Want a checklist of key elements to create or recreate a 1940s style kitchen? Reader Carolyn recently wrote to us asking for ideas to help repair and decorate her 1947 kitchen. Long story short: I think that Carolyn has the need for a significant remodel on her hands. If she goes this route, to help I put together a list of key items for her to consider to get an historically appropriate look.
Carolyn’s kitchen looks pretty adorable in these photos, but she told us that 60-year-old tile countertop has “twisted, cracked and the wood underneath has bent to expose the grout more than an inch on 2 sides of the sink. We had our grout cleaned and re-grouted just last year!”
In addition, the sink needs to be reporcelained… the lazy susan is broken and impractical… they need a new refrigerator… the cabinets need a new paint job… and the floor needs to be replaced.
But two pieces of good news: Carolyn loves her 1940’s Wedgewood stove. “It is large for our kitchen but, it is a work horse, and I love how it looks”…
…And she has plenty of color inspriration, in her big collection of vintage Fiestaware.
Carolyn, once you pull out that tile countertop and backsplash, I think you are going to be left with an enormous mess. In addition, your cabinets are not sized correctly to match up with your stove and a modern countertop-depth refrigerator. Since you are planning on replacing so many elements already, I’d say: Save your dough re mi and plan for a gut-remodel or near gut-remodel — and recreate a 1940s style kitchen set to endure for another 70 years. Just do what you gotta do.
Pam’s Design Formula #1 to Create a 1940s Kitchen
I think that the basics of a 1930s and 1940s kitchen are pretty easy to identify and pull together. I would even go so far as to say this is a “formula” — one that’s very adaptable, though, in particular as it comes to selecting colors, patterns and of course, decor. In addition, there are other alternatives (above and beyond those shown today) for sinks, flooring, countertops and appliances — I’ll do another design board with Formula #2 and maybe even Formica #3 soon…
But for this one, the impetus was Carolyn’s wants and needs. In our email exchanges, Carolyn indicated an interest in a yellow-and-black tile color scheme. I also think that yellow tile works well with her yellow Fiestaware. So that’s where I started with this Design Formula:
- Wallpaper — This vintage wallpaper from Second Hand Rose looks like it would coordinate nicely with the yellow-and-black tile scheme… and, it picks up the other colors in the Fiestaware — but without competing or adding too much extra pattern to the small space.
- Tile edging — You can get black bullnose tile right from Home Depot or other big box stores.
- Backsplash and wall tile — Yellow 4″x4″ tile from B & W Tile. You can see all the color for B&W Tile at Clay Squared. You can buy from either place. Or, choose this lovely soft yellow tile from Classic Tile, I think it’s even less expensive. Note: It’s gonna cost more — but in a 1940s kitchen, in addition to tiling the backsplash, I would likely lean toward tiling the entire room. That is, tile about halfway up the walls, with bullnose trim.
- Cabinetry — White cabinetry is appropriate. This example is from Barker Doors, which can custom-size you anything. Yes, Carolyn, you can have glass in the wall cabinets — just know: You must keep what’s behind it super tidy — even “staged” — or else it will just look a mess. Note also: Soffits, please, above all those cabinets and the refrigerator, too, for a built-in (and easier to keep clean) look. I even believe: Soffits make a kitchen look bigger.
- Countertop — Linoleum. That’s what they used in the 1940s, along with tile and wood countertops. Shown here: Marmoleum linoleum. I believe that black linoleum countertops were the #1 most common color in the 1940s. They would look great in the color scheme of this kitchen, I think.
- Kitchen sink — Kohler Delafield with hudee ring. The kitchen sink o’ choice here on Retro Renovation. I did not specify a kitchen faucet — but peoples, enough with those goosenecks that sit super high — they are too splashy once the water hits the base of the sink. Me no get it. Here’s the faucet I have in my kitchen (affiliate link), and I love it, the spout is 10″ long so it sticks well into the center of my sink, and it is not high like a gooseneck, so I get minimal splashiness outside the sink:
- Countertop edging — For linoleum, I would likely go with stainless steel edging from New York Metals because this edging has a big lip to grab onto the linoleum.
- Refrigerator — Okay, it’s not retro looking — but I like this size and color of the this Fisher Paykel refrigerator I discovered when researching this story. It’s counter-depth, not too tall, not too wide. The think about small kitchens like Carolyn’s is that if you have too big a fridge, it just takes over like a big white elephant in the room. Yes: A vintage fridge from the 1940s or early 50s also would be great, if you have the patience and tenacity for it.
- Decor — When designing a kitchen, it’s always great to start with an inspiration item — a curtain fabric, a rug, whatever — to drive a color palette. In this case, Carolyn’s Fiestaware does the trick quite nicely. That said, I would pick only one color — in this case, the yellow, as described — to ground the whole look.
- Flooring — Carolyn said that the rest of her house has wood floors. So yes, continue them into the kitchen.
- Stove — Yum. This vintage Wedgewood stove = The star of your show. Lucky Carolyn! Be sure to consult with properly licensed professionals about placing and installing it in your kitchen in accordance with local building and plumbing codes.
Other 1940s style kitchens with useful ideas for Retro Renovators:
- Lauryn and Dennis’ sunny 1940s kitchen makeover
- Dave and Frances’ 1938 kitchen
- See how the tile is done on the wall in Kristen’s original 1940s kitchen.
- Maile displays her dishware beautifully in glass-front wall cabinets in her 1940s style kitchen.
- Vintage metal cabinets are appropriate too — and lookie the best cafe curtains ever in David’s kitchen.
We hope this is helpful to you, Carolyn, and to other readers working to design a 1940s style kitchen. A few more Formulas yet to come!
See all of our 1940s kitchen design boards here
ineffablespace says
My neighbor growing up and one of my mother’s friends had old burgundy linoleum countertops with the metal edge (and plastic feature strip on the metal edge) Of course this stuff was close to thirty years old in the 1970s but one of the things that I remember about it was that it felt “gummy”. It wasn’t so gummy as to feel sticky on top but I remember that you could actually pick at it with your fingernails. This was probably from getting wiped and wiped and wiped for years.
As for putting hot pans right on countertops…that seems to be a criteria now and people want to do it with granite and marble and man made quartz. They want their countertops to be like kryptonite, and they do all sorts of “tests” on it, including writing on it with a Sharpie and Trying to stain it by leaving things on it for Days that I would wipe up immediately. The bar of expectations has been raised quite a bit, and unrealistically I think.
pam kueber says
I guess I’m out of it when it comes to modern day countertops.
pam kueber says
I also wonder if the oxidation had something to do with the texture changing… also some of those countertops were not linoleum, they were vinyl-something. Did I do a story on that? Even I can’t remember anymore everything we’ve written about.
Rene says
Yep. The material was called “Cusheen”.
pam kueber says
duh. thanks! — https://retrorenovation.com/2013/11/11/retro-kitchen-counter-top-youngstown/
Jay says
Those “stone” countertops are not without their own issues. They have to be maintained. I believe it’s all for show – I don’t think these people do serious cooking, canning, baking etc; it can get quite messy. I’ll take Formica/Nevamar anyday – just wipe it clean. Hotpads and trivets were designed for hot pans and pots.
CC says
Another option for a fridge is the smaller Kenmores over at Sears. All glass shelves and the doors are curved. We just removed the ugly, ugly modern handles, and voila! a very affordable retro-ish fridge.
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-18.2-cu-ft-top-freezer-refrigerator-w/p-04668882000P
Ranger Smith says
Hi Carolyn – First of all, your stove is a star! I had a Wedgewood in a previous home and loved it, unfortunately it won’t fit in my current kitchen. Now my two cents on linoleum counter tops: I love my Marmoleum floor but it does get dents and scratches and I wouldn’t want to put a hot pot or pan on it. I’m just not sure that Marmoleum would be tough enough for a kitchen counter top.
I’m really looking forward to pictures of your finished kitchen.
pam kueber says
So… who puts a hot pan on any countertop? Except if it’s stainless steel.
Yes, I should advise: Be sure to check with Marmoleum on whether their linoleum is specified for countertop use. I thought that we talked about this a while back and that it was — but I could be misremembering.
Debbie says
I’m currently agonizing over a 1940’s-style kitchen remodel of my 1923 house. One decision that I cannot seem to make is countertops: do I want ceramic tile (gorgeous but expensive) or do I want linen laminate (cheaper but harder to find in a 1940’s color)? B&W Tile makes the “box cap” style trim, similar to what Carolyn currently has. They are the only place I’ve found that carries that period-appropriate style. I called them to order samples and they couldn’t have been nicer.
pam kueber says
Have you looked at the crackle ice / mother of pearl laminate? That’s period appropriate as well.. And why not linoleum for the countertop?
Debbie says
Crackle ice is a little more money than I was hoping to spend, although I saw it “in the wild” at an open house over the weekend and it looked so fabulous that now I’m re-thinking—again. If I could find linen laminate in a navy blue that would be my first choice, but, as you often say, everything seems to be so greige. I’d love a navy and white kitchen like I see in the magazines of that era. My friend who’s going to do the work for me would love it if I would just make up my mind!
pam kueber says
This was available until last June — https://retrorenovation.com/2010/10/11/3-retro-laminates-from-arborite-including-a-substitute-for-red-crackle-ice/
Call Arborite, see if any is left anywhere.
Have you gone through all our stories in Kitchen Help / Countertops?
pam kueber says
Or Cradle of Liberty here — https://retrorenovation.com/2010/10/22/9-retro-kitchen-countertop-laminates-from-pionite/
pam kueber says
Also see Nevamar’s blues in Abstracts
… go through all 10 companies’ abstracts. I’m seeing some great looking options in rich blue colorways (sans seeing samples in real life of course)
Carolyn says
Yes. I have thoroughly mined your site for ideas and inspiration. I have enjoyed all ideas, comments and sources. I will let you all know when the project is finished.
Again, thank you and all others here for your advice.
lorraine says
Just finishing up my 1943 cottage kitchen. We’re in the country and had to really gut everything. There were lots of critters who took up residence in the walls. I wound up opening up the wall to the living/dining room to make the space less claustrophobic. We used black soapstone counters with a very large stainless steel sink (I do canning and grow stuff so I really needed something that worked for me, even though I love the look of the old fashioned sinks, they weren’t going to work for what i need). I have a bridge faucet though that looks “period”, The floor has porcelain 1″ square tiles which we designed an inset greek key pattern. I wound up going with white custom cabinets as it was less expensive than semi custom. I used crystal knobs and brass pulls and have one large glass door cabinet that will showcase my salt shaker collection.. The star of my new space is my 1951 Red Chambers’C90 (high back) stove. I’m waiting for the red (to match the stove) ventahood to arrive this week. I went with a panel built in thermador fridge because i didnt want the fridge ruin the look. Warning though, in old houses NOTHING is straight. The walls and floors are all crooked and the contractor has been having fits making the fridge fit these past few days. But that’s the charm of old houses, no??? 🙂 Would love to post pics but there’s no way to do so here.
pam kueber says
Sounds gorgeous!!!!
ineffablespace says
If you analyze the money costs of restructuring the living room wall, and look at cost-benefit analysis of what it does to the living room, a possibly $6000 built in Liebherr versus a $2000 conventional fridge starts to make a little more sense.
Carolyn says
True that! I’ll investigate further. Thanks!
Carolyn says
my architect/designer suggested that we tear into the wall behind the refrigerator and carve in a pony wall to get more lovely southern light into the kitchen. Then she wants us to bury the refrigerator into the living room wall which will take up about 24-30″ of our existing living room space. The worrisome part for me is #1) That our original ranch architecture will be compromised #2) Plaster and lathe walls will be replaced with Sheetrock in that corner of our living room/kitchen
The reasons for proceeding would be #1) A larger kitchen area #2) A less bulky refrigerator issue. #3) The pony wall would allow for a butcher block covered storage table on castors for use as a faux island/work area.
Thoughts?
Judy says
All valid concerns but I don’t feel qualified to comment on anything to do with your floorplan without a diagram. Could you supply one?
Carolyn says
I’ll try. I don’t know how to post pictures/diagrams to this blog. I’ll send my architectural diagrams to Pam.
pam kueber says
Carolyn, if you want to post your diagram to a photo sharing site then post a link, that would work.
I have to say no to handling diagrams. Getting into weeds like this goes beyond the scope of our comfortable expertise.
Carolyn says
Absolutely! Thank you for all you’ve done!
Carolyn
pam kueber says
Carolyn, on this issue — you need to work things out with your architect. Sounds like there are a lot of moving parts. Might also be time to call in a best friend to help with the nail-biting decisions….
ineffablespace says
If I had the budget, or could save in the budget by keeping the upper cabinets, I would consider Silestone quartz in Koan (maroon) or Yellow Dream for the durability and heat resistance close to tile.
And then I would consider a Liebherr freestanding or ideally built in refrigerator in stainless or with custom panels.
April says
We have an original 1947 kitchen very similar. When we first moved in there was a rotten spot with a small hole/missing tile under the dish drainer next to the sink. The rest of the tile was is pretty good shape and we love the jade green color. I was able to match the tile very closely (new had more shine to it) and only had to buy a few square tile and quarter round pieces for about $45. We were able to remove the wooden supporting slats from underneath the counter and replaced with plywood. We used round foam weather stripping to form a dam and filled the space with self leveling concrete to make a base for the replacement tile. It came out great and we were able to save the counter!
pam kueber says
Sounds brilliant!
Carolyn says
I only wish I were as handy and capable as you. I can barely make coffee without ending up with coffee everywhere but in the pot.
Marly says
Fantastic! Also, I love Fiesta (made right here in WV), but please be careful if [edited. Pam says: Readers, we asked Fiestaware about lead and uranium issues in vintage. See their response in this story: https://retrorenovation.com/2012/07/05/fiesta-dinnerwares-newest-color-flamingo-plus-made-in-usa/ ]