Covetable

New Old-Fashioned Technology

I love the look of vintage technology. The ability to fix up old electronics however is not among the skills that I possess. Luckily there are plenty of new items that have the same styling as the classic old pieces. Here are four of my current favorites.

  1. Robers Revival Radio
  2. Retro Flip Clock
  3. Allaire Desk Fan
  4. Crosley Princess Phone

Do you have any similar new/old tech pieces in your home? I have three vintage-style phones: a red one in the bedroom (from Pottery Barn), a white one in my office (by Crosley), and a wall-mounted white one in the kitchen (also by Crosley). It’s sort of surprising that I don’t have that pink one though, eh?

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  • Melanie @ Smiley Melly
    August 5, 2010 at 8:53 am

    I LOVE these old finds. I especially love the flip clock. (Just a quick note that you labelled 1 & 2 backwards =) )
    Great finds- I’m really enjoying your blog!

  • Rhea (Greek Feaster)
    August 5, 2010 at 8:54 am

    I saw a great project (on Design Sponge, maybe?) for painting the blades those retro fans. I have one and I might do it up in a highlighter yellow!

    • Faith
      August 5, 2010 at 7:14 pm

      I repainted a vintage fan. Just taped off the part I didn’t want painted. It was originally steel and I painted some parts red. Then my brother stole it.

  • betsy
    August 5, 2010 at 9:01 am

    i love that flip clock, but the reviews on the website say it’s a piece of junk. does anyone know of a high-quality flip clock that looks that cool?

  • Tera
    August 5, 2010 at 9:16 am

    I love my Tivoli clock radio! Looks cool and great sound.

  • juicefairy
    August 5, 2010 at 9:27 am

    I love retro items for the home too. TJ Maxx actually has those retro blade fans in chrome for much cheaper than RH. Wish I had a need for one.

  • Kate
    August 5, 2010 at 9:46 am

    I’ve been noticing cheaper reproductions of those fans at home goods and target lately — much nicer looking that the clunky modern ones.

    And I have a bit of an obsession with old electronics too, I don’t actually care of they work — I just like how they look! Like my vintage typewriter:)

  • Mandy Ford
    August 5, 2010 at 9:52 am

    We have a Crosley radio with a hookup for our mp3 player and I love it. Very retro but with modern conveniences. :)

  • Alicia (Atypical Type A)
    August 5, 2010 at 9:57 am

    Love it – best of both worlds!

  • Kathleen
    August 5, 2010 at 10:04 am

    I love retro kitchen appliances. I have a Kitchen-Aide mixer and am dying for a Big Chill fridge (you should totally get one in pink).

  • Lauren
    August 5, 2010 at 10:24 am

    How about the Yubz Skype phone!? Glorious.

    http://www.yubz.com/

  • Michele C
    August 5, 2010 at 10:34 am

    I have the princess phone from my freshman year at college (1982) — when we still ordered home phone service in the dorms. Sadly, though, my phone is beige and not pink! However, it still works and I love it.

  • Christine
    August 5, 2010 at 10:43 am

    I have a white retro rotary phone I picked up from an antique mall. My husband was complaining we were always running around trying to find the ringing cordless, now we have one we KNOW where it is!

  • amy goodhouse
    August 5, 2010 at 11:14 am

    Love Love Love the radio. Saw it in different colors at Anthropology. So sweet!

  • Valentina
    August 5, 2010 at 11:20 am

    Love your finds!
    I have the retro flip clock in black. Looks so nice! And I love the sound when it flips.

  • Erika
    August 5, 2010 at 11:37 am

    I’ve been eyeing that phone for a long time, but it doesn’t have caller ID. That radio is great – I wish it came in pink as well.

  • Erin @ Slipcover Your Life
    August 5, 2010 at 11:41 am

    i’ve been eying a vintage flip clock for my bedroom for a while now… I should just bite the bullet and get one!

  • Ava
    August 5, 2010 at 11:51 am

    I am obsessed with the princess phone. As a kid, I always made my mom buy me them to play with! Now I want that for my home!

  • Nuit
    August 5, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    oh dear, I NEED that phone!!! so cute! and Eleanor’s dress is amazing! you did really good!

  • Michelle
    August 5, 2010 at 12:50 pm

    Yay for a rotary phone! Takes much longer but sounds (and looks) so cool, especially in a vintage kitchen

  • Amanda Mac
    August 5, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    Love the pink phone!! I only wish Amazon would ship fun stuff to Canada too!

  • Katie*Belle
    August 5, 2010 at 2:25 pm

    Love that phone! I like to think I’d have more proper conversations with a phone like that : )

  • Shannon
    August 5, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    Those fans – I love them!
    We have a few old looking pieces and a few that are just plain old. I really dig our little red clock: http://nestonthehill.blogspot.com/2010/07/digging-for-living-room-details.html

  • monique
    August 5, 2010 at 3:35 pm

    I love the fans. I picked up a similar one at Home Goods a couple weeks ago.

  • Katrina
    August 5, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    The clock & radio are so cute, would love to add one to our bedroom. I’ve been thinking about a vintage fan for a awhile for our bedroom too.

    We have a vintage yellow rotary phone in our kitchen – love it! It has the real old school ring, it was phone teaching my son how to use it :)

    Here’s the link to our phone:

    http://chiclittlehouse.blogspot.com/2010/06/dail-v-for-vintage.html

    Best – Katrina

  • LB
    August 5, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    What’s the name of the typeface that you used in the heading…It’s got a great bold-vintagey feel to it!

  • Johanna
    August 5, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    I have been trying to find a cute rotary phone to put on the phone ledge that is in our house.

    By the way, I just noticed the cute little smiley face that you have at the bottom of your blog. Not sure if it’s on purpose or not. Cute, though.

  • Debbie Cook
    August 5, 2010 at 7:05 pm

    A flip clock is retro? OMG, I’m old … since I remember when they were new. LOL!

  • Kim@Living with Little People
    August 5, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    I’ve been wanting one of those clocks myself… one of the many things on a wish list that if I lived in the states and could just pop down to the local Barnes & Noble would be much shorter!

  • Jacinta
    August 5, 2010 at 11:14 pm

    I have flip clock just like that one… err… a cheap one… but I love it…. I like the radio too.

    http://www.modelmumma.blogspot.com

  • Kathryn
    August 5, 2010 at 11:46 pm

    I’m totally with you here! I’ve been dreaming of a kitchen with retro inspired appliances. Love that clock!

    http://craftycookups.blogspot.com/2010/06/retro-inspired-appliances.html

  • the notebook doodles
    August 6, 2010 at 4:04 am

    yes to all :D especially the radio! and the telephone.

  • Free PSP Themes
    August 6, 2010 at 5:18 am

    i like the pink phone very much and i will use it also surely….

  • Brittany
    August 6, 2010 at 9:01 am

    I absolutely love your blog! You always find the loveliest things! I am moving back into my dorm this month with a messy roommate and I am completely dreading the sloppiness that will result when my side and her side clash (patterns, colors, etc) if you have any tips on how to keep in simple and lovely (at least my side), please let me know!

  • Camilla {Hygge Nook}
    August 6, 2010 at 9:10 am

    I have the Roberts radio in pink. Reception is great and it’s easy to find stations, but I confess I really got it because it was so pretty.

  • Amanda Z.
    August 6, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    We don’t have a landline in our house so no cool phones for us. But we do have an Allaire fan in green on our kitchen counter (bought in the middle of winter on super clearance at restoration hardware), a double bell alarm clock on my nightstand, and Caliphone suitcase record player in our dining room. My mother still uses her vintage white rotary desk phone as an upstairs phone.

  • amanda
    August 6, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    I have a retro looking Studebaker transistor radio from CSN online store. I wanted the seafoam green, but could only find it in pink. It was like $20 and has been well worth it. I use it to listen to my fave morning talk show at work. It’s a perfect size, get good reception and the batteries last a long time. Mine is justlike this one–
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/mryipyop/3481289432/

    If anyone knows where I can buy it in green, let me know!

  • amanda
    August 6, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Oh I also have the Moonbeam alarm clock. Of course, now they have it in all these great colors and I want a blue one!

    Does anyone know of any cute retro looking ipod players? I really liked this alarm clock/ipod player from Urban Outfitters, but it had really bad reviews. http://sushiandrobots.com/journal/archives/2009/09/30/crosley-table-alarm-clock-speaker/

  • Amy @ Journey Mum
    August 6, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    I would love a red retro kettle and an older style clock with the bells on top… but I don’t have either!

  • Bron @ Baby Space
    August 8, 2010 at 11:16 pm

    Oh my! I LOVE these pieces and want them all. Especially the alarm clock and phone. Have a similar fan at home – love the retro vibe :)

  • Dianna
    August 11, 2010 at 4:23 am

    I love vintage decor. A great homey feeling about the good old days.

  • whorange
    August 13, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    so gorgeous. so needed.

  • Bethany
    August 14, 2010 at 1:48 am

    I love this kind of thing! I always love the colors in that kind of thing…that pink phone reminds me of the classic cadillac convertible that will one day be mine in that color. haha :)

  • investran
    October 26, 2020 at 2:26 am

    My mother still uses her vintage white rotary desk phone as an upstairs phone. love this kind of thing! I always love the colors in that kind of thing. a great homey feeling about the good old days. I would love a red retro kettle and an older style clock with the bells on top.