Decorating Kitchen Decor & Design Kitchen Decorating Styles 18 Vintage Kitchen Ideas That Radiate Timeless Style By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Instagram Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on July 19, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Whether inspired by a 1940s diner or an Old World scullery, vintage kitchens offer charm and contemporary convenience. 01 of 18 Fetching Foundation This beautiful kitchen melds reclaimed building materials, architectural elements, and vintage graphics in innovative ways. Tin details spark interest on the ceiling and above the range. Chip-painted boards create an inexpensive, high-impact backsplash, while corbels support the island's breakfast bar. Symbols of a different time, including a sugar-curing sign, stained-glass window, and assorted advertising tins, supply era-apt colors and motifs. 02 of 18 Country Recharged Today's vintage kitchens need to work harder than ever before. Easy-to-clean painted cabinets, a deep apron sink, sealed wood countertops, and painted floorboards provide country style with plenty of function. Open shelves and glass-door cabinets show off vintage mixing bowls and serving pieces. A primitive shelf unit converts to a petite but purposeful island that rounds out the work core. 03 of 18 Defining Details Beaded-board cabinets and weathered-wood countertops set the stage for exhibiting collections that accentuate this vintage kitchen's period look. Bottles, baskets, and jugs displayed atop the cabinets pay tribute to the past. Counter-set canisters, crocks, and a bread box supply modern function in old-fashioned forms. 04 of 18 Fun Factor Captivating colors and vintage fittings energize classic kitchen designs. Start with neutral foundations and sprinkle in upbeat details, such as vivacious patterned dishes, bright barstools, and unexpected fixtures, to build a vintage kitchen design with plenty of personality. 05 of 18 Easy DIY Open Shelves Incorporate open shelves into your vintage kitchen with our simple step-by-step instructions. 06 of 18 Recycled Goods Give new life to old fixtures and furniture to add collected charm to your vintage kitchen. In this room, pieces of salvaged marble serve as a counter atop a cabinet base built from reclaimed wood. French tiles create a colorful backsplash above a hospital sink set among an antique desk and aged office hutch that now holds cups. 07 of 18 Message Received This window-hung sign makes a clear style statement. Antiques and vintage kitchen decor combine to give this new kitchen a been-around-awhile attitude. Hooks on a meat rack hold kitchen tools near the range. A stainless-steel shelf contributes old-school diner shine. Door latches and painted knobs outfit cabinets with vintage profiles. 08 of 18 Weathered Perfection Stripped cabinets, a doorway trimmed in reclaimed lumber, and floors seemingly scuffed over generations bring a primitive feel to a kitchen equipped with modern stainless-steel appliances and countertops. A crystal fixture, shapely urn, and tarnished silver serving pieces elegantly counterbalance the room's time-battered furnishings and finishes. 09 of 18 Farmhouse Inspiration Bring vintage style to your kitchen by adding an island that ties together the new and old. This island base was built to fit a vintage wood top that was originally part of a farmhouse table. The beaded-board work space also features a counter overhang that provides room for simple family seating. 10 of 18 Curated Collection Shelves displaying handcrafted pottery, heirloom servers, and colorful antique glassware establish personalized appeal in vintage kitchens. This room's weighty woodwork, beamed ceilings, and hardwood floors add age-old substance, as do worn wicker chairs and a vintage chandelier. 11 of 18 Era Enhancements Employ tarnished patinas, tag-sale furniture, and old-fashioned kitchen textiles to weave vintage tones throughout new kitchens. Any type of cart on casters, whether meant for serving tea, holding cookware, or hauling machine parts, deserves a place of honor in any vintage kitchen. Carts with weathered white finishes work well in shabby chic kitchens; vividly painted metal carts popular in the 1950s and '60s suit retro work spaces. 12 of 18 Pretty Patina Feminine touches, such as crystal chandeliers and ruffle-skirted slipcovers, create vintage designs that overflow with collected character and furnished-room appeal. Weathered boards and decorative brackets fashion period-apt partitions in this old-fashioned kitchen. An enamel-topped table on casters provides a prep and serving station. Flea market artwork contributes cheery color to the mix. 13 of 18 Ageless Appeal Layer in striking architectural elements to emulate the assembled-over-time appeal that defines vintage kitchens. Here, rough-hewn ceiling beams provide rustic counterpoints to more elegant elements, such as ornate tiled walls and substantial painted woodwork. Round out the look with vintage-style chandeliers, faucets, and furnishings. 14 of 18 Luxe Luncheonette Although finely finished, this pretty kitchen bears a remarkable resemblance to old-fashioned soda shops and lunch counters. The checkerboard floor, tiled walls, beaded-board details, and pendant lights reference diners from days gone by, while too-cool Lucite stools sound a decidedly modern note. 15 of 18 Industrial Accents Industrial relics perfectly suit a vintage kitchen's hardworking purpose. Styled after old-timey factory lights, a trio of chrome-and-glass pendants drops down to illuminate an island crafted from a repurposed mill table. Subway-tile walls, simple paneled cabinets, and a farmhouse sink further the kitchen's period feel. 16 of 18 Historic Homage Before remodeling, research period kitchens so you can choose kitchen decor from the proper era. These homeowners opted for a fresh take on Victorian. The room features classic backdrops, including subway tile and glass-door cabinets, to spotlight vintage-style fittings and fixtures, dark-stained woodwork, and painted island cabinets crowned with a thick marble slab. 17 of 18 Color It Charming Take a hue cue from your favorite collectibles when invoking a blast from the past. Jadeite dishware, which came onto the scene in the 1940s, inspired this kitchen's vintage design and color scheme. The color repeats in the backsplash tiles, on the beaded-board-clad island, and as retro accessories that pop against the kitchen's mostly white finishes. 18 of 18 Old-and-New Kitchen This kitchen owes its good looks to a mix of vintage finds and new industrial pieces. A hutch top from an old country store fits perfectly over the new sink and stainless-steel cabinets. The island, a 50-year-old bakery fixture, was cleaned, sanded, and put right back into use. To master a mix of old and new, buy vintage pieces first, then purchase new pieces that complement them. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit