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Old 13th Feb 2012, 1:15 am   #1
stubbyeddy
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Default Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

This is a update on the post I did a few years ago about the vintage LEC fridge I restored. I got the fridge because I was building a house and wanted to have a 50s/60s kitchen. Well I'm getting there; I built the house a year ago and managed to pick up some vintage Hygena kitchen units. The labels on the back state May 1963.

I also picked up a vintage toaster not in the photo and an old Kenwood chef, also some "posh" 50s hunting scene china. Anyhow I keep my eyes out for bits and bobs that might fit in, the aim isn't to make a perfect 60s or 50s kitchen like you would see on a TV set, but a practical kitchen with vintage 60s/50s theme.

Anyhow, I thought you might like to see how I was getting on and finally how the LEC fridge looked in its new home.

As you might have seen I don't yet have a 'proper' radio for the kitchen. I don't know what to get and can't seem to make up my mind!
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 9:35 am   #2
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Excellent Hygena units! What a lucky find. It's looking very good in there and the LEC certainly seems at home.

You'll have to ditch that UPVC window though!

Steve
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 10:30 am   #3
M0FYA Andy
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

What's a microwave oven doing in there?!
Andy
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 10:42 am   #4
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Hi Steve

The LEC has been working perfect since I restored it. It has a different door catch to yours so i dont know if its slightly later with an improved mechanism. The units were going to landfill and were taken from a 60s bungalow, would have been in there from new, I just paid £30 for the delivery, they are narrower then modern units so the Lec fits with them better, the fridge being also narrower then a modern one. Still a long list of things to get, a suitable washing machine would be nice !
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 10:45 am   #5
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Very nostalgic and nice units. Not many people could afford a fridge in the 50s though, at least not whre I lived. Our first one I bought for a fiver with a duff compressor, it did actually have a sealed unit which were only just coming in then, it weighed a ton and had a door and lock like fort knox. I bought a complete sealed unit from 'CW Wheelhouse' in London somewhere, Hounslow I think it might have been, and it was still going well into the '70s.

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Old 13th Feb 2012, 10:56 am   #6
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Question Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

May I ask what model the Kenwood Chef is? I still have a Model A701A and a cupboard full of attachments. It's not in general use, but it gets dragged out when I need to mince some meat.

Roger
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 11:01 am   #7
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Hi Roger,

It's the same model as yours A701A, it gets used quite a lot when baking.
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 1:22 pm   #8
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

The fridge looks great in that setting, I love the pull out ironing board

A nice white Bush DAC90A would be my choice of kitchen radio, or maybe a TR82C if you want a portable?

Mark
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 1:36 pm   #9
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Is it an ironing board or a breakfast bar? It looks a bit heat prone for the former with that laminate top and no asbestos iron stand area.
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 2:14 pm   #10
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Yep that's right it's a breakfast bar, which would have had two matching stools to go with it originally I believe.
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 2:38 pm   #11
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Excellent! I think the walls need re-painting the peculiar shade of 1960s Turquoise that my mother-in-law still has in her downstairs loo.

Andrew
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 6:46 pm   #12
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Now that’s a beautiful kitchen, the breakfast bar is brilliant, eat and then swivel out of the way, very functional. I have a 1975 Hotpoint Liberator 1851/03 De Luxe front loading washing machine which would fit in well with that style of kitchen cabinet.
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 7:34 pm   #13
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

I have a twin tub washing machine which you are welcome to. It was borrowed by my neighbour some time ago and worked then. Transport may be possible.

Trevor
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Old 13th Feb 2012, 7:43 pm   #14
stubbyeddy
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Hello Stubble, yes I know the machine you're on about, I'd like to get a vintage machine only I'm a bit put off with how reliable one might be and who the I'd get to service one! Washing machines are not really something I know a lot about. At the moment we have a compact Zanussi ZWC1301W little 3kg job, there are only two of us so don't need anything too big. As my units are quite narrow like the fridge 18" I wondered if vintage washing machines narrow? I imagine a twin tub or top loader is but how about a front loader? I can't imagine many kitchens in early 60's had front loaders and I dont suppose there was a standard size to make most white goods?
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Old 14th Feb 2012, 6:51 am   #15
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Quote:
Originally Posted by stubbyeddy View Post
I can't imagine many kitchens in early 60's had front loaders and I dont suppose there was a standard size to make most white goods?
The Hoover Keymatic was introduced in 1961.

I think it would take up too much room in your kitchen though.
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Old 14th Feb 2012, 8:18 am   #16
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

You used to be able to get a top loader automatic washing machine, we had one and it fitted in our rather narrow kitchen
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Old 14th Feb 2012, 8:59 am   #17
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian R Pateman View Post
The Hoover Keymatic was introduced in 1961.
A local shop that does white goods repair/sales has a keymatic on display in their window. I've never had to work on one but apparently the switch mechanism operated by the key plate was horribly unreliable.
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Old 14th Feb 2012, 9:13 am   #18
John M0GLN
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

Around the mid '60s we had a top loader with power wringer ( Hoover ? ) and then a Rolls Twin Tub.

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Old 14th Feb 2012, 9:58 am   #19
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

The Hoover keymatic washing machines were certainly popular in the 1960s, we had one when I was I kid, as did several neighbours.
AFAIR this was the only automatic washing that was kept in stock by a local dealer, rather than being available to order.
These remained popular until at least the 1980s in hostels, cheap B+Bs and the like since the person in charge could retain the key and charge for its use, per wash. Much simpler than a coin mechanism.
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Old 14th Feb 2012, 11:20 am   #20
stubbyeddy
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Default Re: Vintage 50s/60s Kitchens

When I built the kitchen I did leave space for a twin tub washing machine. but yes the Hoover keymatic looks like it would fit in perfectly. funny thing is when I was a kid on the allotments at the back of our house there were 2 or 3 of these dumped, we took them apart as kids! I imagine these are very hard to get old of now, and im not sure about how easily it would be to get one up and running reliably enough to use once a week! I have contacted Trevor in regards to his twin tub offer, so fingers crossed I can get a machine that will feel at home in my kitchen. I guess I will have to dream about owning a fully automatic hoover keymatic a little longer
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