Retro Style Kitchen Interior Trends 2025
If you are not indifferent to old and stylish things, a retro-style kitchen can be an ideal candidate.
Echoes of retro-style can be found in such modern areas as shabby chic, “5 o’clock”, vintage, art deco, fusion, etc. But in order to reproduce the unique coziness from the last century, you must correctly select all the elements from which will form the overall picture of the interior.
Retro Style Features
It is worth noting that the scope of this style is quite wide. The “retro” category includes interior solutions of the English or Victorian classics of the 20s, the turbulent period of the 30s, the military of the 40s, as well as the vibrant 50-60s of the twentieth century. Yes, and “domestic” retro from foreign, you see, the order is different. This means that a kitchen decorated in the best traditions of the past decades may look completely different.
However, there are key and related nuances that are inherent in retro style in general:
- the presence of antique or artificially aged furniture;
- the use of only high-quality and natural materials – wood, metals, glass, ceramics;
- an abundance of decor and accessories, textiles and utensils;
- no less than 3 colors in the interior design;
- massive and heavy “pot-bellied” refrigerator with a handle-bracket;
The most stylized or carefully camouflaged modern technology and other new devices. True, there is an opinion that the creation of a “stylish retro” is impossible without contrasting modern details, but not everyone agrees with it.
Particular attention should be paid to the color scheme of the kitchen , which should be bold and bright, nobly saturated or somewhat muffled.
To complement the overall picture of the kitchen in retro style is well-chosen dishes, textile inserts and other decor items of the last century.
In this case, household appliances must be selected exclusively in a classic or vintage style. It is believed that outwardly it should correspond to the era you have chosen, and if at that time it did not exist yet, then be as invisible as possible, hidden by furniture facades or false panels.
But all this is so, offhand. To make it easier to navigate in the diversity of retro design areas, it is worth learning the features of each era. Well, let’s go back in time.
50-60s Period
It is also called the decade of housewives . For this time, saturated colors, bold patterns and bright elements, for example, a tiled floor with an ornament, a snake or in a large cage, are characteristic. In this case, the chess floor can alternate with plain tiles, for example, under the dining table or around the perimeter of the room.
Bright monochrome colors of the floor were also not uncommon. The ceiling or walls in color are suitable for kitchen furniture or only its facades. For wall cladding, a white, checkerboard or bright plain tile or ordinary whitewash was used, which today can be replaced with more practical washable wallpaper.
The ceiling is decorated with a fan, a wide and flat chandelier, or several round or conical pendant lights. Another attribute of this era is the round wall clock, selected according to the color of the interior.
Also, the kitchen space should be moderately saturated with a variety of chrome inserts and details. Furniture of this time had clear shapes with an abundance of glossy surfaces.
The most popular colors were pink, red, blue, pale or bright yellow, light green or pale purple, which were often combined with white. The internal parts of the shelves were covered with bright, contrasting with the main color of the furniture, long mini tablecloths, on which the dishes were arranged beautifully.
Colorful 40s
Despite the military events of these years, the cuisine of families living in the first half of the 20th century was a picturesque and vibrant sight.
The main difference between the kitchen interior of the war period was saturated colors, namely: cherry, pale blue, lemon, bright or colorful green, yellow, carrot and turquoise.
These tones were diluted with black and white elements, which, in combination with kitchen appliances made entirely of stainless steel, created a pleasant and unique image.
Wallpaper with flowers or patterns covered not only the walls, but also the ceiling. The floor was decorated with a small or large cage or a motley 2 or 3-color ornament. Short checkered curtains covering a third of the window (a maximum of a few centimeters lower) often coincide in color with the floor.
Hint : small curtains at the level of floor cabinets can easily hide modern household appliances.
30S
They distinguished themselves with a style rich in decorative elements and interesting solutions that maximize the functionality of the kitchen space.
This period is also easy to recognize by the abundance of glass components in furniture and decoration, and by the variety of geometric ornaments on the curtains or wallpaper. Tables and chairs of the 30s had soft outlines, rounded edges, and tones were muted.
Popular materials for decorating the kitchen space and furniture were expensive types of wood, genuine leather and ivory. However, ceramic tiles did not go unnoticed either – they laid out not only the kitchen apron, walls, but also the ceiling.
20S
First of all, it is worth remembering the traditional English style of the Edwardian era.
It is characterized by spacious kitchens, furnished with massive wooden furniture with copper or cast-iron handles, a large multi-function stove and a table of impressive sizes in the middle.
In modern interiors, brass has returned to fashion quite often.
Tip : If you like the individual elements of each era and you can not decide on the best decade – it does not matter. Try to combine all this harmoniously, because the point is not in one hundred percent compliance, but in your maximum comfort.
Retro Style Kitchen Furniture Trends
In order to correctly select furniture that will create a unique atmosphere of past eras, it is necessary to take into account several important principles:
- 1. Instead of the usual headsets in retro-style kitchens, it is better to use cabinets, display cases, sideboards and sideboards that can produce the desired effect, but only with a competent layout;
- 2. If wooden furniture is used, it is worth supplementing it with a countertop covered with ceramic tiles or artificial stone. We should not forget about the fittings either – it should unobtrusively emphasize the chosen style;
- 3. Significantly affect the formation of the atmosphere in retro style elements with inlay or carving , as well as paneled facades with round or railing handles;
- 4. Also, this style is characterized by chairs on one leg . They possess, as a rule, wide backs of curved shapes. Of course, no one forbids the use of other models, because there are many suitable options. Check out these amazing photos.
Important :
- Do not forget that in those days there were no cranes with rotary mixers . So, if the unity of style and the correspondence of time is important to you, you will have to get used to the usual again, i.e. two-valve taps in retro style. Consider also what other objects would be contrary to the spirit of the time.
- Whatever retro direction you choose, a few rarity little things like candy canes for candy, black and white photos, porcelain cups and saucers or curly spoons will not be superfluous. The main thing is that the excess decor does not “overload” the interior.
- As for household appliances – there are a number of modern manufacturers that produce antique-styled appliances of the cutest round shapes.
To design a kitchen in retro style it is not at all necessary to purchase expensive antiques, as brand-new furniture or appliances can also be artificially “aged”. And you can do it yourself.
But the most budgetary and curious options may await you in the basement or in the attic.
It is possible that exactly there you will find great-grandmother’s dressers, stools, dinner sets and appliances, jars for cereals, an old but very tenacious refrigerator or other retro wonders in very good condition.
Why not give them a second life? Particularly delighted with such finds are supporters of the “domestic” retro. And here is a hint for them – do not forget about the propaganda posters. Just let them stimulate you to action and charge you with positive!
To create in the kitchen a unique atmosphere of eras that have become a distant memory, perhaps this is much simpler than it seems. It is only necessary to carefully select the color scheme, furniture and accessories.
Well, of course, it would not be superfluous to devote a couple of evenings to viewing old photographs, postcards or movies in order to feel the general message of the chosen period.
