Give Your Kitchen A Retro Feel

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With all of our amazing gadgets, sometimes we yearn for the more traditional designs and ideas. In particular, the kitchen can be overloaded with a lot of technology – but you can balance that out with some retro-feeling utensils, colours, and more. 

Metals 

The metals you have in the kitchen can significantly impact the look and feel of the kitchen. It comes down to the little details like brushed silver, matte blacks, or traditional copper from your taps to the copper end feed fittings.

If you have space to add some exciting items, head to your local thrift store – because you can often find a treasure trove of original items.

Pastels 

Depending on which area you hope to recreate, pastel colours have been a big deal in kitchens for a long time. Soft pinks, greens, and blues were often used in kitchens – as well as pale lemon yellows. 

What’s more, is that you can buy sets of toasters, kettles, utensils, and so much more that are all the same colour. 

If you don’t have a big budget and can’t stretch to redecorate the whole kitchen, then buy small items that are often in the colour you want to have overall. 

Rounded 

One of the most significant differences between modern and most retro styles is that many retro styles have rounded shapes instead. The 50s, in particular, had a lot of curves and rounded shapes, which continued into the 60s and 70s.

Curved countertops and cabinets are a great nod to the retro styles of the past. 

Banquet seating

When designing a retro-style kitchen, banquet chairs or benches are a terrific way to save space. By securing your seats to a wall or the edge of a kitchen cabinet, you can free up floor space for other items. 

You may utilise this area to set up a small kitchen and dining area, complete with a stylish sign and amusing table accents to create a lively space that’s wonderful for entertaining visitors.

Retro seating is often called a breakfast bar, and they are an excellent place for a quick bite and a coffee in the morning. 

Wood

While metal significantly impacts almost all retro kitchens, if you are looking for something a little softer, consider wood: wooden cabinets, chopping boards, utensils, and more. 

Natural wood vintage kitchen cabinets, whether in a modern, conventional, or Shaker style, give off subtle antique emotions in the kitchen without being overpowering. It’s a simple way to give your room a nostalgic vibe without being too loud. 

 

If you already have wood cabinets, then resist the temptation to paint them over; instead, consider if they are worth cleaning up. Try sanding them down and giving them a new lease of life with varnish instead. 

Artwork 

One of the coolest kitchen parts of a retro kitchen is that in the movies and TV series, there are always interesting pieces of artwork on the wall. Large clocks, pictures of piggies, and ceramic cats can be hung on the wall. 

 

Artwork makes a massive difference to any room, but if you want to make sure that your room reads just to one era, spend some time researching what type of artwork would be most common. 

Patterns 

Not just in the kitchen but in all home rooms, patterns were often found. Most of the time, the floor would be tiled, and those tiles will be patterned. It’s such a simple classic look that it can bring all aspects of your kitchen design together. 

Plants and flowers

One of the fastest ways to bring a natural retro vibe into the kitchen is to add plants! Homes years ago used to be filled with all kinds of plants, and they can help add a soft and interesting feature to your retro kitchen. 

Marble 

Countertops in modern years have been mostly marble, which is hard-wearing, sturdy, and offers years of dependable service. However, marble is more of a modern material, so depending on how much you want to stick to your chosen era, you may switch out marble for something else. 

Wooden countertops were most common in country kitchens, and over time they moved from wood to Formica. Both are beautiful and hard-wearing and are much softer than marble. 

Recognisable items 

Some things in a kitchen automatically associate with retro kitchens—things like the clock, bowls, mixers, scales, and more. If you don’t want to use them, you can put them somewhere so they can be shown off. 

Retro items have a much more significant impact than you think. 

Green

Green is one of the best options when you want to go retro and fast. There are slightly different shades of green for every ear; for example, many people remember the avocado green of bathroom units or the rich jade greens (usually combined with gold) for older and more opulent living spaces. 

And in general, green is both inviting, calming, and enjoyable. 

Accessories 

There are two schools of thought when it comes to accessories: more is more, or less is more. 

Some interior designers believe adding a few touches is enough, giving a healthy and elegant nod to the time period you are trying to achieve. However, others say more is more and that you should look to go more aggressively and embrace the maximalism of having all the kitchen and vintage items you can get your hands on. 

Let it spill over

Let some of the retro items’ leak’ out of the kitchen door and into the adjoining room as an intro into your kitchen. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but the slight hints of the era you have introduced in the kitchen. 

As mentioned above, artwork has a significant impact on a space – and it can be tricky to get it right. But once you have some suitable artwork, you’re going to want to know the best way to hang it: Everything You Need To Know About Art Hanging – Bournemouth Girl.