Awful grey eyesore of a kitchen, isn it? Of course, contemporary minimalism is nothing bad, but occasionally you may wish something really has personality. There, vintage kitchen design can save the day once more, I tell you I have done this rabbit hole more times than I want to count.
I took my completely sterile white kitchen and turned it into the cute cozy vintage cottage that it currently is, and honestly? Worst move ever. What used to be a bland uncharacteristic corporate break room is now a 1950s diner where I make coffee each morning.
Embrace the Retro Color Palette
Bold Blues and Mint Greens
What is the secret sauce to vintage kitchens? Color. Not those harmless nondescript beiges that render your room resembling a hospital.
Consider cabinets as robin egg blue with clean white counter top. Or that beautiful color of mint green that has the personality of shouting! These are the colors which immediately take you to the golden era of kitchen design.
Here’s what works best:
- Powder blue for upper cabinets
- Mint green for lower cabinets
- Cherry red as accent colors
- Cream white for balance
Mixing and Matching Colors
You might have ever wondered how some vintage kitchens appear to be cool without trying whereas others seems to have a blast of color. The secret is 60-30-10 rule. Use your main vintage color 60 percent of space, a complementary shade 30 percent and the remaining 10 percent using a bold color.
I made the mistake and painted the WHOLE kitchen turquoise – looked like I was living inside an above ground swimming pool :/.
Install Open Shelving with Vintage Flair
Glass-Front Cabinets
Shelving does not only make the style out trendy, but it is also convenient and allows displaying the vintage china. I replaced my solid cabinet doors with ones that are glass, and in an instant the collection of china that my grandmother had passed on to me was able to become the showcase.
Glass-front cabinets add depth of vision, and leave your kitchen looking more spacious. Also they compel you to be orderly in everything and that, may I add, is a curse and a blessing.
Floating Shelves with Character
Install reclaimed wood floating shelves where you can put your antique items. I got my pair at a local salvage yard virtually free and they have been used at every dinner party as ones that people ask about.
Key considerations for vintage open shelving:
| Style Element | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| Material | Reclaimed wood or wrought iron |
| Color | Natural wood stain or distressed paint |
Incorporate Vintage Appliances
Small Appliances That Make a Statement
There is nothing more vintage-kitcheny than a big red KitchenAid mixer showing off on your counter. These appliances are not just functional but are pieces of art work to be put in display.
Last year I blew money on a mint green toaster and a matching coffee maker. Of course they are more expensive than similar quality products today, but every morning I grin using those. So how much do you value joy each day?
Large Appliances with Retro Styling
These retro appliances make old things new by creating an opportunity that will allow you to have the functionality of a modern appliance but with vintage design. The best examples are SMEG refrigerators and Big Chill ranges.
These are the center/podium-offering of your kitchen. The minute the guests come in, they know that beauty that is pastel refrigerator quietly humming in the corner as their first impression.
Add Vintage-Inspired Hardware
Cabinet Knobs and Pulls
Changingup cabinet hardware is the quickest path to kitchen retro. I changed out all my dull bored nickel pulls to brass cup pulls and ceramic knobs with fine floral patterns.
It was an instant and extreme change. There is a quick fix that instantly transformed my simple cabinets into the type you would find in the 1940s on the farm.
Faucets That Make a Difference
The scream of vintage deluxe faucet is a bridge faucet with cross handles. I had one put up in polished brass, and it was an at-once talker.
Popular vintage hardware finishes:
- Polished brass for warmth
- Oil-rubbed bronze for depth
- Ceramic details for authenticity
- Matte black for modern vintage
Create a Vintage Backsplash
Subway Tiles Done Right
Subway tiles aren so retro because they are pass. Here is the thing, though: installation is important. I decided to set mine out in a herringbone not a standard brick and it made it all just interesting, not too much though.
It lies in the grout. There should be a lighter grout to accent hall the tile plan and to.create character.
Patterned Tiles for Personality
Feel like being bolder? In vintage kitchens geometric patterns and floral motifs were massive. I took a small panel of hand-painted tiles and installed them behind my stove as an accent and it became my kitchen crown jewel.
Install Period-Appropriate Lighting
Pendant Lights with Character
Lighting determines the whole aura of your antique kitchen. I also hung three glass globe pendants over my island which casts the most beautiful and warm light and makes everything look Instagram-ready.
Schoolhouse pendant and industrial-type lighting are magical as well. The aim is to select the fixtures that would appear that they have been part of the house originally.
Under-Cabinet Lighting
This may sound counterintuitive, but by installing some novel LED strips to the underside of your cabinets you can really pull the vintage aesthetic by providing them with warm, diffuse lighting that brings to light your gorgeous back splash.
Bring in Vintage Textiles and Accessories
Window Treatments with Flair
You can hang up a set of gingham or Roman shades made in vintage inspired fabric to take the edge off your kitchen walls immediately. I selected a quiet floral design and done in pale shades and it completed the entire room.
Vintage-Style Rugs
Rug An old-fashioned looking colored rug provides some stability to your kitchen and soft touch under your feet. Find out a way to have patterns without competing with your other designs, but that will mesh with your colour scheme.
Essential vintage textile elements:
- Gingham or floral curtains
- Vintage-pattern area rugs
- Embroidered tea towels
- Checked tablecloths
Display Vintage Collectibles
Functional Decor
Vintage kitchen accessories are lovely and useful at the same time. The vintage canisters, mixing bowls and cake stands I have are both display and storage material.
Go to estate sales, antiques stores, even your grandmothers attic. You are going to be surprised at the treasures you will discover.
Creating Vignettes
Play with visuals: put similar items in a group, in order to make an impression. I have placed my old copper moulds in floating shelves and they are museum like.
Choose Vintage-Inspired Seating
Bar Stools with Personality
Vintage bar stools painted bright colours or classic chrome and white vinyl bring the real vintage style. I have actually found mine in a restaurant supply store- try looking in some unusual areas sometimes you will find the best vintage pieces.
Banquette Seating
A banquette in the corner with vinyl cloth will look like an authentic diner provided you have space. It is also highly convenient to families.
Perfect Your Vintage Kitchen Layout
The Work Triangle
Vintage kitchens were not all about the looks since they had an efficient design. The old work triangle of sink, stove and frig can still work today.
I also reorganized my kitchen based on this principle and cooking was just so much more fun. Why did no-one know that the generation of grandma had already solved the problem of the best workflow in the kitchen, decades earlier?
Creating Conversation Areas
Past home kitchens used to be the core of the household. Put in a small table and seats or a family style breakfast nook to promote conversing and dawdling.
Finishing Touches That Matter
Vintage Wall Decor
The last detail of authenticity is provided by the tin signs, retro clocks and vintage posters. I strung up some old fruit crate labels and they bring exactly the touch of whimsy that was needed.
Plants and Natural Elements
To liven your vintage kitchen you can use fresh herbs in old mason jars or a small plant on your windowsill. Nature never dates and it makes all those hard surfaces so pretty.
Think of it, developing a classic kitchen is not only about being historically accurate – it’s about recreating the ambiance, character and comfort that makes these spaces so appealing. Try to combine pieces that call to you and that don’t be scared to influenced classic structure.
IMO, the best vintage kitchens look lived and loved in, not like a museum. Therefore, go all vintage, make a kitchen you look forward to spending time in every day. Believe me, you will enjoy your morning coffee more when it is in a place that is a personality 🙂