10 Retro Kitchen Decorating Ideas For A Cool Vintage Look
The retro decorating style has a funky and nostalgic charm to it that can make a room feel fun and unique. From bright colors to crazy patterns to old fashioned symbols and more, here are 10 retro kitchen decorating ideas for a cool vintage look.
1. Install Checkerboard Floors Or A Tiled Backsplash For A Retro Kitchen Setting
When you think of checkerboard floors, you tend think of classic 50’s diners. The checkered pattern is a classic retro kitchen style that is a must for recreating the vintage look.
Linoleum black and white checkered flooring is a great idea for a retro kitchen because it allows you to decorate with any bright colors that you want in the rest of your kitchen without clashing.
If you aren’t keen on changing you entire flooring, opt for a black and white checkered back splash instead. An easy way to do this is to alternate black and white tiles on the wall to give off the appeal of a checkerboard.
2. Use Retro Kitchen Appliances To Bring The Theme To Life
An easy way to transform your kitchen into a retro style is to bring in some retro appliances! Stainless steel appliances will look too modern, so if you’re going for the vintage look, you’ll want to commit to it.
Whether it’s a big appliance such as a mint green refrigerator or a retro stove, or several smaller appliances such as retro standalone microwave or a vintage toaster, you can bring the decor style into your kitchen instantly.
Retro kitchen appliances can sometimes be pricey. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, consider getting one or two statement appliances that will stand out in a couple areas of your kitchen.
3. Transform Your Kitchen Into A Retro Scene By Hanging Pendant Lights
A great way to establish the retro theme in your kitchen is to think about a main focus piece in the room. Hanging pendant lights are solid choice because they are the first thing you’ll see when you walk in the kitchen.
Pendant lights with a pastel colored enamel shade are the perfect choice for getting the full retro look. Hang up three pendant lights over your kitchen island or hang one pendant over your kitchen table for a different approach.
If you don’t want to commit to hanging up lights, you can also incorporate other vintage lighting and lamps throughout the kitchen for a unique look.
4. Incorporate A Retro Color Scheme Throughout The Kitchen
Colors are very important when it comes to designing a retro style kitchen. While there are a variety of colors that can fit into the retro style, decide on the overall color scheme you want for your kitchen.
The retro decorating style tends to mix a bunch of different colors and patterns, so if you want the authentic look combine opposing colors throughout your kitchen. If you want a more subtle look, have one defined color with smaller accents of different colors.
Common Retro Decorating Colors
- Mint Green/Teal
- Cherry Red
- Mustard Yellow
- Lime Green
- Bright Orange
- Pastel Pink
5. Install Colored Linoleum Cabinets In Your Kitchen
If you really want to amplify your color scheme and get the full effect of a retro kitchen, a big focus should be on your cabinetry. Your cabinets are a big part of your kitchen and can act as a beautiful background for the rest of your decor.
Install linoleum cabinets in the retro color of your choice, such as yellow or the class mint green. If you have a colored retro fridge, consider matching your cabinets to that color to make the room flow better.
If you don’t want to redo your entire kitchen, there’s also a clever hack that you can use. Simply take vinyl flooring in any color you want and resurface your current cabinets with it. Now you have brand cabinets in a quick and easy way!
6. Decorate Your Kitchen With Retro Symbols
The little details can really pull a these retro kitchen decorating ideas together and make the room feel complete. Decorating with the decor style symbols in your kitchen can give you that extra touch of vintage charm that every retro kitchen needs.
You can incorporate these symbols in your kitchen in different ways like wall signs, decorative accents on the counter tops, themed window curtains, graphic print kitchen towels, and much more!
Retro Symbols To Decorate With
- Rotary Phones
- Vintage Radios
- Old Fashioned Bicycles
- Antique Movie Projector
7. Cover Your Kitchen Walls With Patterned Wallpaper
The retro decor style tends to include a lot of wacky patterns that are sometimes mixed and matched with other aspects of the room.
A great way to showcase these patterns is through wallpaper. You can commit to hanging wallpaper that you’re going to leave up for a long time, or you can use a peel and stick wallpaper that you can swap out if you like to change things up every once in awhile.
Retro patterns can vary but typically will include geometric flower designs, colorful circles, swirly patterns, and vinyl records. The crazier the pattern the better; your retro kitchen should really “wow” the eyes!
8. Decorate With A Mix Of Rustic Metal & Distressed Wood For A Vintage Retro Look
Textures and materials are an important part of a decorating theme in addition to colors and patterns. Using a mix of textures can make the kitchen more interesting and give it some personality.
To get a vintage effect in your kitchen, opt for galvanized metal decorations and distressed wood. Incorporate these materials in a subtle way throughout the kitchen; if you have too much wood decor, it leans towards a different type of theme.
You can also include fabrics such as velvet decorations and shag rugs to amplify the retro theme even more.
9. Have A Statement Retro Furniture Piece
While decorative accents, colors, and patterns can truly transform your kitchen into a retro wonderland, you can’t forget about having a statement furniture piece!
Your kitchen table is the best way to establish a statement retro furniture piece in the room. You can get a distressed wood table, an old school diner table, a checker top table, or a drop leaf table. Make sure to get matching chairs, stools, or even a retro bench to complete the look.
You can also include smaller pieces of retro furniture such as wall shelves, a standalone cabinet, and even a retro garbage can.
10. Hang Up Kitchen Cabinet Curtains For The Ultimate Retro Vibe
The fun part about having a retro kitchen is the fact that you get to decorate with things that aren’t normally seen at all in today’s kitchens. The final unique addition to these retro kitchen decorating ideas is cabinet curtains!
Cabinet curtains can bring out the retro style in your kitchen because they are vastly different than modern cabinets. Modern cabinets tend to have a more sleek and solid look; adding curtains can add some funky flair to the room.
Make sure to match your cabinet curtains to your window curtains to make the kitchen feel more complete.
Lakeside’s Retro Kitchen Decorating Ideas
Retro Metal Pendulum Wall Clocks
Retro Kitchen Collection
Vintage Bicycle Kitchen Decor Collection
Do you want to decorate your kitchen and the rest of your house with the retro decor style? Check out our selection of Vintage Home Decor for inspiration!
