50s Kitchen Textiles

1950s Kitchens

• The 1950s were all about ease. Textiles from this period were likely to be washable and easy care. Popular fabrics for these textiles in the post-World War II period were bark cloth, poplin, chintz and cotton. These would have coordinated with the modern, sleek design of kitchens in this period, a change from the more traditional kitchens of the prior decade.

1950s Colors

• The '50s were all about bright, vivid colors in surprising combinations. Favorites were aqua, yellow, pink and turquoise. Very early '50s textiles featured colors that had been popular in the '40s, such as red, navy, brighter yellow and green as well. As the decade turned toward what we now call mid-century modern design, the colors became softer and more sophisticated.

Motifs

• During the 1950s, America was in a good mood. World War II was over and the baby boom was in full swing. The kitchen textiles of the time reflect this mood. Often cocktail napkins were printed with cheeky sayings or pin-up girls. Everyday kitchen textiles featured prints such as animals and kitchen necessities like coffee or tea pots. Atomic prints, like star bursts or futuristic patterns, were popular as well.

Types of Textiles

• In a 1950s kitchen, textiles included table cloths, place mats, napkins, curtains and towels. The homemaker also had a few aprons stashed away to keep her clothes clean while she worked. As the decade moved forward, colors merged from the brighter hues of the 1940s to the pastel shades of the atomic age, and kitchen textiles came along for the ride. The 1950s housewife wanted her kitchen to coordinate, so she probably purchased her kitchen textiles in sets.