![]() ![]() Maybe it was the influence of Under the Tuscan Sun, or just the romanticization of terra-cotta toned Italian kitchens. But hey, at least the fridge dispensed ice and water! ![]() For a while it seemed like stainless steel was the only acceptable colourway for kitchen appliances, and while they started off looking futuristic and glossy, they always ended up with some kind of dent. Islands, de facto gathering places of extended countertop space, allowed occupants the choice to hang out at the kitchen table or at the granite-covered oasis. Kitchens in the 2000s and 2010s were expanding-as lot sizes and homes became larger, they were able to accommodate much more. Kelly Klein outfitted her Florida kitchen with a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Wolf range, Dornbracht sink fittings, and a custom-made hood. ![]() “In fact, I appreciate that there were a lot of ‘suspended’ kitchen items back then-macramé plant hangers, swag lamps, and floating cabinets all come to mind.” Because so much of the decor in kitchens wasn’t static, kitchen owners could infuse personality by simply opening a window and letting the wind blow through a dangling macramé wall hanging. “I really adore the use of hanging plants and vines during that era,” adds Elrod. It would be near impossible to leave the folksy overtones of ’70s kitchens alone without adding a dash of personal decor and flair. Lucky homeowners might find that some of these relics are still alive in their kitchens: brown built-in wall ovens like the Hotpoint’s Coppertone collection, Frigidaire stoves in (you guessed it) avocado green-and GE refrigerators in that sunny harvest gold. The dominating colour scheme of the ’70s was inarguably a muted rainbow of earthy colours, but even in their subdued tones, they still popped amongst the wood-panelled walls and matching cupboards. Prevailing midcentury kitchen colour schemes not-so-subtly hinted at popular family values: robin’s egg blue, baby pink, and sunshine-y yellow set off against the more “natural” wood in cabinetry or exposed beams. There was no shame in employing the newest contraptions to prepare a delicious-or at least interesting-looking-meal. Women in the household were still expected to maintain everything, and that included preparing pot roast for dinner or aspic for lunch. “The Space Age kitchen was usually a showcase for gadgets because they were a way for middle class homeowners to show that they were au courant.” “There are certain things about the midcentury kitchen that are decidedly out of step with current faves, particularly the desire to really show off and emphasize technology, which is typically avoided today if possible,” says Sarah Archer, bona fide vintage kitchen expert and author of The Midcentury Kitchen: America’s Favorite Room, from Workspace to Dreamscape. Back to the forefront was the newest technology and appliances-not to be stored away in cupboards but proudly displayed. We were living in the future, and those motifs were all over midcentury kitchens-think blonde wood cabinetry, formica countertops, and chevron-shaped drawer pulls. ![]() Some of the more conservative stylings of the 1940s fell away as families were finally able to “live the American dream.” With the advent of space travel, interiors were awash in the midcentury style of the Atomic Age, replete with starbursts, boomerangs, and explosive asterisk patterns. Photo: Tom Kelley Archive/Getty Images 1950s–1960s: Atomic-Era Innovations This kitchen setup is the definition of the Atomic Age. There was less emphasis on the futuristic chrome, and more organic motifs-like flowers, fruit, and roosters-were seen everywhere from breadbaskets to floor mats. Imparted still was the sleekness of the tiled walls and floors, as well as new appliances like the workhorse Monarch electric oven range and the rounded, lustrous Gibson door refrigerator. While the Art Deco movement was forward-thinking and avant-garde, the 1940s took a decidedly more traditional approach. Cherry red, navy blue, butter yellow, and kelly green all popped against a crisp white background, whether it was on wallpaper or an embroidered tablecloth. Interiors of the ’40s were pared back and minimal-though there was no sparing of sweet decorative flourishes, like gingham-patterned curtains adorning the window above the sink or knickknacks like cookie jars and pottery filling the built-in shelving spaces. Photo: Underwood Archives/Getty Images 1940s: Keep It Simple And Sweet Skirted shelves complete quintessential kitchen in the 1940s. ![]()
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