A 1930s Kitchen Gets a Careful Update - or not?  

Bye bye art deco
Thanks for the video, Gustaf. They started with a great country style Art Deco kitchen typical of that period during the Depression. I hated to see that one great cabinet with the "stepped" sides go--it was so indicative of the period. They took out the "subway" style tiles and replaced them with square tiles, which was a pity, they could have easily been duplicated. The worst mistake, in my opinion, were those faux wrought iron "colonial revival" knobs and pulls. Silver, glass, stainless steel with nice clean lines would have looked much better.
Good luck on your kitchen renovation. They're always a giant pain but worth it in the end!

Thanks for the comment Riki
I agree with your verdict. It ended up as a sad clash of styles. The project was probably not helped by the couple's disparate preferences.
On a sidenote, I recently caught one of the episodes of "The Perfect Home" that Alain de Botton did for British Channel 4. These are based on his book "The Architecture of Happiness" (which I have not read). In the episode he argues heavily against recreating old styles in architecture and interior design, preferring that works reflect the era they were built or designed in. Makeovers are a fascinating topic I think, trying as they do to bridge the gap between past and present in so many different ways.

Decorating period homes
I am remodeling two homes right now, a 1957 mid-century beauty that the previous owner didn't "remuddle" too much. He did put in some new light fixtures that would be more appropriate in an Arts & Crafts bungalow which I am replacing one by one.
My other house is a 7500 sq. ft. antebellum plantation, "Tara" if you will, in the heart of Dixie built between 1850 and 1857. That project has consumed the better part of the last 13 years.
When doing any decorating/remodeling/restoring of older homes, I always try to keep in mind that first and foremost, they are homes, not showplaces. Furniture and furnishings should reflect a loooong period of time, just as if the original family acquired and discarded things over the years. I think the things you put in the home can be from a number of periods. The things that are inherent to the home, however, the woodwork, windows, hardware, etc. I try to keep true to the architect's intent.

de Bottons books are an easy ...
de Bottons books are an easy read, but worth it for sure.
MCM nostalgia is as valid or invalid as colonial or country or whatever you want to call it. I used to disparage 'recreated' homes but realised that at least partially I live in one, so who am I to criticise scrubbed pine and mouldings?
Your'e right, fascinating, and welcome to the forum!

Not.
They really should have left it as-is, go buy something that is already updated to your taste! The only thing I kind of liked was the wood floor, kind of. I hate watching renovations that involve destroying a perfectly fine, period architecture. I just want to jump into the TV set and yell okay everyone OUT! You over there stop what you're doing. HA-ha.

Should have gone to...
Should have gone to www.salvo.co.uk

Riki, that is interesting. I...
Riki, that is interesting. I find your approach very agreeable. Making a home look personal and lived in rather than purchased must be a challenge to any decorator, yet it makes all the difference to me. But then I could also never allow a decorator to furnish my home down to the smallest detail. Or the other popular approach, at least on TV, to leave a wall or corner of the home undecorated, so that the homeowner "can add a personal touch". Not for me. But I guess that is all you can do if you only have a few days to finish.
Heath, thanks for the welcome. Long time lurker... de Botton: I have only read "The Art of Travel". An easy but very enjoyable read. Yes, it is next to impossible to be 100% true to a building's or period's original style, isn't it? There is always compromise, and with that highly subjective notions of what is OK and not. Living a truly genuine MCM life nowadays would probably feel a bit Amish. For a few days it would be cool though. Perhaps a hotel should pick up on this?

MCM hotel
We stayed in a hotel called "Room Mate Lola" in Malaga last Christmas. They have great pictures of their decor on their website. Check it out.
http://www.room-matehotels.com/eng/malagahotel/lolahotel/lolagaleria.php

That looks nice. Very 1930s....
That looks nice. Very 1930s. But what I meant was something different. A 100% genuine period style hotel. That means all objects should date back to the chosen period, including phones, television sets and any other technology. Like a museum exhibition, but one you could actually use. Wouldn't that be cool?