5 Simple Steps to a Retro Kitchen Look

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Always dreamt of having a quirky retro kitchen, but never been exactly sure of where to start? Check out these five top tips for giving your kitchen a nostalgic revamp, in connection with Age Co’s #BritishHomesReimagined campaign.

From traditional, rustic themes to contemporary minimalist style, we all want our kitchens to look the part. As the years go by, however, what’s hot and what’s not is constantly changing, with some interior fashions sticking around for years and others never really taking off at all.

The latest trends aren’t the only thing that have an impact on our chosen kitchen design, either. Economic, social and cultural factors also impact on how we might want our dream kitchen to look like and what kinds of features we’d like it to have.

To celebrate how our homes and kitchens have changed throughout the years, Age Co have re-created three of Britain’s most famous TV homes to show us what they might’ve looked like in past eras. Some of the most iconic homes to feature include Gavin and Stacey’s living room, The Great British Bake Off kitchen and a typical Emmerdale dining room. Visit the Age Co website to see all the designs and take a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane. Which one’s your favourite? I’m a big Gavin and Stacey fan, so it’s pretty cool to see how their lounge might’ve looked back in 1940s wartime Britain.

As part of this campaign, Age Co have asked me to share my advice on how to add a nostalgic touch to your kitchen. So, if you’ve always dreamt of taking your kitchen back to the ’50s, go and brew yourself a hot cup of tea, get cosy and read on.

How to achieve a retro kitchen look

Opt for a soft pastel colour scheme

While kitchens of the ’40s tended to focus on solid, harsh colours, during the 1950s, designers began introducing colour to their palettes in the form of soft pastel shades like pale pink, lemon yellow and sky blue. Sometimes, a kitchen might be themed in one colour, whereas other styles might incorporate a variety of different colours.

To recreate this effect in your very own retro kitchen, you could either choose to tile your kitchen in your preferred pastel colour, splash out on candy-coloured cabinets or, if you’re not feeling ready to make such a bold change just yet, simply add some pretty pastel accessories or small appliances to your kitchen.

Consider buying retro kitchen appliances

Another great way to achieve that retro kitchen look is to hunt down some old kitchen appliances, potentially from a flea market or antique centre. As you’ll be buying second-hand, you’ll probably pay considerably less than you would for brand new models (although you may find some exceptions to this rule).

Just make sure you won’t be disadvantaging yourself by purchasing an out-dated item; listening to music on an old Roberts Revival radio will far more practical than cooking in a 70-year-old oven, for example.

Hunt down retro furniture

While you’re out and about shopping for retro kitchen appliances, it pays to keep your eyes open for any funky old furniture that might look the part. If you plan on dining in your kitchen, you could keep your eyes peeled for an old 1950s-style kitchen diner, a breakfast bar or a kitchen island.

If you’re looking to buy retro furniture, pay a visit to your local antique centre or flea market.

Accessories with retro kitchen prints

Once you’ve given the walls a fresh lick of paint or a new set of tiles, hang up a few nostalgic prints to complete your new retro kitchen look.

You could opt for some old 1950s adverts for nostalgic British brands like Bovril, Cadbury’s or Kellogg’s, for example. Alternatively, you could opt for some quirky pop art or abstract expressionism designs.

Install a serving hatch or kitchen pass

I’ve saved the biggest step until last and I don’t advise you to go down this route unless you’re completely committed to giving your kitchen a retro makeover. If you’re serious about taking your kitchen back to the ’50’s, however, a serving hatch would be the ideal way to achieve this.

Serving hatches were a common feature of 1950s kitchens, enabling home cooks to simply pass cooked food straight from the kitchen through to the dining room via a ‘hatch’ in the wall, rather than having to carry it into the room on foot. If you’re serious about your dream retro kitchen, this could be the finishing touch you need!

What are your thoughts on the retro interior design trend? Would you ever consider taking a room of your house back to your favourite era? Comment below to let me know your thoughts.

Don’t forget to PIN this post using the images below – that way, you won’t have to go searching for it once you’re ready to start kitting out your kitchen!

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