50's Kitchen Decorating Styles

Design Concepts

• Kitchen decorating styles of the '50s concentrated on efficiency and convenience. Instead of traditional kitchen dinette sets, many kitchens had multiple use bars that had cutting boards and small appliance outlets on one side and space on the opposite side for people to sit on stools and eat. The first countertop stove tops were introduced, along with built-in ovens, eliminating the need for a freestanding range. Washers and dryers were often included in the kitchen plans and hidden behind folding doors. Countertops made from man-made materials that easily wiped clean were introduced and colorful and durable square tiles replaced sheets of linoleum as the top kitchen flooring choice.

Organizational Advances

• Prior to the 1950s, kitchen cabinets were built with little concern for practicality. In the '50s, more consideration was given to storage areas and there were cabinets built for specific needs such as housing large pots and pans and dinnerware. Hooks for coffee cups were part of cabinet designs and drawer depths were varied to accommodate silverware as well as large cooking utensils and kitchen linens.

Colors and Textures

• Turquoise, salmon, moss green and copper tones were prevalent in many kitchen designs, replacing the wood and white color schemes of the previous decades. Furniture and accessories had bamboo, burlap and wicker accents that reflected international influences and mixing bright colors with earth tones was commonplace.

Cabinets

• Sleekly designed plastic and metal kitchen cabinets replaced traditional wood designs. Cabinets had geometric handles and knobs and were available in bright and pastel colors. The new designs included lazy susans and had pull-out shelves inside for easy access to dishes and dry goods. Shelves were easy to remove and clean. Formica countertops were easy to maintain and their speckled surfaces hid nicks and scratches.

Kitchenware

• Melmac dinnerware was all the rage in the '50s, replacing fragile china and porcelain dishes with brightly patterned, hard plastic, unbreakable plates, bowls and cups. Tupperware revolutionized food storage with lidded containers that fit snugly enough to keep out air and made foods last longer.

Appliances

• Before the 1950s, residential refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers were only available in white. The '50s appliance manufacturers started making their products in colors and homemakers rushed to purchase appliances, usually matching, in colors such as copper, moss green and gold. Small kitchen appliances such as blenders gained acceptance and electric percolator coffee pots and pop-up toasters became common in many kitchens.