You can’t have a country kitchen without vintage metal kitchen cabinets, but you can turn a plain white one into something amazing with some rusty red or fiery cherry. But where to find these vintage kitchen cabinets is another story. Some readers have had to collect three kitchens before finding them. Others have traveled 15 hours to find them. It’s worth the effort, though. Read on for some great ideas on how to find these metal kitchen cabinets.
Country-inspired kitchens
Retro and vintage pieces can mix and match in a country-inspired kitchen. The kitchen island is the perfect place to include vintage metal bar stools and brushed-metal bin pulls. Use a distressed finish to enhance the vintage look. You can also opt for a checkerboard backsplash to complement the retro-styled cabinets. Kitchens in the 1950s often had breakfast nooks and eat-in areas and adding these pieces to your room will create a charming look.
1950’s kitchens were known for their geometric design and color. The floors were often made of linoleum. They were usually colored or checkered. A major advance over that decade was the use of linoleum, which was often used for floors and countertops. It provided a softer walking surface and was incredibly easy to fit. The colors and patterns were vibrant but kept the room from feeling drab.
Modern design
Adding a contemporary flair to your 50’s metal kitchen cabinets can be done in several ways. First, you can go for a color scheme that contrasts with the cabinets. A beautiful example of this is a peacock-colored metal kitchen, which features blue-green-teal-painted cabinets and a white-hued upper half. The combination of color schemes is reminiscent of a vintage movie set.
While the color scheme for this kitchen is typically red and white, it doesn’t have to be. Bold, bright colors like red or orange are also great choices. The trick is to find a way to balance the pop’50s style with cutting-edge Modernism. A good example of the former would be the kitchen of the former Capitol in Washington, DC. This kitchen featured a “nubbly” finish, which was textured and prevented fingerprints from transferring onto it. As late as 1977, advertisements for St. Charles kitchen cabinets referred to this finish.
Steel kitchen cabinets
When steel kitchen cabinets first came onto the market, they were an enormous leap over apartment and farmhouse kitchens. But before WWII, they were prohibitively expensive. During the war, employment rebounded, but the war effort was so expensive that consumer purchases were limited. To combat this, manufacturers dedicated factories to producing steel cabinets, and steel was more expensive than wood. In addition, wood is easier to repaint, and it retains a “warm” feel.
These metal kitchen cabinets were traditionally used in the bedroom to store garments that could not be hung in a closet. However, they have a more modern use. These cabinets can fit in any room. These vintage metal cabinets are attractive and durable. The vintage designs have matching knobs and handles that match the metal cabinet doors. And, the wood used to build the cabinet doors is basswood, which is naturally durable and doesn’t rust or dull easily. Learn about it more on beautikitchens.com
Firey cherry red
Retro-inspired kitchens were popular in the 1950s and featured a lot of color, especially in the cabinetry. This type of cabinetry can give your kitchen a retro look, while still feeling modern and functional. Many of these cabinet designs are still available in the market today. A few of these kitchens are featured in the article below. The colors are bold, while others are more muted. The a50s was a time of pastel colors and candy-colored kitchen cabinets.
For a retro look, firey cherry red is an excellent choice. This kitchen was designed by ChadesslingerDesign to feature a mix of old and new. It has an island seating area and features bold red appliances, contrasting with teal cabinets. Red is not for the timid but is sure to evoke thoughts of 1950s diners and cherry pie. In this kitchen, the homeowners have created a classic space that is not only comfortable and functional, but also looks good.
Linoleum flooring
If you are interested in upgrading your vintage 50’s metal kitchen cabinets and are looking for an affordable alternative to carpeting, consider replacing them with linoleum flooring. This durable material can last for decades, especially if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In this article, we will show you how to do this DIY project. First, you must have a scrap remnant of the linoleum flooring. This scrap is ground with a pestle and mortar and mixed with a clear wood glue. Once the paste is blended, it is time to let it dry overnight. Finally, you need to sand off the excess paste with aluminum oxide paper.
The 1950s kitchen was full of color and geometric design. The walls and floors were often painted pastels. Linoleum flooring was a major advance over the carpet and was available in many colors, making it a great choice for a vintage 50’s kitchen. This flooring also gave the kitchen a more comfortable walking surface and provided a near-seamless fit. It was also cheap, which was necessary for a retro kitchen.