I'm sure that you are wondering why I am skipping over the children's bedrooms, master bedroom and bathroom. Honestly it is because I don't know much about them and don't want to spread misinformation. If you would like me to cover them as far as decorating I would be glad to, just email me this weekend or leave a comment on if this is important to you.
The backyard (and the front) were a source of pride for a man in the fifties, the greener the better! If the family was able to afford it they might fence in the backyard but it wasn't something every family did. It wasn't unusual for neighborhood kids to play across each others backyards, in the nice weather children were out for hours and hours (lucky moms!), there weren't the fears of abductions and such that there are today.
The crowning glory of the backyard has yet again to do with entertaining! The backyard BBQ was a huge hit in the 50's especially with a Luau theme! The women still did all of the prep work in the kitchen but the grill with the mans domain! (much as it is today) Even if they didn't own a BBQ grill or a roasting pit they were able to BBQ thanks to creativity! In a 1950's BBQ recipe book I saw instructions for a impromptu grill using a wheelbarrow, a cookie cooling rack and charcoal! Boccie Ball, Croquet and Badmitton were popular games to be played in the backyard.
So how do we bring retro to today? Well I think this part is pretty self explanitory! Have a BBQ, not much has changed in that area between now and then, have your best friends over, break out the lawn games and don't forget to have some Smores!
8 comments:
A modern back yard game that is always a hit is cornhole! We even have a board decorated with our favorite college football team.
Also, don't forget to take measures to keep bugs away so your time outside isn't cut short!
Okay you have to explain that game because where I come from Cornhole means something very very different from a game lol.
You can put out catnip plants to keep bugs away. Add a few drops of citronella essential oil to your unscented body lotion for a natural insect repellent.
Oh, yes, yes! I remember the luau themes from when I was a kid back in the 50's!! Hawaii had just become a state, and everybody was enthused about Hawaiian stuff!
Yes, we could play in each others' back yards. There wasn't that fear of abduction back in the day.
My husband lived in a little town with all the back yards adjoining. Mothers could sit out back and watch the children play. The people in the little town were also all related.
My husband's mother and aunts and grown female cousin (my husband and his cousin's daughter are roughly the same age) would sit with another neighbor lady and they'd all watch their children play together. The little girls played in dresses.
I took a quiz this week, about what decade of housewife that I am and the result was 1950's housewife... seeing as how I agree with most of the things that you write about, I guess I should have known that already... now it's just official.
Shannon
I think the bedrooms would be a wonderful post...think chenille spreads for the master and old wind up alarm clocks...for the kids old movie posters and such...I'm just saying....
Yes, Jenny, like Anon. said -- chenille bedspreads and wind-up alarm clocks, and TWIN BEDS for the master bedroom! Childrens' bedrooms were all about Roy Rogers decorating for the boys. I forget what the girls' rooms were about. Billowy curtains for all bedrooms. And bureaus as well as dressers and end-tables. One bathroom was the norm, and not all had showers, just a tub.
Do more of these posts!
I like watching the old "Gidget" movies. They show lots of 50's and early 60's clothing and decorating, because they were made in the early 60's, I think.
Jenny -- It's me, Mrs. Multiple Comments again. You and your readers will LOVE this site:
www.elegantwoman.org
Style, etiquette, home, clothing, manners, etc. Enjoy!
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