Revel in Retro With Vintage and New Kitchen Appliances
Give your kitchen old-fashioned charm with refrigerators and stoves that recall yesteryear — even if they were made just yesterday
For a charming kitchen, the curves and happy color palette of vintage and retro appliances beat stainless steel every time. But where do you find these appliances? And what about restoring vintage stoves and refrigerators? Is the cost worth it? Join us as we answer these questions, and get inspired by some delightful examples of vintage and vintage-look appliances in Houzz kitchens.
Retro source: Elmira Stoveworks is a great resource for retro appliances, including the fridge and stove shown here. Its Retro Northstar collection has the classic curves and fun colors of vintage 1950s appliances.
Know your vintage brands. When you are shopping for a vintage appliance, familiarize yourself with some of the most popular brands from the period that interests you. Shown here is a fully restored vintage Magic Chef stove. Other brands to watch for include Wedgewood, Hotpoint, Chambers and Frigidaire.
What about the cost? Restoring vintage appliances can be extremely costly, with most fully refurbished models going for well over $3,000. That said, it is possible to get lucky and come across a vintage stove in good working condition for a small price. The vintage stove shown here was purchased for $45.
Restore vintage appliances with brand new parts
Sources for vintage appliances: Try Antique Appliances for restored stoves and refrigerators from the 1920s to 1950s. Dream Stoves also has a rotating selection of professionally restored vintage stoves.
Restore vintage appliances with brand new parts
Sources for vintage appliances: Try Antique Appliances for restored stoves and refrigerators from the 1920s to 1950s. Dream Stoves also has a rotating selection of professionally restored vintage stoves.
Retro source: Big Chill makes a full range of retro appliances (like the fridge shown here) in a rainbow of colorful hues. Choose from refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, wall ovens and even dishwashers in a range of sizes.
Design icon: Smeg refrigerators. You have probably seen this Italian-designed fridge with its curvaceous '50s shape gracing kitchens in your favorite shelter mags. It has the vibe of an American fridge from that era, but with simpler, cleaner lines.
Smeg Refrigerator, Pink
Retro source: Once hard to find in the States, Smeg fridges are now available through West Elm in a range of delicious colors.
Research more refrigerators
Research more refrigerators
Design Icon: The Aga. A beauty without a doubt, the classic Aga stove is a Swedish design that gained enormous popularity in Great Britain as the range of choice.
Range hoods and vents in every style
Tell us: Have you had a vintage appliance restored? Found a retro stove you love? Share your favorite sources in the Comments.
More: How to Find the Right Range for Your Kitchen
Range hoods and vents in every style
Tell us: Have you had a vintage appliance restored? Found a retro stove you love? Share your favorite sources in the Comments.
More: How to Find the Right Range for Your Kitchen
Restoration source: The stove shown here is a vintage Wedgewood, restored by Chuck’s Appliance Service in South Pasadena, California. Search your local listings for an appliance service — the longer it has been in business, the better.