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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Home Design -> Fifties in Denver
 When Every Home Owned An Ice-O-Mat: Decorative
Arts and
Furnishings of the
Fifties
By Stephanie Janard
Like many a Generation X latchkey kid, my after-school babysitter was
frequently the television. I grew up captivated by the impossibly well-adjusted
families portrayed in the syndicated shows Father Knows Best and The
Donna Reed Show. This might explain my attraction to 1950s home furnishings
– and why I am fascinated with their exaggerated curves, cartoon colors,
and highly stylized designs that made such a fitting backdrop for my TV
families.
 But what is remarkable to me about 1950s décor is how it so visibly
illustrates a society that believed with utmost certainty in a future made
convenient and easy through quantum leaps in technology and science.
This cultural fascination with technology and science - such as atomic energy
- had sparked a mass optimism rather than a fear of the world’s demise. People
believed harnessing atomic energy would create a host of new products and
technologies that make life infinitely easier. Even the potential catastrophe of
a nuclear bomb dropping was cheerfully incorporated into home design, as touted
in a 1958 edition of Home Building in Canada magazine: "A modern
see-through fireplace between the living room and den which is decorative and
useful would, in the event of disaster, serve an important role as a source of
heat and a place for cooking." Never mind the chaos and devastation
outside, of course.
 The public’s interest in new technologies sheds light on why, for such a
socially conservative time, 50s décor and furnishings were uncommonly exuberant
and daring. As new developments in science made the headlines, ordinary
household items like ashtrays and candy dishes suddenly appeared in swooshing,
biomorphic shapes.
Also inspiring the typical home of the Fifties was the new consumerism that
appeared after years of frugal economizing during World War II. As families
moved in droves to the suburbs, newly acquired appliances evoked pride in the
family home and an emphasis on entertainment. Every convenience that could be
invented was available to the suburban housewife – from "Ice-O-Mat"
ice crushers for the six o’clock martini hour, to electric roll warmers for
the Sunday dinner table. Prosperity and the good life had finally arrived.
 Hugh Grant, curator of Denver’s Kirkland Museum, notes that Fifties home
decorative arts also portray a remarkable mix of art and function. In fact, many
furniture makers and architects of the time, like the famed designer George
Nelson, were artists, as well.
These designers made generous use of bold patterns and colors for kitchen and
dishware. "You see a lot of hourglass and diamond shapes – patterns that
are repeated to set up an optical vibration of the colors used. This gave you
pop art in even the most ordinary home furnishings," Grant commented.
The unique blend of art with utility is what often appeals to collectors of
Fifties decorative arts, especially in this age of mass production of cheap
goods that wear out fast and offer little aesthetic presence to the home.
 Hundreds of vintage decorative arts are preserved in time at the Kirkland
Museum, a tribute to Colorado’s own Vance Kirkland, the noted benefactor of
Modernist art. The museum is a must for any collector of retro and vintage arts
to visit. As soon as I surveyed its virtual treasure trove of Fifties retro
furnishings, I considered hiding there in a broom closet by day, and taking up
less furtive residence by night in my Mod living room outfitted with a
Marshmallow sofa, Ball clock, Heart chair, and of course, a Princess Phone.
Mr. Grant was a knowledgeable guide, and quite charming after he swiftly
dispatched with my theory that the futuristic designs of Fifties décor were
largely influenced by the public’s captivation with the idea of space
exploration. He disagreed, stating that home décor and furnishings had long
been influenced by the machinery and technology of the day, all the way back to
the Deco period of the Twenties when vacuum cleaners and even toasters were
designed to look like speeding trains and zeppelins.
 The Fifties were basically a continuation upon that theme, but it is
debatable if the decade was specifically influenced by the idea of space travel,
although the sixties certainly were. A more likely influence was the imminent
technology of jet travel, with the introduction of the first jet plane in 1958,
the Boeing 707.
There hasn’t been an age since where the influences and psychology of a
culture were so clearly represented in its home design and furnishings. A
collective optimism of a bright and shiny future, and a belief that the good
life was only going to continue to get better as technology and science
advanced, are uniquely reflected in decorative arts.
 And whether it’s a wistful nostalgia for a more innocent time, or just an
excess of sentimentality, vintage collectors can be quite determined when they
spot an item they want. I once waited six hours at an estate auction in
Georgetown to bid on an aqua-colored bowl from the Fifties with fantastic curves
and geometric designs - that was naturally in the last lot. After finally
bidding and paying twelve dollars for the bowl, I gingerly clutched it in my
arms all the way back to my car.
 Sidebar: Places in Denver to find retro
When you discover the joys of collecting what are now known as
"retro" pieces, you’re hooked. And although vintage collector pieces
can range in the thousands and beyond, you can often find them with savvy and a
little bit of luck, at garage and estate sales. However, you will be competing
with "pickers" as they are known in the business: independent agents
who hunt through the offerings for rare and collectible pieces to resell to the
stores that specialize in vintage, retro home furnishings and arts. So, you
might be better off going to some of these stores directly.
Mod Livin’, 5327 East Colfax, Denver, 720.941.9292; www.modlivin.com
Housed in the old Continental Pharmacy & Liquors building (circa 1948)
off Colfax Avenue, Mod Livin’ is retro utopia. If you can manage to leave it
without buying anything, you are a stronger person than I am.
Mod Livin’ was recently chosen by Extreme Makeover to completely
furnish a Denver couple’s home in funky retro style. The 7500 square foot
showroom covers three levels, stocked with countless items straight out of the '50s,
'60s and '70s. There are the big-ticket pieces, of course – such
as rare vintage furniture, light fixtures and art. However, the store has
something for every collector’s budget and offers an abundance of affordable
and unique items, like vintage Pyrex dishware, kitchen clocks, blenders, books
and much more. I scored a sleek amoeba-shaped green ashtray for just $28, and
guests rave over it as soon as they see it. Check out their basement level for
even more bargains.
Zietgeist, 1132 North Speer Blvd.,
Denver, 303.298.8432; www.z-mfc.com
Offering modern furniture classics, this store has many hard-to-find original
and reproduction pieces. Zietgeist’s furnishings aren’t cheap, but you may
find it well worth your money to buy a vintage and well-crafted Fifties coffee
table that gives you priceless happiness each time you look at it.
Retro Rose, 5019 East Colfax,
Denver, 303.399.6408; www.retrorosecolfax.com
This shop specializes in items from the '50s, '60s and '70s, and even
has Deco pieces. You’ll find furniture, kitchen and glassware, and much more.
Popular Culture, 1150 South Broadway,
Denver, 303.777.1163
Billed as Denver’s first source of vintage Modernism, Popular Culture has
been around for over two decades. The store specializes in modernist furniture
and accessories from the 1930s to the 1970s. You can even find rare pieces by
Herman Miller at this shop.
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