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Design Dilemma: The Modern Retro Kitchen

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Yes, sleek and modern is nice, but there’s something particularly special about a retro, vintage kitchen. To our mind, the perfect retro kitchen is one that references the traditional and the vintage, without reproducing too rigorously the era from which it is drawn. One of our favorite examples is the kitchen above, which has the feel of an old farmhouse kitchen. Complete with the farmhouse sink, butcher block countertops, utilitarian subway tile, vintage stove and aluminum industrial lights, the kitchen definitely has a timeless, country air. And yet, there’s a feeling of modernity resulting from the modern stainless steel refrigerator, the ethereal gray wall color choice and the white oak floors.

Below, another modern retro kitchen boasts a 50s aesthetic while still feeling very contemporary:

Above, it’s the bright red stove, the black and white linoleum and the cabinet pulls that feel a little bit vintage. On the other hand, the stove is actually a very modern one with a slightly retro look. The small appliances have a retro look but are clearly modern. The result is that this kitchen feels a bit 50s without straying into kitsch territory.

What if your personal vibe leans more toward the 60s than the 50s? Below is a kitchen that references the 60s — Eames style chairs, the vivid yellow acrylic light, the bright laminate countertop. But it still feels contemporary, partially because the cabinetry and appliances are contemporary in style.

Below, find another modern retro kitchen. The mint green cabinets and retro-style refrigerator suggest the 50s, along with the bead-board ceilings. And yet the door pulls, the appliances, the lighting, suggests nothing else but modern.

Here are some more views:

And this:

And this:

So what are the secrets of achieving a retro feel while keeping things fresh and modern?

• Consider white subway tile. It’s a classic that still boasts a clean feel that will never go out of style.

• Don’t feel that all your appliances have to be “retro.” You can opt for one retro “statement” piece — perhaps a refrigerator, as in the kitchen above, or perhaps a stove, as in the first kitchen in this post. Going for all retro appliances may pull your kitchen into the “too cute” territory.

• Consider opting for period colors, without opting for a period style. The pale pastel green of the kitchen above certainly suggests the 50s, but the clean lines of the cabinetry and countertops are utterly contemporary. Melding the two creates a freshness that would not have been possible if the owners had chosen retro everything.

• Let your lighting do the talking. Sometimes, all it really takes to create a period feel is investing in statement lighting figures. The industrial pendants in the first picture speak to old farmhouses and lighting fixtures of the early 20th century. The acrylic light in the third photo definitely says “mid-century modern.”