say about our decorating styles in 20 or 30 years? I like looking at old magazines and books like yours to understand how far we have come in home styles and decorating. Have a great Friday and stay warm! The weather guy keeps saying we are going to get snow but it hasn't happened yet...but he thinks we will get light snow on Sat. We will see....
ReplyDeleteShannon
These photos remind me of the Brady Bunch home. Very mod.
ReplyDeleteI liked: "Bookcase is traffic divider masking a down stairway, rail on the other side." All of these remind me too of the Brady Bunch and some of the old sixties movies. My house had the feel of one of these pictures when we moved in in the mid 80's. It was obvious it had not been changed a bit since it was built and decorated in 1956 down to the fake light up logs in the fake fireplace cut out.
ReplyDeleteLiz