A salmon-coloured carpet, avocado green bed cover and blonde wood EVERYWHERE: How Fifties fanatic transformed her home into homage to mid-century decor

A salmon-coloured carpet, avocado green bed cover and blonde wood EVERYWHERE: How Fifties fanatic transformed her home into homage to mid-century decor

By Victoria Wellman

PUBLISHED: 11:39 EST, 31 May 2012 | UPDATED: 14:49 EST, 31 May 2012

Thanks to the chic, stylised sets of Mad Men, everyone is cuckoo for mid-century interiors at the moment and in Tulsa, Oklahoma, one ranch home owner has perfected the look.

Jennie Cluck, a vintage furniture enthusiast, bought her property seven years ago and quickly realised that the outdated fixtures gave her the opportunity to have fun with an aesthetic of which she had long been a fan.

Restoring the original 1950s details and recreating the rest with second-hand finds and clever design choices, Ms Cluck turned 'The Citation' back into an authentic mid-century home that will be featured as part of an architectural exhibit this weekend.

Retro heaven: A ranch house in Tulsa, Oklahoma known at 'The Citation' was restored to perfect mid-century style by owner Jennie Cluck

From the Frankie Avalon print pillows to the blonde wood Heywood-Wakefield furniture, Ms Cluck, 36, overlooked not even one accent piece or cupboard door of her Wedgewood neighbourhood home when it came to refurbishments.

'I wanted to put back everything as much as I could," she told Tulsa World of the modernist lines and retro furniture.

To do this, she scoured the internet, thrift stores and flea markets where she picked up prints, lamps, bedding and magazines original to the era.

Walking through the home is like time traveling back to the year the house was built in 1955 by Lloyd Creekmore. Even back then the exceptional attention to detail won it a place on the Tulsa Parade of Homes in 1956.

Restoration project: Ms Cluck scoured the internet, flea markets and thrift stores to find retro fabrics for window treatments and accent pieces of the time like the Frankie Avalon pillows in the bedroom

Good as new: The house was built in 1955 and even then was celebrated as an architectural exhibit during the Tulsa Parade of Homes

The combination kitchen, utility, dining and family room was described in the accompanying guide to the tour as 'sure to be a cynosure of discriminating eyes.'

The living area features a white and aquamarine floor while the Frigidaire cook top with silver panels still folds up to the wall when not in use just as it did when the house was built.

Ms Cluck says among other references, her favourite movie, Great Balls of Fire inspired her choices.

She also examined old photographs left behind that showed the house in its original state.

Bubblegum: The ranch house and its colourful interiors was photographed in 2010 for Atomic Ranch: Midcentury Interiors by Michelle Gringeri-Brown

The bathroom is adorned by grey and pink swirling wallpaper and features a square bath tub and long translucent lighting panels across the ceiling.

In the master bedroom, a deep salmon carpet covers the floor and a green bedspread drapes over the bed while the window treatments are made from a retro fabric Ms Cluck found online.

Vintage posters hang in another bedroom and McCall's magazines are stacked in the family room as if the residents themselves were straight out of the Fifties.

Perhaps the only giveaway is the 21st Century kitchen which Ms Cluck decided to update most probably for function's sake.

Colour pop! Ms Cluck looked at old photographs left in the house for inspiration as to how to restore the property to its former glory and also referenced her favourite movie, Great Balls of Fire

But, as Tulsa World suggested, the sleek lines and stainless steel are not so very different from those of the Fifties.

Shane Hood, chairman of Modern Tulsa, who will be hosting an open house for The Citation, told the local publication: 'It's just a slice of history. It's a slice of history and a slice of a unique place.'

And he is not the only one to recognise the value in such a property. In 2010 Atomic Ranch magazine included Ms Cluck's residence in its book Atomic Ranch: Midcentury Interiors by Michelle Gringeri-Brown.

Mr Hood warned: 'If there aren't people around saving things like this, it's not going to be here in 20, 30, 40 years when people come and wish it was.'

Immaculate: The retro home will be open to the public this weekend as part of an exhibit by Modern Tulsa

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