Taking your design cues from midcentury modern style is a guaranteed way to create a distinctive look, with the 1950s and 1960s offering up plenty of inspiration when it comes colour, materials and an on-trend streamlined aesthetic – Emma Hedges rounds up 8 inspirational kitchen schemes.
1. With midcentury furniture often made from rich, dark woods, this kitchen by Eggersmann Design references the look by featuring warm American walnut cabinets, adding interest by teaming them with visually textured Caesarstone worktops, and industrial faux concrete flooring. Handleless doors, globe pendants and suspended metal shelving all echo the streamlined look of the era.
2. This project by H Miller Bros features warm stained oak and cork cabinetry, with the central island deliberately designed as a large table in the middle of the room instead of a blocky contemporary unit. The frame of the island is made from solid oak and stained black to balance the composition. Routed handles keep the wood cabinetry streamlined, while the off-white wall cabinetry features retro-style, circular hand-turned door knobs.
3. The JT Mid-Century design is Jack Trench's homage to 20th-century modernism and classic Danish furniture, and shown here in Red Cherry Veneer, it is also offered in Black Walnut and European Oak. To create a consistently midcentury look, the company developed a delicately proportioned finger-pull handle in solid timber that emerges from the cabinet fronts to strike a balance between contemporary and retro.
4. The design of the stained oak Haberdasher's kitchen by DeVol is inspired by midcentury furniture, and here the open shelving, classic range cooker and delicate aged copper rail all reinforce an authentically midcentury feel in a space that is nonetheless hardworking and multifunctional. In another nod to midcentury style, the long central island has slender legs so that it ressembles a table, and is teamed with a slim Carrara marble worktop to keep the look light.
5. The visual centrepiece in this kitchen scheme by H Miller Bros is the solid wood structure that is modelled on the idea of a traditional dresser, which was then given a contemporary twist by being elevated off the floor, with a 'floating' bookcase above it. The Anglepoise lamp above the reading seat and the white Aga add classic touches, while the dark walnut is counterbalanced by crisp, clean block grey.
6. This compact U-shaped space by Finch London may be small but it's huge on style, and features 40mm-thick American Black Walnut worktops combined with gleaming copper elements, such as the rails and tap, to great effect. The Hackney Matt Lacquer doors in Ceramic Blue with circular walnut inset handles create a retro vibe, as does the classic parquet flooring, while teal scallop tiles add an intense pop of colour.
7. This stunning homage to midcentury style by Pluck Kitchens is in a 1960s house designed by architect Mervyn Seal, which has been lovingly restored with authentic elements by the current owner. Clean cabinetry with integrated handles is topped off with sleek white worktops, while punchy colours and patterns add to the 1960s vibe, as does the multi-coloured Louis Poulsen PH5 Suspension Light over the dining table.
8. The rich combination of finishes in this design by Roundhouse Kitchens features the company's Urbo & Metro cabinetry in Sanderson 'Burn Black Light' teamed with an antique mirror splashback. The bespoke island is finished with a Vitoria Regia 30mm polished worktop, along with a curved plinth and matt sanded brass handrail by Cavendish. The sleek, handleless doors, glazed units and Déjà-vu upholstered bar stools by Houtique all evoke a luxe ambience reminiscent of an old-fashioned private members' club.
