The first modern fitted kitchen – the so-called Frankfurt Kitchen – was designed in 1926 by Austrian architect, Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky. The preserve of the rich during the 1930s and ’40s, the space-saving marvel was widely adopted by the middle classes in the 1950s, particularly in the US, which when it came to consumer goods, was light years ahead of the rest of the Western world.
Refrigerators were commonplace in US homes during the 1950s and ’60s, but a relative rarity in other countries. But the UK only caught up with States in terms of domestic refrigeration in the ’90s. Hands-down the dream model, the Kelvinator Foodarama was considered the Rolls-Royce of refrigerators. The supersized ’50s frost-free fridge-freezer rocked everything from an 'Ice Cream Keeper' to a 'Humidiplate' for keeping foods moist.
The first portable vacuum cleaner intended for domestic use was invented by British manufacturer Walter Griffiths in 1905 after much development and testing by various designers over the previous few decades. A pre-Second-World-War luxury, it was widely adopted by the middle classes throughout the West during the late 1940s and ’50s, though they were more prevalent in American households. Across the pond, UK customers benefited from hire purchase, which pretty much fuelled the post-war consumer boom in the country.
American company, Hoover, introduced the world's first handheld vacuum cleaner in 1930. The Dustette cost around the same price as a full-sized model and remained a luxury item until the 1960s. Remarkably durable, the Dustette is renowned for its robustness and many models still work perfectly today.
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Hardwood flooring is one of the most desirable home features these days but back in the mid-20th century, exposed floorboards and even quality parquet were definite no-nos. Many householders yearned for sculptured carpets. In fact, textured shag-pile was all the rage at the time.
Likewise, Linoleum, which is seen as a budget option these days, was de rigueur and not just for kitchens and bathrooms. During the 1950s and ’60s manufacturers produced vinyl floor coverings in all sorts of brightly hued patterns, and colourful Lino was popular even with the wealthiest consumers.
North America was light years ahead of other parts of the West in almost everything during the 1950s and ’60s, but there were some exceptions. The electric kettle was fairly commonplace in tea-drinking Britain around this time despite its hefty price tag, but the USA’s relatively low mains voltage makes boiling water painfully slow, so kettles of this kind were virtually unheard of in American homes and are still rarely seen today, with many people opting for stove-top models instead.
Coffee makers were a rarity in British homes during the middle part of the 20th century and reserved for only the wealthiest consumers. Less affluent coffee lovers relied on instant or liquid Camp Coffee made in a simple pot. In America, however, percolators and siphon devices were typical in kitchens up and down the country until the 1970s, when the Mr Coffee drip maker took the nation by storm.
Taking pride of place in many living rooms back in the mid-20th century, the console record player and radio, which was typically finished in highly polished wood, was no budget buy. With top brands like AWA costing the equivalent of $1,600 (£1,220) in today's money.
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The use of coal fires plummeted in much of the Western world during the 1950s and ’60s as electricity and gas became cheaper and legislation outlawed the burning of the polluting fuels in some areas. Affluent households led the way by swapping coal for electric fires, which became increasingly affordable.
The last word in mid-century modern sofa design, this beauty was created by US furniture designer, Florence Knoll, in 1954, and sold by her namesake company. The design went on to spawn countless copycats, but the original was, of course, the most desirable and would have been quite a status symbol back in the day.
A food mixer was an essential piece of kit for cooks during the 1950s and ’60s and featured in many well-equipped kitchens. In North America, Australia and New Zealand, the slick Sunbeam Mixmaster was the best-selling food mixer of the era, while the Kenwood Chef was the number one in UK kitchens.
Although the electric timed pop-up toaster was invented by Charles Strite back in 1919, the gadget was super-expensive for decades and was regarded as a luxury item until the 1960s, when prices began to fall. Before that, people of more modest means resorted to toasting their bread under the grill.
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A wonder material for the 1950s householder, Formica laminate is effortlessly easy to clean and retains its glossy finish for years. Formica introduced the Vanitory in 1951. With its curved design and slick surfaces, it made for the ultimate modern bathroom and is likely to have featured on numerous wish lists at the time.
Formica laminate became the material of choice for kitchens and to a lesser extent dining tables during the 1950s. The quintessential example, which sold like hot cakes, featured chrome legs and came with vinyl-upholstered chrome chairs.
Although many people regard built-in bedroom cabinets as pretty cringey these days, the fitted bedroom was the height of good taste during the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, and many householders couldn't wait to swap their freestanding chests of drawers, dressing table, and wardrobe for a compact fitted creation.
The most famous design by husband-and-wife team, Charles and Ray Eames, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman debuted in 1956. Like many of the lauded furniture items of the era, it was designed for Herman Miller and has remained in continuous production by the company ever since.
In 1950, around 60% of US households owned a phone but in other Western countries a home telephone was thought of as a frivolous luxury until the 1960s. If you owned more than one landline handset during the 1950s and ’60s, you really had arrived, especially if you had an extension phone in the kitchen and one in the master bedroom.
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A fabulous example of space age design that was exceedingly popular in the middle part of the 20th century, the Sputnik chandelier pays homage to the Soviet satellite of the same name that was launched in 1957. Relentlessly copied, the original design is attributed to Italy's Gino Sarfatti.
Back in 1950, barely half of all US homes had central heating. Across the pond, the technology was non-existent in homes before the late 1950s and was seen as a luxury even during the early ’70s, when only 30% of households owned a central heating system. As you can imagine, this Dimplex radiator from the ’60s would have been out of reach for most families.
Electric cookers were widely adopted during the middle of the 20th century, particularly by middle-class householders. They became increasingly advanced and feature-packed during this time. This 1960s Tappan model, for example, wowed with an electric warming shelf, super-fast heating technology and Teflon-coated oven liners.
Again, America was far ahead of the rest of the Western world in adopting colour television. The first colour TVs were available in the US during the early 1950s, while other countries had to wait until the late ’60s to get hold of theirs, which in the early days were ridiculously pricey. They only became affordable to most families during the ’70s.
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In 1960, 64% of US households had a washing machine, while only 18% owned a dryer, and the UK and no doubt other Western countries were behind the US by around decade in this respect. This RCA Whirlpool washer/dryer combo from the late ’50s was therefore a product only the richest could stretch to.
The mid-century obsession with space-saving fitted cabinetry wasn't limited to the kitchen or bedroom. Built-in living room units became mega-popular during the 1960s and ’70s, and were a common sight in up-to-the-minute homes at the time. This snazzy example from the era is by British furniture maker Hyperion.
Designed by the Milan-based Castiglioni brothers in 1962, the Arco floor lamp, which was inspired by street lighting, is a design classic. A must for fashionable householders during the ’60s, the lamp, which didn't come cheap, has like many coveted objects from the period, come back into vogue.
As this sexist ad shows, the hostess trolley, aka the tray cart, was de rigueur for the 1950s housewife. By the ’70s, when it peaked in popularity, the indispensable wheeled wonder featured warming plates and other exciting innovations. The hostess trolley slipped out of favour in the ’80s and ’90s but has made something of a comeback in recent years.
While a fireplace had long been the heart and hearth of the home by necessity, the birth of central heating meant that they could be installed for aesthetic reasons rather than functional. Mid-century design saw the removal of fancy carvings, wood and tiling in favour of sleek, streamlined marble that fitted with the rest of the modern home – much to the annoyance of conservationists everywhere!
Before Second World War many women (as men rarely did any housework in those days) had to make do with flat irons heated on a range cooker. Thankfully the electric iron went mainstream during the late 1940s and ’50s. By the end of the ’50s, a decent model could be bought for the equivalent of $80 (£60) in today's money.
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