It was with reluctance that I took on Ultra Swank's assignment of a segment on Googie design. I am not an expert. Art historians and critics can be a vicious group. One false move and I could be forever condemned to an underworld of Louis the XIV basement rec. rooms accented with a million velvet Elvis paintings! Oh well, maybe they've got some Pepsi in the fridge?

Googie is a sub-style suburban overpass of the great and mighty 'Modern' design and architecture highway. Simply stated - Googie is 'Space-Age' and George Jetson lived in a completely Googie world. The term comes from 1949 and a cute Los Angeles wife whose nickname was... you guessed it, Googie! (the style of which we speak is sometimes called 'Doo-Wop', but that's not a good nickname for your wife). This nice lady's husband commissioned, soon to be famous, architect John Lautner to design a coffee shop which he named in her honor (the coffee shop was torn down in the 1980's — we aren't sure about the nice lady).

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The first Barbie doll was launched in around the same period as the award winning television show Mad Men depicts. So what could be better than to combine the two and release a special Mad Men collectors series for adults. Here's a fun chance to act out what adventures could happen with Don Draper, his wife Betty and ginger bombshell Joan Holloway in the same bedroom... or then again, maybe not. For anyone who still has a childlike mind the doll versions of Don and Betty Draper, Roger Sterling and Joan Holloway will be available to buy in July with a suggested retail price of $74.95 each. Cigarettes and Martinis not included.

American company Big Chill came up with the brilliant idea of launching a line of kitchen appliances that have modern functionality, efficiency and dependability but that look like they are straight out of the 50s. If you always wanted that pink retro kitchen, here's your chance – with the added bonus that you don't have to venture out on a long and slow quest to find those over priced retro stoves and fridges found at various thrift stores, which turns out they barely work once installed.

Big Chill offers newly manufactured fridges, stoves and dishwashers that come in various retro pastel color schemes circa 1955. If you recognize them it could be because they have been featured in both Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray and Oprah. Prices range around $1695 for the dishwashers to $4295 for the stoves. Who said living a retro lifestyle is cheap? For more kitchen styling and renovation madness, be sure to visit the great Retro Renovation blog. [Thanks Cam]

If you miss the old days when television was black and white and the television-sets were anything but dull looking, LG has a treat in store for you! They call it "The LG Serie 1 Retro Classic TV" and comes with a 4:3 ratio 14 inch display screen which can be tuned to either color mode, sepia or black and white – perfect for watching those old 1950s and 1960s television shows such as "I Dream of Jeannie", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." or "I Love Lucy". The TV also comes with retro styled chromed legs and rabbit styled antennas. The only problem is that it is currently only sold in South Korea, unless you are willing to take a road trip and have $200 left over to spend. What do you think, would you like to own one of these retro puppies? Continue reading to see more images.

The '50s are back and making its way into the design of everyday gadgetry. If you are a fan of Apple's personal computers I bet you will dig this concept for a home computer. The "Philco PC" takes its inspiration from the 1954 design classic Philco Predicta, as well as an eclectic mixture of modern minimalism, the steampunk movement, and antiques. Sadly this is still just a concept and the images you see are 3D rendered, but Shultze Works who are the creator of this little time piece, hope that a electronics company will pick it up and start to manufacture it in a near future. What do you think? Would you like to have the "Philco PC" in your mid century inspired designer home and how much would you pay for it? Continue reading to see more images and a video of the PC.

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