Vintage pink kitchen style: The 1950s made pastels powerful
The color’s popularity had some help from a First Lady. Mamie Eisenhower made her love of pink well-known, and “Mamie pink” soon became the go-to shade for fashionable homes. That influence trickled right down to appliances, with companies rolling out pink refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers to meet the demand. Steel cabinets were painted peachblow or bubblegum, and coordinating curtains or wallpaper often finished the look.
Many mid-century kitchens were designed with clean lines and modern materials, and pink added a bit of flair without straying from the sleek style. Plastic tiles, linoleum flooring, and vinyl finishes made it easy to clean and maintain — an important feature in an era focused on convenience. These compact, organized kitchen spaces reflected the “house of the future” ideals, but still made room for a little color and personality.
Flooring options like white brick-look linoleum or bold pink tiles helped balance out the pastels on the walls. Color combinations were often playful — pink paired with green, yellow, gray or even wood tones. The kitchen may have been a workspace, but in the 1950s, it was also a place to show a little taste and creativity.
We’ve rounded up a collection of vintage pink kitchen photos from the 1950s that show how widespread and varied this trend really was. From full pink makeovers to just a few fun accents, these designs offer a look back at one of mid-century America’s most colorful moments.
Painting the new mid century modern kitchen pink!
Retro kitchen with pink and white dotted cabinets
Old-fashioned pink kitchen fridge and decor from 1955
Bright pink countertops, paint and accents in this retro ’50s kitchen
A white brick linoleum floor for your pink kitchen? Why not – it was the fifties! (1956)
Do you ever hanker for the charm of old-fashioned brick kitchen floors? How friendly they were, gleaming after their morning scrub! (Scrub? Ah, there was the rub!)
Well, you need hanker no more, for here’s their modern counterpart — in Armstrong Linoleum. This new white brick design has all of the old charm — right down to the embossed mortar lines — and none of the chore, for Armstrong Linoleum never needs hard scrubbing.
Occasional washing and waxing will keep this floor bright and beautiful. And spilled things — even grease — wipe up without a trace. There’s not a crack where dirt can hide. It’s quiet and comfortable underfoot, too, which real brick never was!
Beauty… practicality… they’re both yours today, with Armstrong Linoleum, the modern fashion in floors.
Mid-century kitchen in pink with pass-through area – home design
Retro pink kitchen design from 1955
What a wonderful, work-saving center the modern kitchen-dining area is! The dining table can be just a step away from the sink — yet separated from it so much there’s a minimum of “kitcheny” atmosphere. And how easy it is to keep such a compact area sparkling clean when you have a modern plastic floor of Armstrong Excelon Tile.
Because Excelon is made with vinyl plastic, the colors are unusually clear and bright. The smooth, tough surface isn’t harmed by grease — sweeps clean in a jiffy. Any room, even the basement, can have this practical floor, and at very low cost.
MORE: Old-fashioned family-centric kitchens from the ’50s & ’60s
A pink and green kitchen from the early ’50s
They even wallpapered the ceiling with the same pink and white checked design
A pretty cottage kitchen with pale pink and blue
Bright pink everywhere! Plus a grass-green floor
The twin sinks are an interesting touch… as is the hot pink paint above some of the upper cabinets.
MORE: 9 colorful mid-century kitchen remodels & retro floorplans from 1954
Pale pink ’50s model kitchen decor with brown walls
An unusual vintage kitchen layout — half in pink
Pink cabinets, accents & appliances – with white, yellow & wood accents
Pink and green kitchen decor from the 1950s
All the appliances in pink! Stove, dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer and the washer and dryer.
MORE: 20 retro yellow kitchens from yesteryear: Sunny midcentury home decor
Retro 1950s pink and white kitchen with wood lower cabinets (1956)
Vintage peachy pink mid-century kitchen from Curtis Woodwork (1956)
Who wouldn’t love a pink Caloric range?
Vintage pink 1950s kitchen with bonus purple cabinets (1956)
A retro charcoal and pink kitchen color scheme
ALSO SEE: 20 vintage 1960s kitchen tile design ideas & popular retro mosaic tile styles
Pale pink mid century modern kitchen from the fifties
Palest pink & stainless steel retro kitchen decor
Simple white cabinets get color from paint, countertops & curtains
Old-fashioned fifties kitchen with pink and pastel decor plus red
Pink flat-fronted cabinets in this retro home
MORE: See 10 old-fashioned gas ranges from ’50s kitchens
Pink painted fifties-style kitchen
Vintage pretty pink and pastel-colored kitchen decor 1950s
1959’s GE pink kitchen decor
A Mamie pink kitchen with clean white cabinets
MORE: How to be a perfect ’50s housewife: In the kitchen
Pink appliances with wooden paneling and cabinets
Better hurry up – Dad’s waiting for dinner!
Vintage 50s kitchen with blue decor and pink appliances (1958)
Kitchen with pink cafe curtains & countertops
This home decor is accented with a white and black diamond pattern
A mauve color meets stainless in this vintage ’50s kitchen
Pink floor, blue cabinets, and a white brick range
A pink & yellow kitchen design style from 1955
Bright pink kitchen floor with light pink walls
One Response
Great retro photos and ideas! I’m preparing to go pink/retro in my kitchen and these gave me a lot of great ideas. Sadly, on the “ Who wouldn’t love a pink Caloric range?” photo, it would appear that the woman of the house, though very proud of her kitchen, had chosen not to eat any of her own cooking. With that 12” waist, it’s a miracle of physics that she’s even standing! A true medical marvel!