The Road Starts Here: Route 66 in Chicago, IL

We recently visited Windy City and of course had to visit a couple of iconic Route 66 locations. The big thing we couldn’t miss was the sign for the beginning of Route 66 right outside the famous Art Institute of Chicago. Depending on the time of year you go, the main sign might be easy to miss — walk across the street from the museum straight out from its front doors, and it will be

Read More »

From Flame to Flicker: Inside a Working Neon Shop

You walk into a neon shop expecting nostalgia. You leave thinking about chemistry, electricity, municipal zoning codes, and 1940s craftsmanship. That’s what happened when I toured Morry’s Neon, a family business opened in 1985 by Morry and his son Glen, a business built on a neon legacy that began in 1946 when Morry first started bending glass. Established the same year America decided diners, drive-ins, and optimism were perfectly reasonable things to mass-produce, Morry’s has

Read More »

Route 66 at 100: Why the Centennial Is Igniting a New Era of Retro Road Trips

As the Route 66 Centennial approaches, something interesting is happening. This isn’t just an anniversary tour or a nostalgia lap. It’s a full-scale reawakening of interest in the American road trip—one rooted in history, preservation, and the lived experience of the road itself. The centennial is acting like a spotlight, illuminating not just the highway, but the stories, architecture, roadside culture, and communities that grew up along it. And people are paying attention. Travelers want

Read More »

Los Angeles Potteries: A Whimsical Walk Through Mid-Century Ceramic Dreams

From our retro coffee table to yours comes a great book – an awesome gift or something to pour over in our own home! Suppose you’ve ever spotted a cookie jar shaped like a hamburger or a canister set with tropical fruit motifs and thought, “I remember that design!” or “I have to have that design!”. In that case, you’ll want to get your hands on Los Angeles Potteries: A Collector’s Journey through Artistry, Craft,

Read More »

Interior Design

Women’s Day 50’s interior

Welcome to Mid-Century Photo Friday – if you’ve never found it before, this is a great time to join! My post is a follow up to last week’s post about a $7600 3 bedroom house featured in this 1958 issue of Women’s Day – and here (drum-roll please) is the interior: I adore the chairs and the colors are great – your favorite part? Now here’s the fun! I’ve searched forever to find a way

Read More »

Guest Post: Home Office Essential – The Eames Office Chair

A home office isn’t an essential space for all homeowners but, for those who get to experience the privilege of working from home, it is nothing short of essential. It just isn’t possible to work effectively at home unless you have a space dedicated to it. Working from home is becoming increasingly prevalent in the 21st century as technology improves and makes it a much more streamlined process, so more and more of us are

Read More »

Preservation

Drivelapse Route 66

Totally awesome and worth the watch – makes me want to hop in the car for our next trip! This Timelapse / Drivelapse video shows the Defrees Productions road trip down the entire length of Route 66 (The Mother Road) from Chicago to Los Angeles in August 2012. USA Route 66 Cross Country Road Trip Map, Data, Summary, Photos, Equipment Used: Uncut full length version and the DeFrees Productions Website

Read More »

Saving Vegas in Lights: A Look Inside the Neon Museum

When you step into the Neon Museum in Las Vegas — known as the “Neon Boneyard” — you step into a glowing archive of the city’s mid-century soul. This outdoor museum is home to more than 250 rescued neon signs, each telling the story of a bygone era when Vegas was all glitter, glamour, and grit. From Preservation Dream to Living History Efforts to save Las Vegas’s neon history began in the late 1980s, driven

Read More »

Visit Our Sister Site:

The Road Starts Here: Route 66 in Chicago, IL

We recently visited Windy City and of course had to visit a couple of iconic Route 66 locations. The big thing we couldn’t miss was the sign for the beginning of Route 66 right outside the famous Art Institute of Chicago. Depending on the time of year you go, the main sign might be easy to miss — walk across the street from the museum straight out from its front doors, and it will be

Read More »

From Flame to Flicker: Inside a Working Neon Shop

You walk into a neon shop expecting nostalgia. You leave thinking about chemistry, electricity, municipal zoning codes, and 1940s craftsmanship. That’s what happened when I toured Morry’s Neon, a family business opened in 1985 by Morry and his son Glen, a business built on a neon legacy that began in 1946 when Morry first started bending glass. Established the same year America decided diners, drive-ins, and optimism were perfectly reasonable things to mass-produce, Morry’s has

Read More »

Route 66 at 100: Why the Centennial Is Igniting a New Era of Retro Road Trips

As the Route 66 Centennial approaches, something interesting is happening. This isn’t just an anniversary tour or a nostalgia lap. It’s a full-scale reawakening of interest in the American road trip—one rooted in history, preservation, and the lived experience of the road itself. The centennial is acting like a spotlight, illuminating not just the highway, but the stories, architecture, roadside culture, and communities that grew up along it. And people are paying attention. Travelers want

Read More »

subscribe for more mid-century style

Join my newsletter now!