Explore the history and enduring charm of kitchen pass-through windows, a design trend that transformed home layouts from the 1950s to today.
Dining rooms
Revive Edwardian elegance with these 1910s home decor tips provided by a design expert from the era.
The white brick fireplace effectively divided the living room from the dining room without obstructing the flow of traffic. It was massive, but the overall spaciousness of the combined areas kept it in scale with the rest of the house.
This minimalist dining room’s furniture was designed by mid-century modern architect T H Robsjohn-Gibbings, one of the major influencers of the contemporary era.
A contemporary overscaled paisley pattern splashed with lotus blossoms was a vital part of this 1960s home’s colorfully eclectic dining room decor.
In this room from the mid-1950s, a striking harlequin pattern wallpaper, as dramatic as gift wrapping, lined one side of a small dining room.
When decorating this spectacularly pink living room back in 1969, the interior designers said that one of the most effective and most versatile was to apply color in the form of a pattern.
The freshness of growing plants and striped shades on this peppermint-striped sun porch created a relaxing view from a simple but formal dining room.
This dining room had contemporary decor with old Persian style, as it was decorated in a vintage Arabesque design in reds, browns, oranges and yellows, spiked with blue.
When the occasion called for elegance, this formal 1970s dining room was all set, with a combination of mod seventies style and traditional finishes and accessories.
In this dramatic vintage 1930s dining room , the eyecatching starburst stripes of the silver and black linoleum flooring led outward, while the hint of a garden outside the window led still outward to more open space.
Instead of a separate dining room, this late 60s home in Northern California had a classically-styled yellow dining area that was part of a large open-plan living space.
A simple decorative feature – a dining room’s mirrored wall – didn’t just add luster and elegance, but also helped fool the eye to make it look like a smaller space was really a lot larger.
Inside this old New Orleans home, five transoms made this dining room’s arched wood bay windows uniquely beautiful.
With a wall of windows to take maximum advantage of attractive gardens and vistas, this open-plan living room-dining area from the mid-50s had a casual family-friendly atmosphere.
Looking back from five decades later, the components of this mod green & white dining room seemed almost like were from a fabulously 1970s decor starter pack.
This dining room from the early 1950s, skipped the traditional decor, and instead had low furniture that kept everyone grounded.
Pastel colors, painted, gilded and polished surfaces combined to create this graceful French-inspired dining room that had such classic style, it may be surprising to learn that it was decorated in 1970.
Throughout this high-end 1960s home, antiques and modern furniture were paired with confidence, as exemplified by this luxe vintage dining room decor.
The removal of a wall between kitchen & dining room made all the difference in this home from 1956, creating a more open plan area that was filled with reds, greys and earthy tones.
Take a look back at this retro cute country-style dining room style that was a blend of textures, patterns, colors and time periods.
The unique combination of purple grape and mountain blue used in this in this midcentury modern dining room decor created an atmosphere that was gentle on the eye, but still unique enough to draw positive attention.
The demure pattern and glorious colors of a radiant floral antique stencil design decorated the floor of a pre-Revolutionary house in Williamsburg were transplanted in this New England dining room.
This mid century modern dinette set was from around the time when mod design became widely available with a range of colors and shapes, and was much more affordable than before.
Vintage Williamsburg Restoration furnishings were used to decorate this modern semicircular dining room in a two-story-high space.
By using a colorful antique rug below a dado rail, the homeowners added so much decorative flair to this space – texture, pattern, color – and it definitely became a conversation piece.
This vibrantly colored dining room from the sixties was arranged into a diamond shape by an unusual screen made of linked aluminum strips.
Two vintage bamboo screens worked together to create a feature wall for this 1960s dining room – and in the process, covered up a window with no view to speak of.
In this radiant 1960s yellow dining room, the largest areas of color fell in two unexpected places to create a flood of sunshine distilled by two different versions of the color, Goldfinch and Lemon Peel.
A room like this midcentury dining room, where you could eat in casual connection with the outdoors, underlined the biggest advantages of the relaxed suburban 1950s lifestyle.
In this elegant 1950s dining room, a classical antique style is used throughout — with just a few touches of more typical fifties flair.
Chairs lacquered in silver, floors with a shiny silver wash, and crystalline glints of glass accentuated this lively dark green dining room from the early 70s.
A wall of books in this retro dining room library created a warm mood. But what was even more eye-catching than the books? The blue and white canopy hung over the table.
French countryside furnishings, gleaming copper pots, and exposed stained beams on the emerald green ceiling all contribute to the friendly feeling of this rustic retro kitchen from the 60s.
Have a peek inside one of the private dining rooms at the Cosmopolitan Club in New York City, as seen back in the 1930s.
This charming 1940s dining room owed much of its smartness and originality to the dramatic floor in a Chinese fret design, with a center section of black Marbelle.
This deep blue dining room decor, with its navy blue walls, blue ceramic tile floor and shiny round royal blue table, had an effect that was somehow both dramatic and calming.
The soaring height of this tall mid century dining room brought light and air to both the main floor as well as to the upper level.
In this gorgeous country-style dining room, the trestle table and ladderback chairs perfectly enhanced the charm of this mullioned window, and took advantage of a beautiful garden view.
The walls of a 1950s buffet/bar area were finished with flat walnut paneling. Here’s how the designers created this dining area’s real midcentury modern look!
A thick shag area rug sparked the spring-summer mood of the entire green dining nook, creating the kind of fabulously retro room you don’t see much today.
Beautiful wood ceilings, cabinetry and trim – all with the natural grain shining through – helped define the color scheme and midcentury feel of this 1950s dining area.
This colorful 1960s dining room for two took its inspiration from the brilliant shades woven into the wavy striped area rug.
Porch dining – well, almost! A cheerful wallpaper mural gave this eating area off the kitchen an outdoor feeling, and the charm of a Parisian sidewalk cafe.
With the help of a daring, creative design team – and using nothing but fabric, paint, wallpaper, and pizazz – this dull old space was transformed into a comfy & colorful dining room.
In the early 1970s, an architect designed this dining room for a serene and luxurious city apartment, transforming the original rectangular shape with curving walls.
When the sun was shining and glimmering off the beaded glass curtains in this arched window, it almost looked like the entrance to a magical place.
