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House interiors

When we moved into West Malvern, our first house, we 'modernised' the kitchen. Polystyrene tiles on the ceiling. Note the plug in fluorescent strip light, plugged into the standard light bulb fitting. This was about 1973. Between the bread bin and the kettle is a glazed earthenware biscuit barrel that we still use today.
The coffee pot is gone, but we still have some of the cups.

W.M. Kitchen.jpeg
There is a conveniently placed water stopcock at ceiling height above the corner unit.

When we came to sort the ceiling in the front room, we removed the paper, and there was an imprint on the plaster where the gas pipe came from one wall to the centre of the room, and marks left by the original light fitting.
Andrew.
 
Spargone said:
Those were 'Supataps'. We had them in our house, perhaps around 1960. My dad constructed our kitchen worktops using 'Formica' glued with 'Evostick' to blockboard, supported on a skeletal framework made of ramin square-section hardwood. Dad considered that a proper 'engineering' wood and he was no doubt influenced by the construction of aircraft. The result was light-weight and far stronger than the thick, heavy, chipboard rubbish used now. The steel sink basket was properly supported too.

My dad was quite inventive, his 'built-in' kitchen had fluorescent lamps let into a false ceiling that had a well to take a square drying frame suspended by ropes. Lots of things were never completed, we had an electric clock with no numbers and an unpainted streak were a hand must have been during painting. There was a matching panel with a loudspeaker that never got connected to anything and a half-completed cupboard that was going to be a fridge. We had a door handle, interior light fitting and freezing compartment waiting to be used. I suspect Dad bought bits when he could afford it. In the end he bought a 'Beekay' fridge, mail order from somewhere in Hampshire.

The side of the stairs was covered in hardboard pieces shaped like rough stones. He coated these with 'Pyruma' fire clay. He thought it was a good idea because if it got hit by one of the large prams common in those days any damage could be easily fixed. (Not so sure about the damage to our skins or the prams!).
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I bought Nan's house off her cheap and I still couldn't afford the mortgage. So I jiggled my finances and she helped me. Her 2nd husband thought he was Mr DIY. I managed to smash off most off his handy work over the years. He put a cheap blue formica worktop screwed and nailed on with the screws and nails sticking up, there was a huge gap along the wall. The legs were really rough unsanded painted wood. I kept wondering why things fell off the shelf above my head till I realised it wasn't left, the sugar basin a sentimental heirloom, Nan's dad made it in blown glass came off on to my fiit, had to go to the doc with that and then the umpteenth time I banged my head on it I took a sledge hammer to the lot. He put wooden airers all along the wall high up over head but they didn't pull down you had to hurl the linen at them. Bars on the windows and door I said that was to keep Nan in. Floppy Sliding doors under the sink that fell out. Dining room he painted custard yellow with apple green doors. Took the sage green carpet from the front which balanced the modern red feature wall. They bought it off a young couple. And put the sage carpet in the dining room. He bought fibreglass curtains I hated them. I could go on so I won't!
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
When we moved into West Malvern, our first house, we 'modernised' the kitchen. Polystyrene tiles on the ceiling. Note the plug in fluorescent strip light, plugged into the standard light bulb fitting. This was about 1973. Between the bread bin and the kettle is a glazed earthenware biscuit barrel that we still use today.
The coffee pot is gone, but we still have some of the cups.

View attachment 171518
There is a conveniently placed water stopcock at ceiling height above the corner unit.

When we came to sort the ceiling in the front room, we removed the paper, and there was an imprint on the plaster where the gas pipe came from one wall to the centre of the room, and marks left by the original light fitting.
Andrew.
Click to expand...
That's like my place. Still have those cupboards, I bought silver plastic handles to go in the round holes. Last post should read it wasn't level not left!
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
When we moved into West Malvern, our first house, we 'modernised' the kitchen. Polystyrene tiles on the ceiling. Note the plug in fluorescent strip light, plugged into the standard light bulb fitting. This was about 1973. Between the bread bin and the kettle is a glazed earthenware biscuit barrel that we still use today.
The coffee pot is gone, but we still have some of the cups.

View attachment 171518
There is a conveniently placed water stopcock at ceiling height above the corner unit.

When we came to sort the ceiling in the front room, we removed the paper, and there was an imprint on the plaster where the gas pipe came from one wall to the centre of the room, and marks left by the original light fitting.
Andrew.
Click to expand...
Ah, that first house, what did I know? We were married in 1969 and bought the house in 1970. Then we had only furniture for one room and bed room. We made plywood tables that my wife covered with blue fabric draped on it. Our family room furniture was from the local discount food store. But it’s amazing how resilient we were and got through it with two children.
 
Nico said:
I am Mr Bean
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My dear dad was not a DIY person. He defrosted the fridge and to hurry things along put a convector heater in it, it warped and melted the fridge walls luckily he wasn't electrocuted. He flooded the kitchen, (so did I to mine,) he set fire to the kitchen with the chip pan, Nan came and put it out, she is probably still telling people at the pearly gates about it now.
 
Nico said:
My dear dad was not a DIY person. He defrosted the fridge and to hurry things along put a convector heater in it, it warped and melted the fridge walls luckily he wasn't electrocuted. He flooded the kitchen, (so did I to mine,) he set fire to the kitchen with the chip pan, Nan came and put it out, she is probably still telling people at the pearly gates about it now.
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Nico, sounds like a laugh a minute!
 
Nico - we had fibreglass curtains too. Ours had a bamboo pattern on them, would be sought after today - very modern, ‘vintage’ (if there is such a thing!). I remember we had a sample of the components these curtains were made of. In the sample bag was a sort of waxy component and long fibres. Must have been given it when mum bought (or considered buying) the curtains and was probably a gimmick. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Nico - we had fibreglass curtains too. Ours had a bamboo pattern on them, would be sought after today - very modern, ‘vintage’ (if there is such a thing!). I remember we had a sample of the components these curtains were made of. In the sample bag was a sort of waxy component and long fibres. Must have been given it when mum bought (or considered buying) the curtains and was probably a gimmick. Viv.
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I vaguely recall fibreglass curtains too, but don’t recall why they ere popular. Did they stay clean and not need washing very often and were quite colourfast?
 
Very colourfast Mort, drip dry, no ironing. In fact I don’t think you were supposed to iron them. If you did it would be on a very low heat setting. Don’t know if they stayed clean. Viv.
 
Richard Dye said:
H’m sounds VERY familiar!
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Poor dad I remember he had these velcro slippers and he couldn't be bothered to do them up and tripped over them and brought the washing on the line down. Mum was more worried about him though. He was a hoarder and we had a tripod standard lamp which stopped working. Maybe you had similar. It was a little table and the lamp post went up the middle. He unscrewed the upright and wouldn't throw away the table. It had a raised fancy bit in the middle with a fair sized hole. He used to put his mug on it and it slipped off several times a day. In the end mum shouted I will chucked your xxxxx tea on the carpet cos that's where it ends up. One of the few times she swore.
 
In our second house, a good while ago now, we had an existing carpet on the stairs from the previous owner. A bit floral and not what we (ahem) were happy with. I was painting the window frame at the top of the stairs, when clumsy old me knocked the tin over. Bump bump bump, I think I painted every step and a bit of the hall carpet for good measure. Insurer came out and said "Oh dear. Now, how much will you buy the old carpet for ?" "£1" says I. All sorted, he authorised the cost of the replacement less £1 and told me he didn't want to deal with disposing of the old one. We (!) much preferred the replacement.
The things you do for love. (And peace).
Andrew.
 
In our third house, (a bungalow this time) about 30 years ago. There was a little cast iron pot boiler in an alcove in the kitchen. It had a back boiler that serviced the hot water tank, and an uncontrolled radiator in the bathroom as a heat sink. A few bags of smokeless nuggets lugged indoors, together with the cleaning out and re lighting ritual and its days were numbered. We had a Calor tank put in the garden, then I replaced the contraption with a condensing gas boiler, and put radiators in every room, with thermostats.
As a side story. We had a good crawling space under the floors, so I was able to run the pipework below the floor, coming up to the radiators as required. We had a puppy then, and Julie was in stitches watching him run about trying to track me tapping and scraping underneath. He wouldn't come down the access hole with me though. (To be fair, neither would Julie).
We also had old wooden single glazed windows, where the wood alternates with sponge, and the putty looks like crazy paving. Go for broke, called in the double glazing firm with the same name as a famous mountain. All went without a hitch until the lounge. The apprentice left the lounge door open, (opened into the lounge). As the old window came out, a gust of wind caused an unscheduled high speed door closing event. The door had 4 panes of reeded glass in it which were unprepared for this, and promptly departed the door in small pieces over the lounge carpet. To their credit, it was cleaned up and reglazed within the day.
Older houses can be fun!
Andrew.
 
Have you noticed the trend for 60's and 70's style furniture and household items? Except in the 60's and 70's they were cheap. Now they are expensive but, look cheap. i.e. table wear that we used to put the dog cat and rabbits' food in, in funny colours. They look like utility crockery to me. Ugly wallpaper and furniture prints are back. I had to fight to get rid of the pampas wallpaper and the patterned kitchen carpet. There are still things which remain which have come back in.
 
This might bring back memories for some members. It’s a Times Furnishing Co advert. I think this furniture was probably quite pricey.

We had a tea trolley, but it was dark brown wood. Don’t know why we had one as it was never used as a tea trolley. Initially it was used for Christmas drinks, sweets etc. Then it progressed to a home for the TV. Then it became a dumping ground for magazines and anything else that needed a home. In fact used for anything except as a tea trolley ! Viv.D6F19DFA-2AC2-4214-B93E-6EDE265D0553.jpeg6D4B08DD-C17D-4D8F-B3F5-E5E518A967B2.jpegSource: British Newspaper Archive
 
Vivienne14 said:
This might bring back memories for some members. It’s a Times Furnishing Co advert. I think this furniture was probably quite pricey.

We had a tea trolley, but it was dark brown wood. Don’t know why we had one as it was never used as a tea trolley. Initially it was used for Christmas drinks, sweets etc. Then it progressed to a home for the TV. Then it became a dumping ground for magazines and anything else that needed a home. In fact used for anything except as a tea trolley ! Viv.View attachment 173193View attachment 173194Source: British Newspaper Archive
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What a nostalgic cutting. It takes me back. I can see it in colour. Ugly green chairs, they are back now. Red and black curtains (our stripes went the other way.) Our yellowish wood bookcase had no books in it! Dad's books were too big. Sad brown tiled fireplace, can't see them here. This rebel shade of a lampshade which won't match anything. Which I like really. They must be well off to have three pictures we had one in the whole house. Windows look metal framed like where Hercule Poirot lives. I think Harris brushworks had/has them, I am rambling again. Small vases for short stemmed flowers then. We had a second hand tea trolley with the obligatory squeaky wheels. So if I touched it, everyone knew.We had spirits in bottles years out of date on the base of the old TV table which was tall before the trolley came. We had a fruit bowl on top which got buried under magazines and everything else Only the gentry in films had big flowers. How dapper the gentlemen were then. Wonderful.
 
Nico said:
What a nostalgic cutting. It takes me back. I can see it in colour. Ugly green chairs, they are back now. Red and black curtains (our stripes went the other way.) Our yellowish wood bookcase had no books in it! Dad's books were too big. Sad brown tiled fireplace, can't see them here. This rebel shade of a lampshade which won't match anything. Which I like really. They must be well off to have three pictures we had one in the whole house. Windows look metal framed like where Hercule Poirot lives. I think Harris brushworks had/has them, I am rambling again. Small vases for short stemmed flowers then. We had a second hand tea trolley with the obligatory squeaky wheels. So if I touched it, everyone knew.We had spirits in bottles years out of date on the base of the old TV table which was tall before the trolley came. We had a fruit bowl on top which got buried under magazines and everything else Only the gentry in films had big flowers. How dapper the gentlemen were then. Wonderful.
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Sounds like a copy of our house!
 
Richard Dye said:
Sounds like a copy of our house!
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Ours too but the chairs were red and cream studded leatherette. Sturdy cushions great for jumping on, without shoes of course. It's very like my old piano teachers house it but without the pictures. It was like a funeral parlour but less cheerful. Nondescript colours everywhere. 50 shades of beige. And it was freezing. Not good for cold little hands.
 
Vivienne14 said:
This might bring back memories for some members. It’s a Times Furnishing Co advert. I think this furniture was probably quite pricey.

We had a tea trolley, but it was dark brown wood. Don’t know why we had one as it was never used as a tea trolley. Initially it was used for Christmas drinks, sweets etc. Then it progressed to a home for the TV. Then it became a dumping ground for magazines and anything else that needed a home. In fact used for anything except as a tea trolley ! Viv.View attachment 173193View attachment 173194Source: British Newspaper Archive
Click to expand...
I still have a tea trolley that I bought from a junk shop on the late 80’s. It has a gold finish with formica wood effect trays. I would think it is actually a product of the 1960’s. It is incredibly useful as a workspace, bookshelf, space for bits and bobs of daily life, dining table etc. perfect for drinks or coffee and cake when friends come to call and easy to hide away in a corner when a quick tidy up is needed for unexpected visitors.
 
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