5 Things Every Retro Kitchen Should Have

by Bonnie in Comment — Updated August 26, 2023

When it comes to retro kitchens, there are tons of fun details to consider. You can take this theme to the limit, and turn your cooking environment into a space that feels just like a fifties diner. Or, use just a few bare essentials, and still evoke that old timey feel. Whether you take it to the max, or just stick with a few details, there are a few must-have items to put on display if you want to pull off this interior design theme. 

1. Old Fashioned Mixer

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Source: meshwithus.co

One of the most charming things about retro kitchens is that they’re designed to prepare the foods that people enjoyed in years gone by. Think big, chewy brownies, fluffy pancakes, and homemade bread. While a modern kitchen might feature a shiny new machine to dehydrate apples, a retro kitchen should have an old fashioned mixer on display. Time to bake!

2. Two-slice toaster

This is a must — and you get extra points if it’s big and clunky! Nowadays appliances often come in stainless steel, black or white, but old-school toasters come in all kinds of fun colors.

3. Food Canisters

These are essential because remember — you’re going to be pulling out recipe books from decades ago, and cooking and baking from scratch. In the old days, kitchens often had the basic dry goods stored in canisters.

4. The Right Color Scheme

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Your retro kitchen should have a unified color scheme. Bold, solid red and sea foam green might do the trick! Whatever you choose, stick to it as you add.

5. Old-school Timer

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Even if you don’t necessarily need an old fashioned timer (most everyone has cellphone timers these days!), this is an item you should definitely add to your retro kitchen. Sure, it might just turn into a decoration piece, but there’s also a chance you could get hooked on the satisfying ‘ding!’ sound. 

How many of these outdated but amazing vintage kitchen items do you have? Leave a comment below! 

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