Backsplash in a 1920's kitchen?

[Willa]

Is that really tall cupboard still in place? Just how would one reach the top half?

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[Willa]

Judging by the wear on the cabinets, door, ect the kitchen is getting tired, it would make sense to refit.

I assume the sink was probably original to the house, but got boxed in when the cabinets and tile got updated (late 40's maybe ?). A wave of kitchen updates happened post WW2. I am with Gothichome about the cabinets getting "tired", so I am guessing this photo may be early 1960's as well.

The what's what about the milk bottle was news to me though.

[Gothichome]

Ya, the post war economy was booming, every one had a good job making good middle class money. New homes, new cars, new kitchens, the rise of the suburbs and the start of the boomer generations.

[JacquieJet]

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?

Thank you for checking into that, Gothic! Very nice of you.
The young woman was the mother of the PO that I'm in contact with, by all accounts she was a glamorous and kind woman. I love that that family lived here for all those years. The three plates were probably for the mother, father, and son- the daughter was a handful of years younger so I don't think they would have used breakable plates for her. They moved into the home in 1955, when "my contact" was 6 months old. It's possible the reno happened in the early '60's, but not much later. I do know that this photo was taken pre-renovation, however.

None of the original kitchen remains. It was all changed before we bought the home.

[Willa]

None of the original kitchen remains. It was all changed before we bought the home.

Which era of kitchen came with the house ? Kitchens get gnawed up so fast, and are the first thing to be replaced.

I am guessing - 1970's Mediterranean with dark fake wood and heavy details OR bland late 1980's, possibly white or almond melamine cabinets with the oak strip ? But you bought fairly recently so you might have gotten a somewhat new Ikea kitchen ?

I did more reading about glass backsplashes. Some people use Plexiglass, which is less expensive and easier to handle for things like cutting out outlets, etc. The Plexiglass can't be used behind the stove, though, and is a little more delicate about getting scratched.

IF I had $$$ to burn for a kitchen reno I might seriously consider a colored glass or plexiglass backsplash, as they are practical and attractive. They would work especially well in a Moderne type house, with a streamlined look. When my big lottery win happens an intact Moderne house is on the list, one with colored bathroom fixtures.

[JacquieJet]

This kitchen came with the house.
It was re-done around 2006. I like it, so it's staying. We've changed out the appliances and countertops though, and still need to tile.

[JacquieJet]

This was the kitchen before the current one (installed after the picture of the white cupboards with the woman)-
This photo was taken in 1991, but this kitchen (in the photo) was done a long time before that.

[Willa]

Your current kitchen looks quite classic, so there is a lot to work with there. You had the dark counter tops swapped out for green ones ?

The previous kitchen with the blue counter tops is nice, too. Too bad it was gone.

I found a pic of a kitchen featuring pale pink, white and green, if you dare:

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[JacquieJet]

Your current kitchen looks quite classic, so there is a lot to work with there. You had the dark counter tops swapped out for green ones ?

The previous kitchen with the blue counter tops is nice, too. Too bad it was gone.

I found a pic of a kitchen featuring pale pink, white and green, if you dare:

That pink is neat!

Yes, we swapped out the black for green (but kept the black around the stove as a focal piece). You can't tell from the picture, but even though those black marble countertops were fairly new, they were already ruined when we moved in. Chipped, stained, and etched everywhere. From close up they looked awful- turns out marble is not a stone to use in the kitchen, as it's extremely porous and absorbs everything. So, we swapped it out for green man-made quartz- green is my favourite colour, and I couldn't resist.
I do like the prior kitchen, too. If it was here when we moved in, we would have kept it. Aw well. Can't have everything! I'm attaching a current pic. The countertops are brighter green in person though.

[1918ColonialRevival]

In the photo of the previous kitchen renovation, the Robin's Egg blue was at its peak around 1957-59, so that gives an indication of when that renovation was done. It looks in good condition to have been 30+ years old when that picture was taken.

People don't realize how much maintenance and care is required with marble and quartz countertops. They get them because they're fashionable, but if they plan on using the kitchen for its intended purposes and not a showpiece, the impracticality starts to show itself almost instantly.