Kitchen in retro style: at the junction of times

Retro-style … How varied! He meets us with refined, multifaceted, sometimes somewhat naive, but invariably charming and cozy interiors. Today, this decor increasingly began to look into our homes. He does not mind staying in the bedroom or settling in the living room, but the most luxurious of all rooms is a kitchen in retro style. Why it? In this case, everything is quite understandable. Think about it. Well, what other room, bearing the stamp of time, is associated with the hearth and can gently hint at the fact that for you the family values, the atmosphere of appeasement and warmth in the house are immensely important? The answer is obvious. Is not it?

bright kitchen in retro style

What a retro kitchen can be, what furniture and appliances are appropriate in it, what designers say about the style, what materials, colors and decorative elements to use in the design – all the answers in this article.

About the characteristic features and versatility of the retro style

Since the concept of “retro” is not tied to a particular historical period, it remains vague enough. Designers managed to come to a consensus on the time frames of the period, limiting it to the end of the XIX – the second half of the XX century. Naturally, this allowed to design the kitchen in retro style, using a variety of interesting directions.

the chess floor is an important accent in the interior of the 60s

Victorian sketches

Since the inception of the Victorian style has passed for two centuries. Its name he received in honor of, then ruled by England, Queen Victoria. The distinctive features of the “Victorian” cuisine can be considered:

1. Solidity and presentable;
2. General feeling of high cost;
3. Wealth of decor.

The kitchen of the kings is recognized by an unchanging heavy table topped with a massive table top, always with high cabinets, with transparent doors, a stove that is stylized to a real hearth and necessarily natural finishing materials on furniture. Notice, there is no hint of the present industrial age. Retro – interior without metal and plastic!

classic kitchen design in Victorian style

The floor is best laid with stone tiles or trimmed with wood, but if you want it can also be lined with linoleum. This will not be considered a mauveton, because the first linoleum appeared in the Victorian era. Use the technique can and should, only in the kitchen, decorated in retro style, it will have to be built in and hidden. Lighting is organized by a massive chandelier and similar in style to the sconce. Forget about the spotlights – in the Victorian style, they absolutely do not fit.

French sketches

The Art Deco style has a more accurate date of birth. A significant event for his appearance was the art and decorative exhibition held in Paris – Arts Decoratifs. Subsequently, these two words and became the name of a whole trend of decorative art, still amazing with its originality and boldness of lines. Of the distinctive features of the style, it should be noted:

1. Strict ordering;
2. Ethnic saturation;
3. Luxury and chic.

Art Deco is a representative of mixed styles. In it the artistry of Art Nouveau merged with the monumental neoclassicism.

luxurious interior of the kitchen in the Art Deco style

From the style-forming features in the interior is always present:

1. Strict geometry;
2. Expensive finishing;
3. Ethnic motives;
4. Bright lighting.

The kitchen in such a subset of retro style is recognized by richly inlaid worktops made of natural stone, chairs with carved legs and invariably high backs, generously decorated carved furniture facades, expensive dishes placed on glass shelves. For Art Deco is characterized by a multi-level floor and the same stepped ceiling. Of the decor elements, the prerogative remains behind striped, zigzag and “radiant” details.

common interior of retro kitchen

Sketches on the theme of late modernism

Late modernism in design is called post-war time. The calling card of this sub-floor was “candy” colors and absolutely awkward forms. In the interiors there were:

1. Plastic chairs, glowing neon;
2. Armchairs: “Hourglass”, “Ant” and “Egg”, – designed and embodied by maestro Jacobsen;
3. Simply gigantic, monster-like refrigerators, affecting, except for dimensions, also their unthinkable shades, like menthol-green or super pale pink;
4. Sofa-lips, presented to the world by Salvador Dali.

Yes, the kitchens in the retro style of the 50’s have, perhaps, the most amazing design.

kitchen appliances in retro style

So, late modernism is recognized by the abundance of plastic and chrome, furniture made from bleached natural wood, polam- “chessboards”, assembled from linoleum plates, intricate accessories, bright colorful textiles and a futuristic, unearthly atmosphere.

Industrial direction

The kitchen, decorated in an industrial style, can not be confused with anything. Concrete or brick walls, defiantly rough furniture, an abundance of metal elements – these are its main features.

Industrial style basically implies:

1. Large space;
2. The presence in the decoration of ventilation pipes, sewerage, ceiling beams and other similar “delights”;
3. The abundance of glass, steel, concrete;
4. Furnishing with sets of untreated wood and metal.

industrial motifs in the kitchen, decorated in a retro style

As an option of finishing, in the kitchen of the “industrial” branch of the retro style can be:

– plank floor;

– decorative brick or relief plaster;

– wood-trimmed or white-painted ceiling;

– glass partitions.

“Even that interior!” – you will say, and you will be completely wrong, because with all this, at first glance, unsightly situation, the room is spacious and cozy in its own way.

The variety of directions that exists within the retro style is not at all an occasion to think that he does not have clear features that should be taken into account when arranging the kitchen from the past. In addition, that in an environment only furniture with the effect of aging is used and all the equipment and other modern attributes are hidden, there must be an abundance of textiles and dishes in it. In general, the direction of retro does not shy away from a large number of decorative elements, because in those years, recreated, lifeless minimalism has not yet been heard. As for the color palette, in Art Deco and Victorian style its muted tones prevail, but in late modernism we can observe simply the madness of compositional mixing and the brightness of colors. So in whatever direction of the retro style there is a kitchen, it will always have something to stand out for.

monochrome kitchen in retro style with pendant lights

How to properly furnished kitchen in retro style

If you are not ready to spend serious sums on the old furniture delicacies for the kitchen in retro style, then you will have to be satisfied with the purchased or custom-made suite.

Recreating the spirit of the spirit of the past years in the kitchen is not an easy task. Intelligently selected furniture will help to solve this issue almost half. It remains to find out: what exactly should be in the retro kitchen? You can solve the problem of the situation in different ways. In one case it is worth looking for real antique pieces of furniture, which, most likely, will have to be restored: paint, polish, in general, give them a spectacular and stylish look. Naturally, such an approach will require considerable material investment.

kitchen design in the style of the 70s of last century

If you are not ready to spend serious sums on the old furniture delicacies for the kitchen in retro style, then you will have to be satisfied with the purchased or custom-made suite. Budget furniture is usually assembled from MDF and has a polyvinyl chloride coating. Since various methods of “aging” are widely used in its production (treatment with lacquer varnish, brushing, patination) and the decorative-historical features of each object are taken into account, the resulting headsets do not differ much from antiquarian analogues, and are much cheaper.

Whatever you decide, while working on furnishing your unusual cuisine, take into account the specific nuances of the style. The fact is that in those old days kitchen sets, in the form we used to see them now, simply did not exist. Kitchens were furnished with cupboards, curbstones, sideboards. Such a selection is even relatively difficult to call a furniture set. If you want to get a kitchen in a real retro style – then replace the top modules with open shelves, and in the lower part, shape pedestals equipped with swing doors. Under the countertop, the drawer will hide successfully. The finish of the doors can be different. When choosing a Victorian style, the facades should be made paneled and decorated with inlays or carvings. In the modern, smooth surfaces will look optimal.

a cupboard and a cupboard with a glass door – an important feature of the interior of a retro kitchen

If the furniture is made of real wood, then it is perfectly decorated with stone countertops and ornate brass fittings. The overall decoration can be supplemented with forged elements.

The dining room in the spirit of the early eras should be represented by a massive table and equally solid, admiring its dimensions, chairs. Near the middle of the last century, the middle of the last century was not so demanding for such elements of the situation, so in a retro-style kitchen of this period, a modest little table with a simple design surrounded by bright stools or highchairs that can be made of light plastic is enough.

kitchen furniture in retro style

Household appliances in retro interior

Kitchen in retro-performance – this is not an excuse to give up the benefits of civilization. It may well contain home appliances, just fit it into the interior so that the general idea of ​​style is not violated. To achieve such a compromise, you can zadekorirovav fridge, dishwasher and other gadgets false panels. This is done easily and without much expense. The second method is more expensive and consists in acquiring equipment in already stylized cases. Streamlined shapes, smooth lines, brightness of colors are complemented by elongated handles-staples. Not every manufacturer can boast that in the line of products produced by him there is a similar technique, because the manufacture of it is troublesome and expensive, and the demand for such household appliances is small. However, if there is an opportunity, do not deny yourself the pleasure of staying on this particular option, which will give the kitchen a retro chic style.

refrigerator in retro style

And more: do not forget about the importance of decorative elements. Tablecloths and curtains, kitchen utensils and wall clocks, tin cans and decorative plates, figurines and vases – all of them, carefully selected in accordance with the spirit of the era, will give the kitchen’s interior an incredible charm.

Retro Kitchens: Design Workshop

Choosing the details and thinking over the accents that you are going to fill the kitchen in a retro style, try not to be deliberate in them.

1. The main source of inspiration when playing retro-interior is the old, slightly restored furniture. Do not rush to send to the dump table or chairs, not one decade spent in the attic. They have special energy, which will help create a truly original atmosphere in the kitchen in the retro style.
2. When looking for suitable accessories, do not be lazy to climb onto an abandoned storage room or go to the grandmother’s house. Turning over the mountains of junk, you may well become the owner of an old coffee grinder, an elegant store made with the hands of a famous furniture maker, or a dorogic antique service, so do not be afraid to get messed up. In general, in this particular retro-decor, old engravings, yellowed photographs, pretty tin boxes, in which once stored candy cans and other small things reminiscent of the past times can find their place.
3. Choosing the details and thinking over the accents that you are going to fill the kitchen in a retro style, try not to be deliberate in them. Things must certainly create an atmosphere of comfort and cause only positive and vivid emotions. If the family bins did not find anything like this, you will have to look for such “trivia” in flea markets or commission stores. Often there you can “dig out” the real treasures.
4. The charm of retro style can be supported not only by authentic and old things. Much more interesting will be the interior with a touch of antiquity, a subtle hint of a room with a history that can be created with small but incredibly expressive details. You can get ideas for this by looking at retro films. They are hidden a whole storehouse of retro chips. Many interesting things can be found in printed publications or on the Internet.

good bright lighting – a prerequisite for creating an interior kitchen in retro style

Conclusion

Retro styles are pretty eclectic. They take in their interior “alien” elements, so do not be afraid to experiment. Try to feel the colorfulness of those days that have long since sunk in the summer, and your kitchen in retro style will turn out to be simply unique.

Photogallery – kitchens in retro style:

Author: Daria Degtyareva