Backsplash in a 1920's kitchen?

[JacquieJet]

JJet, this vitrolite might be an option a bit out of the ordinary for your kitchen.
The link to that discussion.
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keywords=Vitrolite&start=10

I have never heard of vitrolite, but wow is it ever neat! I wonder if it's still sold somewhere? I tried googling it but got zero hits in terms of buying options. It would be a cool look, for sure!

[JacquieJet]

A couple more pics from Pinterest:

Ahhhhh! Thanks again, Willa! Gorgeous pictures!
I LOVE teals, and also pinks. But, considering my countertops are bright green, I think I pretty much need to stick with white for the tile. My stoves are green and pink, and I have a pink toaster, so maybe I could tie in that somehow... hmm.
Looking back at old photos from a PO, our main bathroom was originally pink tile. It looked incredible. It's all gone now though, curtesy of another PO. Grrrr. I wonder if that was vitrolite?

Here's the photo:

[JacquieJet]

Also, for interest, the earliest photo I have of my kitchen was taken around 1955- there are some tiles, but I don't know how old they would have been or what the colour was. This picture was taken prior to the major kitchen renovation that happened in the late 1950's I believe.

[Willa]

I have never heard of vitrolite, but wow is it ever neat! I wonder if it's still sold somewhere? I tried googling it but got zero hits in terms of buying options. It would be a cool look, for sure!

I think the only vitrolite you could find would be salvaged, and pricey to find enough of it. I don't know that it is produced today, or what a modern substitute could be. From what I have seen it tended to be in larger sheets - like 24" x 48" - which I guess was what its appeal over tile was ? Exterior use often used very large sheets, which I bet weighed a ton.

I have seen sheets of glass used as a backsplash, including some that are backpainted or with fired on color which sort of replicates the notion of vitrolite ?

https://www.thespruce.com/kitchen-trend-the-glass-sheet-backsplash-2109427

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/glass-backsplash-ideas-for-the-kitchen-239998

[JacquieJet]

I think the only vitrolite you could find would be salvaged, and pricey to find enough of it. I don't know that it is produced today, or what a modern substitute could be. From what I have seen it tended to be in larger sheets - like 24" x 48" - which I guess was what its appeal over tile was ? Exterior use often used very large sheets, which I bet weighed a ton.

I have seen sheets of glass used as a backsplash, including some that are backpainted or with fired on color which sort of replicates the notion of vitrolite ?

https://www.thespruce.com/kitchen-trend-the-glass-sheet-backsplash-2109427

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/glass-backsplash-ideas-for-the-kitchen-239998

Ah yes, I have seen those solid glass backsplashes. They look really nice, but I feel like they look too modern for what I'm after. That's interesting about the large sheets of tile though. It looks like individual pieces!

[Willa]

Also, for interest, the earliest photo I have of my kitchen was taken around 1955- there are some tiles, but I don't know how old they would have been or what the colour was. This picture was taken prior to the major kitchen renovation that happened in the late 1950's I believe.

Those look like 4 x 4" ceramic tiles. There were also 4 x4" plastic tiles - which I happen to really like - but those were often sort of pearlescent with a shiny finish. They were the cheapest alternative to ceramic tile:

0e0d2f21cae2000c41f6f101c784e8a4--tile-wallpaper-retro-bathrooms.jpg (41.23 KiB) Viewed 878 times

[Willa]

Here's a couple of Vitrolite bathrooms. The orchid and mint one is pretty nuts !

I guess if you wanted to fake in glass as Vitrolite you would have it cut into smaller panels ?

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8435a5f949f3d94e9a0f7ed8f5e97b42.jpg (31.89 KiB) Viewed 877 times

[Willa]

The price for the colored glass back splash works out to be approx $ 45.00 - 60.00 per square foot = yikes !

I like the yellow back spash in the Spruce piece - actual color with a high shine is very appealing to me. The price is extremely off putting though ? I can imagine this working in a retro-inspired kitchen, that wasn't trying to be 100% period correct:

Ivan-Hunter_edited-1-56a576145f9b58b7d0dd08ca.jpg (40.18 KiB) Viewed 876 times

[JacquieJet]

Wow, Willa!!
I actually think the pink and mint one is kind of incredible. Wowzers!!!
As for the price of the glass backsplash... whoa. I believe it, but geez... that's a bit out of my price point!

[Gothichome]

JJet, Willa, I to did a Kijiji/craigslist/ebay search, could only find a couple of listings for vitrolite so I think that’s a non starter. But I know I have seen glass panels with a back paint.
Looking at the pic of your kitchen from the fifties I would think maybe closer to 1960 than 55. First off the milk bottle is for homogenized milk, it doesn’t have the bubble on the top for the cream, that would Be about 1960/61’ish. The young woman, looks to be contemplating doing the supper dishes, there were three for supper. Judging by the wear on the cabinets, door, ect the kitchen is getting tired, it would make sense to refit.
Is that really tall cupboard still in place? Just how would one reach the top half?