Brands & Styles of Early Kitchen Cabinets

Hoosie

• A "hoosie" or "hoosier" is an early name for a kitchen or multitasking cabinet. The name comes from the manufacturer of one of the first kitchen cabinets, Hoosier Manufacturing Co. The hoosie provided both storage and cooking space. Unlike modern-day kitchen cabinets, it had a counter offering space for cutting and other food preparation. Above and below the counter top, hoosies had had ample storage space for cooking gadgets and food, similar to modern-day cabinets. A hoosie was more like a miniature kitchen than just a cabinet.

Separate Pieces

• Many early kitchen cabinets were not built-in or attached to the wall as they are in modern homes. Instead, the cabinets were separate furniture pieces, similar to China cabinets. The pieces came in a variety of sizes and were mostly handcarved from wood. They could be moved from one wall to another or attached permanently with nails or screws. Some cabinets were also custom built to match a specific kitchen's size and layout.

Style

• In their early centuries, kitchen cabinets typically had one of two styles. Colonial or early American cabinets were often painted white and made of wood. These cabinets inspire country- or cottage-style kitchens today. Old world cabinets came in a dark, earthy brown. These cabinets were made of dark wood, matching the hardwood floors most kitchens had at the time. Old world cabinets inspire much of the dark wood decor in modern kitchens today. Both colonial and old world cabinets usually had ornate carvings and details throughout the cabinetry. Many also had glass built into the cabinet doors to see inside.

Brands

• Many cabinets from the 1600s through the 1800s were handmade by individual carpenters, so you won't find actual brands of cabinets from this era. Brand names began to emerge as larger furniture manufacturers were founded in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some of these brands, including Hoosier Manufacturing, remain popular among antique collectors.