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Midcentury Kitchen Ideas and Designs

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Mid Century MOD Austin Remodel
Mid Century MOD Austin Remodel
Becca Stephens InteriorsBecca Stephens Interiors
Molly Winters Photography
Photo of a medium sized retro single-wall kitchen/diner in Austin with a belfast sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, glass tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic flooring and an island.
Private Residence - South East 1
Private Residence - South East 1
Artisans of DevizesArtisans of Devizes
Chequerboard Mallory & Tora Blue limestone floor in a tumbled finish from Artisans of Devizes.
Inspiration for a midcentury kitchen in Wiltshire with limestone flooring.
Sonia TocToc Vintage
Sonia TocToc Vintage
Jordi FolchJordi Folch
Jordi Folch. ©Houzz España 2017
Photo of a medium sized retro l-shaped open plan kitchen in Barcelona with a built-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, green splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic flooring and no island.
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Retro Kitchen Remodel
Retro Kitchen Remodel
Margie Grace - Grace Design AssociatesMargie Grace - Grace Design Associates
Sunny Yellow Retro Kitchen remodel. We Designed and laid the floors ourselves!
Medium sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Santa Barbara with white cabinets, laminate countertops, white appliances, shaker cabinets, lino flooring, a double-bowl sink, an island, multi-coloured floors and white worktops.
Birch Plywood and Laminate Kitchen in 1930's Remodelled House
Birch Plywood and Laminate Kitchen in 1930's Remodelled House
BirkwoodBirkwood
David Brown Photography
Design ideas for a medium sized retro u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, light wood cabinets, wood worktops, green splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, a breakfast bar, beige floors and beige worktops.
Retro Revival
Retro Revival
SGDI - Sarah Gallop Design Inc.SGDI - Sarah Gallop Design Inc.
Ema Peter Photography http://www.emapeter.com/ Constructed by Best Builders. http://www.houzz.com/pro/bestbuildersca/ www.bestbuilders.ca
Shack Attack
Shack Attack
Sarah Phipps DesignSarah Phipps Design
Design ideas for a retro enclosed kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, metro tiled splashback, an integrated sink, stainless steel worktops, white appliances, green cabinets and white splashback.
Houzz Tour | Svante Öquist
Houzz Tour | Svante Öquist
Nadja Endler | PhotographyNadja Endler | Photography
Nadja Endler © Houzz 2017
Design ideas for a small midcentury kitchen in Stockholm with orange splashback.
Spartan Imperial Mansion Renovation
Spartan Imperial Mansion Renovation
SKP DesignSKP Design
SKP Design has completed a frame up renovation of a 1956 Spartan Imperial Mansion. We combined historic elements, modern elements and industrial touches to reimagine this vintage camper which is now the showroom for our new line of business called Ready To Roll. http://www.skpdesign.com/spartan-imperial-mansion You'll see a spectrum of materials, from high end Lumicor translucent door panels to curtains from Walmart. We invested in commercial LVT wood plank flooring which needs to perform and last 20+ years but saved on decor items that we might want to change in a few years. Other materials include a corrugated galvanized ceiling, stained wall paneling, and a contemporary spacious IKEA kitchen. Vintage finds include an orange chenille bedspread from the Netherlands, an antique typewriter cart from Katydid's in South Haven, a 1950's Westinghouse refrigerator and the original Spartan serial number tag displayed on the wall inside. Photography: Casey Spring
Mid-Century Modern Home
Mid-Century Modern Home
Craftsman Design and RenovationCraftsman Design and Renovation
Photos: Eckert & Eckert Photography
Design ideas for a medium sized retro u-shaped enclosed kitchen in Portland with mosaic tiled splashback, a built-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, laminate countertops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, carpet and no island.
West Seattle MCM Rambler
West Seattle MCM Rambler
Leah Davidson at Windermere Real Estate MidtownLeah Davidson at Windermere Real Estate Midtown
christophe servieres Shot2Sell
Photo of a retro kitchen/diner in Seattle with laminate floors, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, a breakfast bar and beige floors.
Eclectic Kitchen
Eclectic Kitchen
Design ideas for a midcentury kitchen in Philadelphia with coloured appliances, concrete worktops, shaker cabinets and white cabinets.
Dallas, TX: Stolp
Dallas, TX: Stolp
Sarah GreenmanSarah Greenman
Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for a midcentury kitchen/diner in Dallas with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, multi-coloured splashback and mosaic tiled splashback.
Live Oak #2
Live Oak #2
Brodie BuildersBrodie Builders
This is an example of a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Austin with coloured appliances, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets and yellow splashback.
Interior
Interior
MaimouselleMaimouselle
Maimouselle / Katarina Dahlström
This is an example of a retro l-shaped kitchen/diner in Copenhagen with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances and no island.
Coach House
Coach House
Modernarc LimitedModernarc Limited
Inspiration for a medium sized midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood flooring and brown floors.
Private Residence - South East 1
Private Residence - South East 1
Artisans of DevizesArtisans of Devizes
Chequerboard Mallory & Tora Blue limestone floor in a tumbled finish from Artisans of Devizes.
Photo of a midcentury kitchen in Wiltshire with limestone flooring.
Low Key Luxe at Hollingbourne Road
Low Key Luxe at Hollingbourne Road
Stealth designStealth design
Design by Stealth Design Photography by Rachael Smith
Photo of a medium sized retro kitchen in London with painted wood flooring and black floors.
Dallas, TX: Stolp
Dallas, TX: Stolp
Sarah GreenmanSarah Greenman
Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Retro kitchen in Dallas.

Midcentury Kitchen Ideas and Designs

Want to discover beautiful midcentury kitchen ideas to inspire your new kitchen design? You’ve come to the right place. You can discover millions of midcentury kitchen designs and ideas; from kitchen islands and storage units, to all sorts of kitchen lighting ideas, such as pendant lighting or under cabinet lighting. Whether you want inspiration for all-in-one fitted kitchen designs, some small kitchen ideas or maybe just some tips for improving your kitchen decor, there are tons of retro photos to inspire you for your next kitchen project on Houzz.

What kind of midcentury kitchen design should I go for?

With so many kitchen ideas and photos to look at you might be a bit overwhelmed when it comes to picking your own retro kitchen design. If you are updating your kitchen you know what a big and important decision it is to get the design right – the kitchen can be the hub and heart of the home, and it’s unlikely that you would invest in renovating your kitchen again in a few years. But fear not, focusing first on the important elements like layout, cabinet style, worktops and appliances will help you to bring together your dream kitchen design. Additional elements like kitchen lighting, cupboard storage and decor can come after in the kitchen planning process. A kitchen designer or fitter can help you to decide the layout of your midcentury kitchen in terms of where to place your kitchen units, appliances and island (if you’re having one), but if you prefer to handle this yourself you can focus on where you want your key elements of your kitchen to be – the oven, hob, sink and fridge. Of course you might be constricted by space, but try to envisage the easiest and most efficient layout based on how you usually like to cook and prepare your food. If you’re fed up of always having to carry dirty pans and pots across the room to the sink, place the sink closer to your oven and hob. Once you have the core elements sorted, consider extra layout considerations, such as where your bins will be stored, where the cutlery draw should be and where small midcentury kitchen appliances can be installed.

Should I include a kitchen island?

Kitchen island ideas are abundant these days; it seems most kitchen designs include a kitchen island, if not multiple islands. However, if the layout doesn’t work, especially if you have a small kitchen, then there’s no necessity to add in a kitchen island. You can add a breakfast bar or counter to your existing kitchen units, or stick with a good old-fashioned dining table if you don’t need the extra work surfaces. That said, if you do have the room, take a look at some retro kitchen island ideas to see if the designs inspire you for your kitchen. There are a huge variety of island designs to cater to different needs – you can have sinks, ovens, hobs, wine storage and all sorts of drawers and organisers built-in, you can have separate bars and counters that extend from your island, or you could go for a kitchen island on wheels to make your kitchen layout more versatile.

How do I choose my kitchen units and cabinets?

When picking out kitchen units and cupboard styles for a fitted kitchen, you’ll first want to consider the more practical questions – how many units do you need? How many cupboards and drawers do you need? Do you need extra kitchen storage built into your units? It’s always best to overestimate how much kitchen storage you’ll need as we all tend to have a habit of filling up whatever current space we have to the maximum. Next you can consider kitchen cabinet style and colour. Shaker style cabinets and raised and recessed panel cabinets offer a more traditional kitchen cabinet look, while flat panel cabinet doors tend to lend more to the modern and contemporary style. However, going for raised or recessed panel work in a striking colour such as dark blue, green or black can still work with contemporary kitchen ideas. White kitchens can give a sleek and clean feel, but remember you may have to do a bit more cleaning of those cupboard doors if you want everything to stay shiny and fresh. Of course, grey kitchens are the neutral colour choice du jour and can be paired with pale and rich shades alike if you want your fitted kitchen cupboards to contrast with your worktop, splashback, floor, or all of the above. Exposed shelving and storage is also popular for eclectic, Scandi and industrial-inspired looks, so you could opt for glass-fronted cabinets or no wall-mounted cabinets at all. Remember that this will require more restraint in what you can store and more effort in keeping it looking presentable compared to what is stored away hastily behind cupboard doors. The kitchen cupboard handles are also another element to decide upon – do you want traditional round knobs, modern metal bars, country kitchen cup handles or maybe to go ultra sleek with a completely handleless kitchen?

What midcentury kitchen storage ideas should I consider?

If you want to keep your retro kitchen well-stocked and well-equipped but don’t want it spilling over with clutter, then you’ll need to rely on good kitchen storage. Apart from the usual fitted kitchen cupboards and drawer space, there are many other ways of keeping your kitchen tidy. Whilst a large kitchen pantry is the dream of most homeowners, it can’t always be a reality. However, there are now lots of pull out compartments and drawers with trays and shelving that can act as mini kitchen pantries, and you can install handy cupboard organisers that fit onto the inside of the door to make the most of your cupboard space. You can also look at corner drawers and cupboards that open up to reveal lots of extra storage. Rails or small shelves along your kitchen walls or splashback can help with hanging utensils or pans, or storing small items like herbs and spices in an usually empty space. Buy extra kitchen storage products for your home on Houzz

Are there small kitchen ideas for small midcentury spaces?

If you’re working with a galley kitchen, a one-wall kitchen in an open plan space or just a pretty small kitchen, there are some small kitchen ideas that can help you get the most out of your cooking and dining area. If you find that you don’t utilise the back of your cupboards (maybe they become the graveyard for out-of-date tin cans), you could decide to go with shallower kitchen units to free up some extra floor space in front of your cabinets. As mentioned, open shelving or glass-fronted cabinets are a popular trend and they should make the space feel more open and less boxed-in. However, if you have the capacity for it, cupboards and retro kitchen units that maximise the floor-to-ceiling space you have will mean you can use all of that for valuable kitchen storage. Wall or ceiling racks could be a useful solution for hanging pans and pots if you’ve run out of cupboards in which to store them. Kitchen ideas and 1950s style accessories such as baskets, trolleys and storage jars are both aesthetically pleasing and practical as they give you extra storage space. Kitchen appliances like a fridge or dishwasher can be tucked away in built-in units in fitted kitchens so they blend into your layout and don’t make the space look crowded. Discover all the small kitchen ideas you could need by taking a look at photos of compact kitchens.

What sort of midcentury kitchen lighting should I go for?

In the kitchen you need to have practical lighting – no one wants to chop, cut and cook in a dingy room. Kitchen ceiling lights are probably the best way to go, but should you opt for recessed spotlights or traditional hanging ceiling lights? While spotlight LED kitchen lighting will give you excellent light, they may not fit with a design that’s not contemporary. Traditional chandelier lights could work for other kitchen styles, and of course, kitchen pendant lighting comes in all sorts of styles, colours and designs. While the popular choice is to go with one or two pendant lights over your kitchen island, you could also opt for a single pendant light over your dining space, or a few spaced out across your kitchen. Of course, if you want good lighting for your worktops, under-cabinet lighting is the way forward. Speak to your kitchen supplier about having this pre-installed, or there are a number of easy-install options you can fit yourself or with the help of a lighting expert or electrician. In the market for your retro kitchen lighting today? Once you’ve found some inspiring kitchen lighting ideas here, take a look at our kitchen lighting products to find the new lights for your kitchen project.

Check out these popular kitchen pages below:

Die Fliesen aus den 70igern sind wieder ganz up to date
Die Fliesen aus den 70igern sind wieder ganz up to date
raumkonzepteraumkonzepte
Foto: Claudia Vallentin
Medium sized retro galley enclosed kitchen in Berlin with white cabinets, black floors, black worktops, flat-panel cabinets, green splashback, ceramic splashback, no island and lino flooring.
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