Vintage Kitchen Inspiration

April 20, 2021

Mid-Century Modern has been the darling of the design world for at least a decade, and plenty of homeowners incorporate a vintage vibe into their homes sprinkling in items or embracing full-on fifties style. It seems that kitchens, in particular, are a welcoming space for a retro look with appliances, both large and small, and accents that harken back to yesteryear!

Retro Design Trends

Checkerboard floors, farmhouse sinks and iron cabinet door pulls are all retro touches that are more than a throwback Thursday memory on Facebook! Sometimes a simple statement pendant light, like this antique-ish one from Etsy, plus a few coordinated accents (a tablecloth? a wall clock? a roller shade?) are all it takes to create a that old-school style.

Thanks to the folks at Smeg, this 50s-styled fridge has all the charm and nostalgia of a Big Red® soda pop. Wayfair carries a 12.8 cubic foot fridge with a narrow footprint (24 inches) and bottom freezer. This item costs a mere $3,000 and comes in cherry red, orange, pink, pastel green, blue, cream or black. For a bit less money, and fewer cubic feet, you can get a Unique vintage fridge, in your choice of seven colors including summer mint green, ocean mist turquoise, candy red and powder blue.

If you’re looking to outfit an entire kitchen, you can get a classic retro free-standing gas range by Unique – also 24 inches – available in your choice of five colors, or one from Big Chill. You’ll also find hoods, matching dishwashers and cooktops, at Big Chill, to complete a retro kitchen feel.

Smaller appliances from Smeg run the gamut from electric tea kettles, coffee makers and grinders, blenders, mixers and juicers, to toasters and nostalgic microwave ovens, as well! You can also find vintage bread boxes – which really do keep your bread fresher, Pyrex patterns and Fiesta dinnerware, pitchers and pieces. Check out the array of retro items for your kitchen, here at Taste of Home.

Vintage-Styled Sinks and Cabinets

Farmhouse sinks have been all the rage for a few years, too, and definitely have an aesthetic appeal, not to mention the wider and deeper functionality. The old-fashioned design was perfect for that era when a kitchen sink not only was used for meal prep and clean-up, but also for bathing kids and washing clothes. You can find farmhouse or apron front sinks in a wide variety of materials, from cast iron and stainless steel to copper and acrylic. 

Pastel colors in a kitchen speak to the old-school style, and pale pinks,  greens, oranges and turquoise, are iconic when it comes to cabinet hues. For door and drawer pulls, shiny D-shape chrome bars, concave knobs with round backplates, and simple bar handles all add a complementary component.

Check out these images from Better Homes and Gardens for a dollop of inspiration and to get your creative juices percolating. Country Living, showcases a bucolic charm with not only eye-catching combinations in retro palettes from cabinetry and appliances, but also checkerboard floors, bold wallpapers, glass tile backsplashes, and scalloped edges and vintage kitchen tables and chairs.

And to complete the picture, if only with food, we came across a few classic, vintage recipes from Eat This that will be a perfect fit in a kitchen with retro aspirations. From, cheese fondue and chicken ala king, to old-fashioned corn pudding and lemonade chiffon cake, these yummy dishes will help you remember why the oldies are goodies!

Personalize Your Modern Southshore Home!

If you’re all about the retro vibe, you can bring it with you to the master-planned community of Southshore, and personalize your home to your heart’s content! Southshore features some of Colorado’s top home builders, and the variety of brand new homes from Taylor Morrison, Century Communities, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers is the perfect example of what Life at the Lake looks like! Tour all of these stunning ranch and two-story designs – priced between the $400s and the $700s.