In other words, we thought that many 1940s or 1950s kitchens had looked exactly like the kitchen in our new home. It turns out we were right. Here's our kitchen, in all its retro glory.



And here is an ad I found in the Retro Renovation kitchen gallery for a 1940s kitchen by the company St. Charles. The St. Charles kitchen has white steel cabinets, chrome handles, a tile backsplash, black/red linoleum floors, and cherry red Formica counters edged in chrome. Unless my eyes deceive me, the wallpaper features an assortment of happy, singing vegetables who are performing some sort of jig.

If the St. Charles kitchen had a long-lost brother, it would be our kitchen. We also have white cabinets, chrome handles, and cherry red Formica counters edged in metal. However, there are some noticeable difference between the two kitchens. St. Charles was known for their high-quality steel cabinets. Our cabinets are made of wood, and some of the cabinets have been covered with so many coats of paint that the doors no longer close properly. We don't have that snazzy breakfast bar (or that cute kid!). Whereas the St. Charles kitchen has a shiny black linoleum floor, ours is a greenish off-white faux-brick linoleum that's starting to come unglued. The St. Charles kitchen has a tile backsplash, but ours is white faux wood-grain Formica, which carries over to the countertops around the sink. However, we do have white vinyl "tiles" on the right wall of our kitchen, extending about four feet above the floor. I bet you're starting to feel jealous, aren't you?
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Faux-tile wall accent. The radiator was patented in 1897! |



Eventually, we're planning to restore this kitchen to look more similar to how it may have looked in the 1940s. The first priority in the kitchen will be to strip the peeling wallpaper, and either hang new paper or choose an appropriate paint color. We're planning to lay hexagonal floor tiles (like these, but likely in black and white) in place of the peeling linoleum. We haven't decided what we'll do with the countertop and backsplash, but it will probably be a few years before we're ready to consider changing them anyway. The existing cabinets will remain; they're solid wood, so we see no need to remove them, although we may apply a new coat of white paint. We'd like to add a dishwasher if we can do so without losing much storage space. As for the other appliances, they're functional and relatively new. We currently have an electric oven and range, which we'd like to convert to natural gas in the near future. Eventually, we may consider purchasing appliances that look slightly more vintage that what we currently have so that the whole kitchen has a cohesive feel.
As I hinted before, we're a few years away from doing a kitchen renovation. In the meantime, it's fun to dream about what our "someday" kitchen will look like. Thanks for following along, folks!
We have the same type of kitchen. I am pretty sure that our cabinets are exactly the same as yours. There are no built-ins in BHH, but we do have a metal cabinet unit with our sink. BHH had "modern" countertops put in in the 80's or 90's. LOL It will be fun to follow your retro reno.
ReplyDeleteHow funny that we both have those same cabinets. Looking at your house tour pictures, I thought you had butcher block countertops -- those 80s/90s updates had me fooled, haha! Thanks for stopping by!
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