27 Retro Kitchen Ideas & Design Inspiration (1940s–1970s)
We love a retro kitchen at Wood & Wire and judging by our inbox, so do you. So we’ve rounded up the very best retro kitchen ideas, from colourful 1950s cabinetry to groovy 70s laminate looks, and everything in between. Whether you’re after vintage kitchen accessories, iconic appliances, or full mid-century modern units, it’s all here.
Anything missing? Just let us know!
We are Wood & Wire, a small British team of designers and craftsmen. Our mid-century style, bespoke plywood kitchens and furniture are designed and manufactured by us in our UK workshop.
Retro Kitchens and Cool Throwback Renovations – Elle Decor
Elle Decor rounds up 25 best retro kitchens to inspire you with the ultimate in throwback renovations. Fancy a 1950’s vintage kitchen with retro kitchen wallpaper and vibrant cabinets? Count us in. Source
Retro Kitchen Ideas – Good House Keeping
Good House Keeping recommends adding brightly coloured accessories to uplift a dull traditional white kitchen. This kitchen style embodies this with a modern take on retro diner chic. That iconic fridge, the classic red check tablecloth, every detail nods to 1950s Americana style kitchen. But it’s not stuck in the past. This scheme blends mid-century nostalgia with playful Scandinavian minimalism. The result? A space that’s bright, cheerful, and a little bit nostalgic, yet grounded in clean lines and contemporary functionality.
Source
Retro Kitchens: Funky Vintage Kitchen Ideas to Inspire You – Real Homes
Presenting 11 funky vintage ideas including introducing melamine accessories to your kitchen, Real Homes Anna Cottrell looks to inspire your kitchen revamp. She says. “During the 1950s, melamine crockery was fast overtaking bone china to become the tableware of choice for many families. So much so, that families weren’t just using melamine for camping trips, but also for dinner parties. Traditional ceramic tableware manufacturers such as Midwinter even designed their own versions of melamine tableware.”
Source
Retro Kitchen Cabinets – John Lewis of Hungerford
These retro-style kitchen cabinets from the Crème de la Crème range by JL are inspired by the iconic English Rose units, Britain’s answer to the sleek, American-style kitchens of the 1950s. With this launch, JL brings this timeless classic back to life. Source
Vintage Kitchen – English Rose Kitchens
Now, if you absolutely must have that English Rose kitchen and won’t settle for anything less than the real deal, this company reclaim and restore those original aluminium cabinets. Source
1950’s Kitchen Ideas – The Spruce
The Spruce presents 12 funky 1950’s kitchen ideas for you to get your teeth into. Ashley Knierim says “Consider adding pops of bright colour in exposed shelving, on countertops or above the fridge to give any kitchen a more retro feel.” and this colourful kitchen of ours goes all in. From magenta drawers to electric blue cabinets and acid-green walls, it’s a dopamine hit in design form.
Source
Best Retro Kitchen Ideas – Your Home Style
Your Home Style suggests that not everything needs to be new when creating your own retro kitchen. Some great pieces such as this 1950s–1960s Hoosier cabinet can be found on market sites like EBAY.
Source
Vintage Retro Kitchens – Pinterest
If you’re wanting to embrace full-scale colour in your next vintage kitchen scheme, bright cabinets with complementary walls are great in small kitchens as they give the illusion of space as Kitchen Design Ideas Pinterest board ‘Retro & Vintage Kitchens’ shows.
Source
Retro Kitchens of Yesteryear That Will Make you Nostalgic – Love Property
Love Property line up some iconic trends from 1940- 1980. We’re digging the wallpaper office island of this 1940’s kitsch polka dot kitchen and how the kitchen in this scheme shows a multi-functional office, dressmaking area. Seems the future has brought us full circle!
Source
Retro Kitchen Appliances – Big Chill
No retro kitchen is complete without appliances. American company Big Chill breaks into the UK market in 2019 offering a capsule collection of fridges, cooker hoods and ovens in 6 different colours to ensure your kitchen is ‘all in’. Source
Retro Kitchen Cabinets – Wood & Wire
Creating your own retro kitchen with the Wood & Wire team is simple. The Dellen’s asked us to help them realise their retro dreams. Our signature birch plywood cabinets were laminated with red and multi-blue surface finishes to create a fresh approach to a traditionally retro colour combination, and we’re really impressed with the results. Source
Retro kitchen ideas – Air Tasker
Retro kitchen ideas, from floor to ceiling and everything in between. This blog includes many ways that you can achieve a retro kitchen for yourself including this scheme of muted tones. If your idea of a retro kitchen is more muted than full volume, why not check out our full collection on display at the Wood & Wire kitchen showroom.
Source
1950’s Retro Appliances – Smeg
Italian company Smeg is the ultimate in freestanding retro white goods and small electrical appliances. With over 15 colours to choose from in some ranges, we promise you’ll be spoilt for choice. Source
Retro Kitchen Bin – Wesco
Colourful accents are an easy and relatively cheap way to give your kitchen a retro injection. German company Wesco has been producing kitchen bins since the end of the second world war. Available in up to 20 colours, the Wesco range is bound to have what you need to complete the look you’re after. Source
Retro Kitchens That’ll Make You Want to Embrace Vintage Vibes – Apartment therapy
Adrienne Breaux from Apartmenttherapy says “There’s no one “correct” retro kitchen flooring. From linoleum to tile to wood, lots of flooring types can give a vintage look to a kitchen. But there’s one show-stopping style that will always give off strong 1950’s retro vibes: a black and white checkered floor!” Source
Retro Kitchens – Pinterest
Jennifer Brocks Pinterest board ‘Retro Kitchens’ is a compilation of retro ideas. Here these lemon yellow retro kitchen tiles as shown in retro renovation’s blog are oh so 1950’s kitchen.
Source
Modern Retro Kitchens – Red
Tabitha Stapely from Red says. “Even the tiniest kitchen can have some retro chic. This mini butler sink is given cheery accents with the collection of enamel tea pots, which are easy to find at local car boot sales.”
Source
The Best Modern Range Cookers – The Telegraph
On the subject of retro kitchen appliances, we thought this article from The Telegraph was a smashing buyers guide to range cookers and the different fuel options available. Almost always available in multiple colours, a traditional range makes a perfect kitchen statement piece.
Source
Modern Retro Kitchens – Wood & Wire
When the Hardys approached us for their new kitchen, they were clear that they wanted a retro-modern design. Wood & Wire produces cool retro kitchens in any colour or veneer. Follow the link for full details of the Hardys 1930’s kitchen renovation, Halifax, UK.
Source
Lovely Retro Kitchen Design Ideas – Architecture, Art, Designs
An inviting collection of 25 retro kitchens for you to be inspired by. Here this lovely retro vintage kitchen shows how easy it is to introduce the look to a standard white or cream kitchen with the clever use of colour. Source
Elements To Use When Creating a Retro Kitchen – Homedit.com
This kitchen is a masterclass in essential retro design. From the bold turquoise walls to the checkered black-and-white floor, every element is doing something purposeful. The vintage-style red fridge delivers that iconic 1950s diner vibe, while industrial stools and white cabinetry keep things fresh and balanced. Open shelving, classic signage, and pops of chrome round out the look—bringing just the right amount of nostalgia without tipping into pastiche. If you’re looking to inject colour, character, and timeless style into your kitchen, this setup nails the brief. Check out these essential retro design elements from Homedit to use when creating your next retro kitchen. Source
1970’s Retro Kitchen Units – Wood & Wire
We were super-excited to get the chance to design this 1970’s style plywood kitchen in gorgeous green and orange for our client: an avid mid-century style enthusiast. Ian was keen to express his love of green throughout the scheme, even right down to the fleck running through the dining table surface that we made to match the kitchen units. Source
Retro Kitchen Accessories – Wesco
After years of austerity and war-era practicality, pastels symbolised freshness, modernity, and hope and are oh-so 1950’s retro. Wesco offers fab colourful collection of metal kitchen accessories for cool retro kitchens wanting to get the look. Source
Vintage Kitchen Accessories – The Vintage Kitchen Store
If thrift, recycle and reuse is more to your liking then The Vintage Kitchen Store could be worth a visit. Their splendid collection of retro kitchenware and household items is a treasure trove of nostalgia for that essential retro kitchen colour pop. Source
Retro Kitchen Appliances & Accessories – Kitchen Aid
American company KitchenAid has been whipping up a storm in the kitchen for over a century. As the ‘inventors’ of the first egg beater, this company is still considered the market leader in all things ‘kitchen mixing’. If you’re as serious about baking as you are the retro trend then one of these is a worktop must-have. Available in up to 32 colours, KitchenAid not only sells food mixers but lots of other colourful countertop appliances for the kitchen of your dreams. Source
How To Create The Perfect Retro Kitchen – Aga
Aga’s guide to creating the perfect retro kitchen blends vintage charm with bold, modern colour. With their signature range taking centre stage in this playful blue-and-orange scheme, the look combines nostalgic flair with clean, contemporary lines. Think colour-blocked cabinetry and timeless form meets fresh function. Love this look? Take a peek at our own blue and orange kitchen project for a dose of retro colour-blocking inspiration.
Source
Retro Kitchen Trends – Magnet
Magnet’s blog on revival kitchen trends lists walk-in pantries as the public’s most-voted retro feature to bring back. And who could disagree? I’m sure most of us would love a Nigella-sized pantry filled with homemade goods and fermented feasts. Next on the list: dark wood units, a look anyone can achieve, no matter the kitchen size. Our latest teak kitchen above shows how Wood & Wire is right on the revival trend.
Source
Planning your own retro kitchen makeover?
We can help! We specialise in bespoke plywood kitchens & furniture.
