No matter how modern or trendy a house is, a touch of vintage decor can add an unmatchable charm to its beauty. There is a grace in those funky colors paired with open shelves and old books that is bound to attract everyone. Whether you are decorating your living room or your bedroom, adding a couple of vintage items in the mix can really do the trick.
But when it comes to kitchens, there is no shortage of vintage designs. Twentieth-century diners, palaces and bars are the ideal places to get inspiration from for your kitchen. The best thing about the vintage look is that you can manage to pull it off on a low budget too. You can easily find little decoration pieces and old lamps in a thrift store.
But every vintage design is unique on its own; you have to find the one that goes perfectly with your requirement and taste to get the ideal vintage kitchen. Here are the top five vintage kitchen designs for you to choose from:
Retro Diner Kitchen
Remember those diners you see in old movies with colorful walls and framed posters on the wall? Well, you can’t get more vintage than that. Now how can you recreate that retro style for your kitchen? Pretty easily. Paint your kitchen walls in funky colors like red and yellow or a combination of both. You can buy retro appliances for your vintage kitchen and get one of those ceiling wine glasses rack (or DIY one yourself).
Hang some framed posters of 80s and 90s classic movies on the kitchen walls after all that’s one thing you can’t imagine a diner without. Retro lights for your kitchen and neon letter signs would be a great idea to give the perfect finish to this retro diner look.
Open Cabinets Kitchen
Sure, closed cabinets have a lot of advantages and you can think of ideas on how to repaint them in whichever color you want to go with your kitchen’s theme, but if you are aiming for the vintage look, then you have to choose open cabinets. Open cabinets put your pottery on display and give you the chance to show off your vintage tea cups, jars and plates. You start off this kitchen with exposed bricks and white paint on top of them. Filling your kitchen with white wood furniture will enhance its uniqueness.
Open cabinets should not only be used for pottery, but they are also your chance to put everything on display that will look good to the eyes. Place plants, vases and decoration pieces on the cabinets along with your vintage tea cups and saucers. Beige or off-white cabinets will look gorgeous in this kitchen and will complement the walls perfectly. Add a vintage rug on the kitchen floor to complete this retro kitchen look.
Vintage Farmhouse Kitchen
Farmhouse kitchens never went out of fashion. They are as desirable today as they were in the past. A farmhouse sink is a must-have, but it will not turn an ordinary kitchen into a farmhouse kitchen singlehandedly. The perfect way to add that farmhouse feel to your kitchen is by adding an apron rack in it. Add some cute aprons on the rack so you can pick one up quickly when you get in the baking mood. Pot racks and mason jars are some other useful things that will add some style.
Get a vintage clock and some antique furniture (including a few stools) for your kitchen to give it that farmhouse flair. You can put any kitchen appliance on the counter such as a toaster oven. To make your farmhouse kitchen stand out, you can create an accent wall with wood, but this is only possible if you have a spacious kitchen.
You don’t have to worry though, with the right things, your small kitchen can look just as beautiful. Hang a butcher knives set above the countertop and place some wooden cutting boards near it to enhance the farmhouse aesthetic.
Pastel Kitchen with Vintage Glass Tiles
Pastel has a warm and unique feel that it makes everyone nostalgic. It reminds you of simpler times. That’s why when you step into a room with pastel decor, it feels like you traveled back in time. Pastel kitchens may have been a big thing in the past but they are still very much in fashion and can truly transform the look of your kitchen. When it comes to pastel kitchen, it works best when you use it in combination with white.
Light green and white are one of the best colors to choose when you are going for the pastel kitchen look. You may still remember those light green refrigerators from the past. Well, you can easily find them today too. Cover the walls with vintage glass tiles of light green color and whitewash the rest of the walls. Whitewash automatically gives an ‘old times’ feel to your walls.
Repeat the white and green contrast throughout the kitchen with decoration pieces, shelves and crockery to create beautiful imagery. If you have a huge kitchen then you can get cabinets installed in your kitchen and paint them with light green paint to match the overall pastel look. You can even completely renovate your kitchen if you really like vintage kitchens.
Small Vintage Kitchen
Most of the vintage ideas sound like they are for huge rooms and kitchens. Although that is not true, there are a few ways your small kitchen can limit your options. But smaller kitchens are easy to design and easier to organize. Start with painting the walls with creamy white paint and whitewashing plywood floors. Not only will this floor cost less but also look more stylish.
Use track lighting to light up your kitchen. The track lighting and creamy white paint will make your small kitchen look expansive. Set up multiple open cabinets and shelves and fill them with pottery and green plants. Find a vintage table to go in the middle of your kitchen and decorate it with a vase and some dishes along with fresh vegetables or bread (depending on what is on the menu today!).
Although these designs are great, you don’t have to follow by the rules. You can mix and match vintage items and ideas from different designs and create your unique kitchen. Whichever style you choose, don’t forget to add your personal touch because that is what will be novel about your kitchen.