Some of these styles from the past decade have cycled back into fashion today.
Chris Edwards; Styling: Kendra Surface
Trends are cyclical. Whether it is fashion or home decor, trends that were once at the height of style fade into obscurity only to eventually become trendy once again. That means Grandma’s kitchen from days past may be back in style. As they say, what comes around goes around.
Focusing on the kitchen as the heart (and stomach) of the home, we begin our homefront history in the 1920s, a century ago. Decade by decade, we’ve compiled the essence of each period shown by how people decorated their homes. From one era to the next, popular styles varied drastically, and not every trend has circled back into style. While we’re happy to see some retro styles come back into fashion, there are others that we hope we never see again. We’ll let you decide which trends are worth repeating.
Meet The Experts
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Courtney Thomas is the founder and virtual interior designer of Crew Hill Designs in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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JuliAnne Kelly is the owner and principal designer of Carrier Design Co. in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
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Lisa Shaffer is the CEO and creative director of Lisa & Leroy , an interior design firm in Washington, DC.
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Mary Tobias Miller is the owner of Abode Home and Mary Tobias Miller Interior Design in Charlotte, North Carolina.
1920s & 30s: All About Art Deco
RICHARD LEO JOHNSON
Aqua hues, including vibrant retro furniture, ground this contemporary kitchen in 1950s style.
Pastel colors were a fixture of 1950s home decor, especially in kitchens where aqua was a common cabinet color—complete with linoleum floors and vibrant appliances, of course. During this time, atomic motifs also blew up in popularity. Atomic boomerangs could be seen in many homes across the South.
1960s: Mid Century Modern
KEYANNA BOWEN
This serene, neutral kitchen is rooted in early 2000s style.
“The affordable period antiques were becoming scarce and at the same time people were in search of calm in their homes—their sanctuaries,” says Miller of the transition happening in homes in the 2000s. “Colorful opulence made way to a neutral, calming palette. Think of a Restoration Hardware vibe. Soft painted neutral and blue pieces were sought after and a casual elegance was desirable.”
In some cases, Kelly reveals that this neutral wave often translates into a Tuscan theme in many kitchens, featuring warm woods and dark stone countertops. What’s more, in the early 2000s, Miller reports that adjacent formal living rooms gave way to increasingly popular family rooms.
“Family rooms were often an extension of the dressier, sleeker kitchen,” she says. “Entertaining became less formal in the 2000s and a little more family style. A scullery might have been added for the more functional aspects of entertaining like dish washing.”
2010s: The Age Of Minimalism
MOLLY CULVER
This roomy kitchen is decorated with a minimalist edge, as was popular in the 2010s.
Larger kitchens were a staple of the 2010s in comparison to previous periods, and islands often took these large kitchens by storm. Stainless steel and glossy countertops were almost guaranteed to be present as well.
Although kitchens were formatted to be more spacious in the 2010s, that didn’t mean that more stuff was added in that newfound space. Instead, minimalism took over. Curated design and gray and white color palettes were very popular during this decade.
What’s Come Back Around
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