Take a look back at futuristic inventions imagined in the 1950s and ’60s–some came true, others didn’t, and a few are still on the drawing board.
appliances
Discover vintage kitchen design ideas from the 1940s to 1980s that blended style and creativity — and see why some old trends might deserve a comeback.
Explore the vintage pink kitchen trend of the 1950s, from pastel cabinets to pink appliances. See what made this retro style such a mid-century favorite.
Dishwasher history starts with Josephine Cochrane, who invented the first automatic model in the 1880s. Her creation changed kitchens forever.
See what was cookin’ in home design decades ago by checking out these kitchen islands from the 60s! They combined form, function, and fun, too.
These beautiful antique kitchen ranges from the 1920s & 30s were huge and heavy. See vintage ads and photos that showcase these unique appliances!
Colorful retro 60s kitchens, when it was an exciting new trend in appliances – an idea that’s been growing ever since the first tame departure from clinical white to pale pastels and subdued browns.
This new, revolutionary wall-mounted refrigerator and freezer that hangs from the wall is a completely new and advanced concept of modern living. Truly, it is the most convenient and magnificent refrigerator-freezer ever produced!
Back in the 1950s and 60s, the American Dream could be had – affordably and in style – if people wanted to buy mobile homes (trailers). Here’s a look at dozens of homes and parks!
If you’re buying a 1950s house, already live in one, or want to see how new suburban homes were designed back in the ‘Leave it to Beaver’ era, see some fantastic ’50s house plans here!
Before the advent of modern refrigeration, there was the charming, wooden icebox in the corner of the kitchen – the epicenter of cold storage from the mid-19th to early 20th century.
These retro refrigerators were a dream come true for homemakers. Take a look back at these old-fashioned kitchens and their cool appliances!
These retro laundry rooms have decor so fresh they could influence the modern versions! Take a look back at these washer and dryer areas from yesteryear.
Here are a couple dozen 1960s gadgets and small appliances – bun warmers to coffee pots, toaster ovens to can openers.
While not as portable as hand mixers, the fact that these vintage stand mixers could stir and blend and whip on their own was a huge boon for home chefs.
‘Suzy Homemaker’ was the name of a vintage line of toy appliances that encouraged girls to play by cleaning and cooking… just like mom!
Check out some old how-to info and classic ads from the early days of 1970s microwave ovens, with tips on how to use what is now the most basic of kitchen appliances!
You couldn’t tell a 50s housewife that pastel pink washers and dryers weren’t practical, or that they wouldn’t still be fashionable in a decade. The appliances were stylish and pretty right then and there, at least to millions of women at the time.
When small appliance manufacturers started selling vintage automatic coffeemakers, they were taking the popular (but cumbersome) drip method of coffee making and making t so much easier.
Look back at these 1950s vintage portable electric hand mixers, with the kind of removable beaters that kids loved to lick to sample delicious cake batter and cookie dough.
In the 70s, vintage Crock-Pot Slow Cookers became popular, because a meal could be cooked for pennies a serving, and cuts of meat could be easily tenderized. Who knew how famous the small appliances would become?!
Back in the 70s and 80s, the all-new trash compactor appliance was one way to deal with America’s growing trash production — and it probably wouldn’t hurt for it to come back into fashion!
The best way to gift-wrap a bulky or odd-shaped kitchen appliance or utensil is – don’t! Give it a fanciful shape, instead – with Christmas paper, ribbons, ornaments and more.
Retro air-pop popcorn makers like these were super popular in the ’70s and ’80s, because they made it so easy to make a big batch of perfectly puffed popcorn. Here’s a look back!
They toasted! They cooked! And, most important of all: these vintage toaster ovens warmed up TV dinners without needing to heat up the full-size oven. See how the little kitchen appliances evolved over the years, right up through the 1980s.
The 1970s arrival of old-school food processors like these vintage Cuisinarts – along with similar small appliances from other companies – were some of the most beloved kitchen tech tools since the invention of the stand mixer.
The vintage Tappan Gallery Gas Range design from the late sixties was an improvement on the gas stove models of the fifties – and the then-trendy appliance colors were also a big plus.
If you’ve ever wondered what it might have been like to walk the streets of a major US city a century ago, here, take a peek at the streets of old Washington DC as they were back in the twenties.
The 1970s Rival Crock-Plate multi-purpose cooker – from the people who made the famous Crock-Pot – had a high-fired stoneware plate that they said could do the work of several appliances.
See two different versions of the Roto-Broil 400 – once America’s favorite infra-red rotisseries – popular kitchen appliances from the ’50s.
These wonderful, workable kitchen designs from the 60s were said to be a joy to use and to clean. Take a look back at six creative mid-century kitchens here!
Look at some vintage gas ranges millions of people had in their homes in the ’50s – right around when electric appliances were about to become popular.
Take a look back at some of the most popular vintage Black & Decker electronics and small appliances from the late ’80s, including everything from Dustbusters to irons, and food processors to toaster ovens.
Kitchen appliances from the ’50s! The Liberator electric range includes the new automatic surface unit that you “set and forget,” until food is done. Remember, this is the first step toward modern electrical living.
Flair ranges glorify your present kitchen without built-in expense! Combines twin, glass-fronted ovens and a slide-in drawer-style stove.
Looking back at these antique kitchens from the 1900s, you may be surprised at how far we have come, and grateful for things like countertops!
In the ’70s, pro golfer Jack Nicklaus and his wife helped advertise the new microwave ovens made by Magic Chef. Here’s a look.
For the ’50s housewife, laundry was huge: the love you had for your kitchen paled only in comparison to the adoration you felt for your washer and dryer.
For the picture-perfect housewife of the ’50s, the kitchen was the heart of the home. And the heart of the kitchen was the refrigerator/freezer combo – the kind of luxury that mother and grandmother could have only dreamed of!
A lighthearted look back at the 50s housewife during the sunny days of yesteryear, when a woman’s home was her castle — and her kitchen was the heart of that home.
What can we do with this horrible old kitchen? Frigidaire saves her from covering leftovers. A special storage area in this Frigidaire Frost-Proof Food-life Preserver
With their smooth white ceramic surfaces and sealed electric burners, these flat vintage cooktops made kitchen cleanups a breeze.
The beautiful art tile stoves seen here were used to heat homes in the Victorian era, and came in many different styles. Take a look!
What were 1950s washing machines like? Here are some old-fashioned washers with high-end features for their time. These brands paid big bucks to promote these laundry appliances!
If you don’t have enough time, maybe you don’t have enough Tappan Time Machines! See some time-saving new kitchen appliances for women who have more to do than cook food and wash dishes.
Once electrical power became widely-available in homes, vintage vacuum cleaners debuted, including ones from the famous Hoover brand.
These vintage Sunbeam Hot Shot kitchen accessories made hot water for tea, hot chocolate, coffee – and were promoted by actress Shirley Jones.
Why were pink & yellow kitchens popular inn the ’50s? Because it wasn’t enough for homeowners to decorate the kitchen with just one color – they had to combine them, for a pastel buttermint effect.
Who needs a nursery? Make your kitchen the happy hub of your home! (1963) A playful candy-striped rounded kitchen from the 1960s MORE: 16 kitchen
