Kitchen Ideas From the 1920s

Appliances

Electricity made life easier for women in the 1920s. The electric iron took the drudgery out of pressing cloths. Before the electric iron, heavy wrought irons were heated on the stove, with one iron heating and the other used for pressing. The washing machine took the place of hand scrubbing, and many manual hours were saved with this invention. Cooking and baking became easier with a new 16-inch oven and broiler, sometimes a gas and coal combination. The top consisted of three small burners and one larger burner. Food and milk could be kept for longer periods with the invention of the icebox. Although not electric, the icebox was lined with galvanized steel and stocked with ice that was delivered to the home. It was the early version of the refrigerator. Fans were also popular in the kitchen to cool the homemaker while she cooked and ironed.

Polished wood flooring was starting to make way for more colorful linoleum floors. A checkerboard pattern was popular during this era and was generally white and a darker color.

The need for kitchen storage grew as more food items became available. Cereal and condensed soup were invented in the 1890s, and other items soon followed, such as packaged gelatin. Housewives were starting to enjoy pre-packaged food items. Upper cabinets were either mounted to the wall or standing alone with lower cabinet space, a countertop and upper storage. Another option that was popular was an oak cabinet with a white porcelain work surface. White was the primary choice of color for cabinets. By the end of the 1920s cabinets were more prominent in the kitchen.

Kitchen curtains were made from printed cotton material. Straight panels or cafe style would hang in a 1920s kitchen window. Popular colors included pastels, and prints were small.

Choices in colors changed from the beginning to the end of the 1920s. Early choices leaned toward pastels for walls and white cabinetry. By the end of the decade, housewives were more inclined to select darker colors for woodwork, cabinets and wall colors.