A Kitchen Fit for 'Mad Men'

Mike Shober
ph. 1-800-290-5460 x129
KBB@theYGSgroup.com

from: http://www.kbbonline.com/

Kitchen and Bath Business takes a look at kitchens from the late 1950s

Betty Draper's knotty pine cabinets, plaid wallpaper and metal-edged laminate countertops have given vintage kitchens a new cachet. AMC's Mad Men, which kicks off its third season on August 16, has helped to boost interest in the design and style of the 1950s and '60s. 
 


We searched the pages of K+BB (then called Kitchen Business) between the years 1955 and 1959 and compiled photos of kitchen styles contemporary to the Drapers' home. Some might offer design inspiration, while others may seem best left to nostalgia.






After WWII, many bright colors were popular, as shown by this all-pink kitchen on the June 1956 cover.






This RCA Whirlpool ad demonstrates mixing and matching cabinetry has long been a design element in kitchens.






On the other hand, emphasizing just one color was also very common.






Only four percent of households had a dishwasher, at the time the ultimate luxury item, in 1956.






Throughout much of the last century wallpaper made its way into almost every stylish kitchen, and this cover shot from 1957 is no exception.






With an open-layout and a large center island, this kitchen from 1958 is way ahead of its time.