Kitchen in retro style: at the turn of times

Retro style ... How diverse it is! It meets us with refined, multifaceted, sometimes somewhat naive, but always charming and cozy interiors. Today, this decor has increasingly begun to look into our homes. He doesn't mind staying in the bedroom or settling into the living room, but the most luxurious of all rooms is the retro kitchen. Why is she? In this case, everything is quite understandable. Think about it, well, what other room, bearing the stamp of time, is associated with the hearth and can gently hint that family values, the atmosphere of peace and warmth in the house are incredibly important to you? The answer is obvious. Is not it?

What kind of retro kitchen can be, what furniture and appliances are appropriate in it, what designers say about the style, what materials, colors and decorative elements to use in the design - all the answers in this article.

About the characteristic features and versatility of the retro style

Since the concept of "retro" is not tied to a specific historical period, it remains rather vague. The designers managed to reach a consensus on the time frame of the period, limiting it to the end of the 19th - the second half of the 20th centuries. Naturally, this made it possible to decorate the kitchen in a retro style, using a number of interesting trends.

Victorian sketches

Two centuries have passed since the birth of the Victorian style. It got its name in honor of Queen Victoria, who then ruled England. Distinctive features of the "Victorian" cuisine can be considered:

1. Solidity and presentability;
2. General feeling of high cost;
3. Wealth of decor.

The kitchen of kings is recognized by the unchanging heavy table crowned with a massive table top, always high cabinets with transparent doors, a stove stylized as a real hearth and, of course, natural finishing materials on furniture. Notice, no hint of the current industrial age. Retro - interior without metal and plastic!

It is better to lay out the floor with stone tiles or finish it with wood, but if desired, it can also be lined with linoleum. This would not be considered mauvais ton, because the first linoleum appeared in the Victorian era. It is possible and necessary to use the technique, but only in a retro-style kitchen, it will have to be built in and hidden. Lighting is organized by a massive chandelier and sconces similar in style. Forget about spotlights - they absolutely do not fit into the Victorian style.

french sketches

The Art Deco style has a more precise date of birth. A landmark event for its appearance was the art and decorative exhibition held in Paris - Arts Decoratifs. Subsequently, these two words became the name of a whole trend of decorative art, which still amazes with its originality and boldness of lines. Of the distinctive features of the style, it should be noted:

1. Strict order;
2. ethnic saturation;
3. Luxury and chic.

Art Deco is a representative of mixed styles. In it, the artistry of Art Nouveau merged with the monumentality of neoclassicism.

Of the style-forming features in the interior is always present:

1. Strict geometry;
2. Expensive finishing;
3. ethnic motives;
4. Bright lighting.

A kitchen in this subspecies of retro style is recognizable by richly inlaid countertops made of natural stone, chairs with carved legs and invariably high backs, generously carved furniture fronts, expensive dishes placed on glazed shelves. Art Deco is characterized by a multi-level floor and the same stepped ceiling. Of the decorative elements, the prerogative remains with striped, zigzag and "radiant" details.

Sketches on the theme of late modernism

Late modernism in design is called the post-war period. The calling card of this sub-style was "candy" colors and absolutely awkward shapes. In the interiors appeared:

1. Plastic chairs glowing with neon;
2. Armchairs: "Hourglass", "Ant" and "Egg" - designed and implemented by maestro Jacobsen;
3. Just gigantic, monster-like refrigerators, striking, in addition to size, also with their unthinkable shades, like menthol green or super pale pink;
4. Sofa-lips, presented to the world by Salvador Dali.

Yes, 50s retro kitchens have perhaps the most amazing designs.

So, late modernism is recognized by the abundance of plastic and chrome, furniture made of bleached natural wood, “checkerboard” floors assembled from linoleum tiles, intricate accessories, bright colorful textiles and a futuristic, ethereal atmosphere.

Industrial direction

An industrial-style kitchen is unmistakable. Concrete or brick walls, defiantly rough furniture, an abundance of metal elements - these are its main features.

Industrial style basically means:

1. Large space;
2. The presence in the decor of ventilation pipes, sewers, ceiling beams and other similar "frills";
3. The abundance of glass, steel, concrete;
4. Furnished with sets of raw wood and metal.

As a finishing option, in the kitchen of the "industrial" branch of the retro style, there may be:

- plank floor;

- decorative brick or embossed plaster;

- a wood-panelled or white-painted ceiling;

– glass block partitions.

"Another interior!" - you will say, and you will be completely wrong, because with all this, at first glance, unattractive environment, the room turns out to be spacious and cozy in its own way.

The variety of trends that exist within the retro style is not at all a reason to think that it does not have clear features that should be taken into account when arranging a kitchen from the past. In addition to the fact that only furniture with the effect of aging is used in the setting and all appliances and other modern paraphernalia are hidden, it should have an abundance of textiles and utensils. In general, the retro direction does not shy away from a large number of decorative elements, because in those recreated years, lifeless minimalism has not yet been heard. As for the color palette, in Art Deco and Victorian style its muted tones prevail, but in late modernism we can observe just the madness of compositional mixing and brightness of colors. So in whatever direction the kitchen is decorated in retro style, it will always have something to stand out.

How to furnish a retro kitchen

If you are not ready to spend serious sums on vintage furniture for a retro-style kitchen, then you will have to be content with a purchased or custom-made set.

Recreating the spirit of bygone years in the kitchen is no easy task. Cleverly selected furniture will help to solve this issue almost half. It remains to find out: what exactly should be in a retro kitchen? You can solve the situation problem in different ways. In one case, it is worth looking for real antique pieces of furniture, which, most likely, will also have to be restored: painted, sanded, in general, to give them a spectacular and stylish look. Naturally, such an approach will require considerable material investments.

If you are not ready to spend serious sums on vintage furniture for a retro-style kitchen, then you will have to be content with a purchased or custom-made set. Budget furniture is usually assembled from MDF and has a PVC coating. Since various methods of “aging” are actively used in its production (processing with craquelure varnish, brushing, patination) and the decorative and historical features of each item are taken into account, the resulting headsets differ little from antique counterparts, and they are much cheaper.

Whatever you decide, when working on furnishing your unusual kitchen, consider the specific nuances of style. The fact is that in those ancient times, kitchen sets, in the form in which we are used to seeing them now, simply did not exist. Kitchens were furnished with cupboards, cabinets, sideboards. It is even conditionally difficult to call such a selection a furniture set. If you want to get a kitchen in a real retro style, then replace the upper modules of the headset with open shelves, and give the lower part the shape of cabinets equipped with hinged doors. A drawer is successfully hidden under the table top. Door finishes may vary. When choosing a Victorian style, the facades are best made with paneled and decorated with inlay or carving. In modernity, smooth surfaces will look optimal.

If the furniture is made of real wood, then stone countertops and artsy brass fittings will perfectly decorate it. The general decor can be supplemented with forged elements.

The dining group in the spirit of the early eras should be represented by a massive table and the same solid, admirable chairs for their dimensions. The not far gone middle of the last century was not so demanding on such elements of the situation, therefore, in the retro-style kitchen of this period, a modest table of a simple design, surrounded by bright stools or chairs, which can even be made of lightweight plastic, is quite enough.

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Household appliances in a retro interior

A retro kitchen is not a reason to refuse the benefits of civilization. It may well contain household appliances, you just need to fit it into the interior so that the general idea of ​​\u200b\u200bstyle is not violated. You can achieve such a compromise by decorating the refrigerator, dishwasher and other gadgets with false panels. This is done easily and without much expense. The second method is more expensive and consists in purchasing equipment in already stylized cases. Streamlined shapes, smooth lines, bright colors are complemented by elongated pull handles. Not every manufacturer can boast that their product line has such equipment, because its manufacture is troublesome and costly, and the demand for such household appliances is low. However, if there is an opportunity, do not deny yourself the pleasure of choosing this particular option, which will give the retro-style kitchen a special chic.

And one more thing: do not forget about the importance of decorative elements.Tablecloths and curtains, kitchen utensils and wall clocks, tin cans and decorative plates, figurines and vases - all of them, being carefully selected in accordance with the spirit of the era, will give the kitchen an incredible charm.

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Retro Kitchens: Design Workshop

When choosing the details and thinking through the accents with which you are going to fill the retro-style kitchen, try not to be deliberate in them.

1. The main source of inspiration for reproducing a retro interior is old, slightly restored furniture. Do not rush to send to the landfill a table or chairs that have been lying in the attic for decades. They contain a special energy that will help create a truly original atmosphere in a retro-style kitchen.
2. Looking for suitable accessories, do not be too lazy to climb an abandoned closet or go to your grandmother's house. Having turned over mountains of junk, you may well become the owner of an old coffee grinder, an elegant whatnot made by the hands of a famous furniture maker, or an expensive antique service, so don't be afraid to get dirty. In general, in this specific retro decor, old engravings, yellowed photographs, pretty tin boxes that once held candy canes and other little things reminiscent of bygone times can find their place.
3. When choosing the details and thinking through the accents with which you are going to fill the retro-style kitchen, try not to be deliberate in them. Things must certainly create an atmosphere of comfort and evoke only positive and vivid emotions. If nothing like this was found in the family bins, then you will have to look for such “little things” at flea markets or in thrift stores. Often there you can "dig up" real treasures.
4. The charm of retro style can be maintained not only with authentic and old things. It will be much more interesting to perceive an interior with a slight touch of antiquity, a subtle hint of a room with history, which can be created with small but incredibly expressive details. You can get ideas for this by watching retro movies. They contain a whole storehouse of retro chips. A lot of interesting things can be found in print media or on the Internet.

 

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Conclusion

Retro styles are quite eclectic. They take "alien" elements into their interior, so don't be afraid to experiment. Try to feel the color of those days that have long since sunk into summer, and your retro-style kitchen will turn out to be simply unique.

Photo gallery - retro-style kitchens:

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