Ads to Catch the Eye of the Homemaker in the October 1952 Good Housekeeping Magazine

What did the 1952 Homemaker want in her house? Perhaps these Good Housekeeping ads filled out her 'wish list.' Starting with the kitchen.

I have to wonder what came first, the desire or the ads that created a need?

Youngstown kitchen cabinets are sought after by the Retro Renovation crowd. Some of our early parsonage kitchens had metal cabinets with cool features like a flour bin.

A modern kitchen needed to have a gas or electric range. Growing up, I actually knew a family who still used a wood burning stove until the later 1950s.

This range could bake and broil at the same time!

Mom always had Revere Ware. I did too, but I would get distracted and end up burning them up. I was better off using cast iron!

Wear-Ever is still around. 

I did not have a Chromcraft table and chairs growing up, but I still have my childhood table that Dad bought and finished. 

Mom bought Melmac dishes when I was a kid in the 1950s.

Anchor Hocking Fire King ovenware, made in Ohio.

I don't recall the name Styron from Dow Plastics. Made in Michigan.

What about the rest of the house? There were innovations in the bedroom, including 'bibb' or 'snug' fitted sheets.

Wallpaper was found in most houses. I recall my first bedroom had paper with black and white kittens playing with pink and blue balls of yarn. The whites of their eyes glowed in the dark and disturbed me.

Mom favored nylon sheer curtains.

Vinyl and linoleum flooring were easy for the 'weekend remodelers' to install. Dad installed tile in our house in 1963.

Back to the kitchen...What was for dinner in 1952? During the war America bought oleo, but now butter was trying to come back to the table.

 Macaroni Squares was an inexpensive meal to make.

 Spanish Rice Pronto is not too different from one of Mom's favorite recipes.