Here's proof that we've gotten ever-so-safe in our decorating choices. While this denim blue beauty might not be to everyone's taste, you can't help but marvel at the scalloped trim with red edging, curved larder shelving and matching sheer curtains. Published in 'Ideas for Every Room’ by Armstrong Cork Company, it's a safe bet to presume that the statement floor was available to buy.

Despite the prevalence of steel cabinets in the 1940s, wood was still a popular and reliable choice. With its slab-front units, curved breakfast bar and bent metal counter seats, this kitchen shows the origins of many of today's trends. We can breathe a sigh of relief that the brown-and-yellow colour scheme was abandoned at the turn of the decade though...

Designed by influential interior stylist Hazel Dell Brown in 1941, this pale pink and blue kitchen is polka dot perfection. From the glass-block wall with its artfully mounted flowerpots to the frilled chair and counter stool covers, the space bears witness to Brown's eye for detail. We particularly love the integrated desk with its handy compartments.

Another gem from 1940s designer, Hazel Dell Brown, this pale yellow kitchen is chock-full of quirky features. From the glass divider printed with an elegant floral design to the daybed in the corner, the room has everything you'd ever need in one space. 

This 1950s magazine illustration features a mint green oven that matches the slanted rafters, a polished brass pendant light and elegant wood cabinetry. Note the white-brick wall – a predecessor to the metro tile – and the trendy gold-coloured hardware, which can be seen in many modern homes today.

Sporting a gleaming stainless steel oven and matching hob, this would have been a cutting-edge kitchen back in its day. The pale yellow units are offset by an orange wall which has been decorated with an eclectic collection of metal trivets, rolling pins and ladles. 

The 1950s saw pastel shades aplenty in kitchens, including salmon pink, as we can see in this kitchen straight out of a time capsule. Complemented by white wood panelling, floral curtains and geometric linoleum, this compact kitchen is brimming with vintage appeal. 

Bold, sunny hues dominated the 1950s, symbolising a more optimistic outlook following the Second World War. With its canary yellow units, coral-coloured kettle and vibrant spice tins, this bright kitchen was an early example of the colour blocking trend. Best of all is the bright red coffee pot – a perfect piece of retro homeware. 

Mint green may not be in fashion now, but pastel-coloured cabinets were all the rage back in the 50s. Combined with candy pink walls and accessorised with a trendy sunburst clock and matching copper kettle, this colourful kitchen was bang on trend 60 years ago.

With its eclectic display of patterned crockery and powder blue chequerboard sink skirt, this charming kitchen offers a glimpse into an old-fashioned country home. Cheerful sunflowers, stripes and bright blue cabinets make this a sunny space to cook and eat. We love the record player – perfect for kitchen parties!

The handy hatch – an intrinsic feature to many a retro kitchen – takes centre stage in this vintage magazine illustration. With its loud geometric ceiling and pops of red and turquoise, this vibrant image will bring back memories of Friday family suppers and Sunday roasts.

This trendy galley kitchen boasts many features that would not look out of place in a contemporary home. From the Moroccan-style tiles to the frosted glass pendant lights, the space is a source of inspiration for homeowners embracing the mid-century modern trend.

Now on display in the National Museum of American History, the kitchen of celebrated chef Julia Child epitomises the sleek designs favoured by homeowners in the 1960s. Complete with butcher-block counters and stainless steel range, this was every home cook's dream kitchen and Julia designed it with her husband Paul, including the ingenious pegboards for hanging her gleaming copper pans. 

With its curved counter, stainless steel splashback and cluster of pendant lights, this kitchen shows off a number of 21st-century kitchen trends. The wood-panelled walls and ceiling fan were typical of the 1960s, as was the open-plan layout. With dinner parties becoming increasingly popular, kitchens were built to facilitate entertaining.

What better way to bring a pop of colour to a boring beige kitchen than to add a vibrant lime green? With its diner-style booth, curved counter and lemon-print curtains, this retro kitchen would have been the epitome of cool back in the day.

With its neon yellow sink panels, bright orange cookware and jazzy curtains, this cheerful kitchen symbolises the liberal mindset of the swinging '60s. The quirky mix of pastel and fluorescent hues has sadly not stood the test of time, but there's no reason why it can't make a comeback. 

The designer of this kitchen certainly had no qualms about mixing and matching. With its bright wooden cabinets, trompe l'oeil tiles, faux marble counters and floral pelmet, this room is nothing if not original. The pièce de résistance is the turquoise shagpile – one trend that has not dated well!

Wood was king in the 70s as designers moved towards natural hues and organic materials. With its wooden beams and rich grained cabinets, this time-capsule kitchen is a prime example of late 20th-century design. Warm and homely, this space would have been perfect for entertaining.

The 1970s were all about the hippie movement and this sunny yellow kitchen pays homage to the decade of flower power. The mismatched hanging mugs match the tea towel and chopping board, while the colourful Kellogg's Corn Flakes box adds the perfect finishing touch to this retro throwback.

Now here's a kitchen to challenge even the boldest of decorators. While the handleless electric blue units are cool and curved into this round space, that flocked floral backsplash and ceiling treatment is beyond redemption. 

This drop-dead gorgeous kitchen has designer pedigree written all over it. Of course, black kitchens are also a huge trend now but it's also those block metallic handles and the horizontal wooden cladding that's really got us. 

A slightly more austere style, this 1980s Australian kitchen champions the new taste for minimalism. A hangover from the 70s where earth tones were on-trend, it features mottled brown tiles with matching accent shelving and cabinet trims. The suspended oven is a great space-saving feature and child-friendly to boot.

Proof – if any were needed – that there's nothing new in design, this rattan kitchen has bounced right back into fashion in the 2020s. The gorgeous honey wooden cupboards have a central panel made from wicker, which adds texture and depth to the overall look. Even the dishwasher has been given the same treatment!

Now, this is what a kitchen looked like in the 1980s! The red and white colour scheme was a hot favourite of the decade and yet, those biscuit coloured square tiles still made it into this scheme.

Small kitchens are nothing new, and this tiny set-up looks incredibly modern with its millennial pink cabinetry. We do love the letterbox titling though, that's such a hallmark of 1980s design, and the double round stainless steel sinks. 

This 80s kitchen certainly has the wow-factor thanks to this incredible arched glass roof which lets the light flood in. A mish-mash of traditional design elements, from the lanterns and swagged blinds to the punchy coral wallpaper, this kitchen manages to pull them all off with style. We particularly love the oversized ferns at the top of the cupboards. Stealing this idea!

Loved this? Check out these vintage living rooms and throwback bedrooms!

Another popular kitchen design to emerge from the eighties was the concept of kitchen cabinets without handles. The 'euro-style' was a trend that featured pale laminate cabinets with a streamlined wood trim with seamless handles carved out. 

Popular open-plan layouts made way for U shape kitchens that boasted continuous worktops. This created more space for kitchen appliances. As microwave ovens became more affordable and high-speed cooking desirable that 'ready in two minutes' ping was soon a familiar sound in most kitchens and the bigger the appliance the better. 

White kitchens with contrasting red trims splash backs and accessories were sort after in trendy apartments and kitchens. It was a contemporary take in revolt against traditional looks. White laminate cabinets with matching worktops were bright and easy to keep clean, where as those pops of red were vibrant and angular. 

During the 80s 'living on the go' was the fashion. So almost every kitchen needed a breakfast bare to take a quick pit stop. Cool kids of the "yuppie" era may remember coming down to breakfast, helping themselves from the cereal station and hopping onto a circular bar stool. 

During the 80s honey-hued cabinets lightened up the look of 70s dark wood kitchen styles. Combined with laminate worktops and colourful square tiled splash backs the look was affordable, fun, modern and homely. 

Homely farmhouse kitchens were sought-after in the 80s. Martha Stewart modelled her large kitchen in Turkey Hill on this this scheme. The design typically featured wooden cupboards surrounding a large dining table and pretty finishings such as floral curtains, copper pots and decorative wall plates. 

Granite became a favourite kitchen worktop material during the 90s due to it's natural and durable nature. Black was probably the most iconic tone as it contrasted well with both cherry wood and colourful cabinetry. 

Stainless steel kitchen appliances went crazy in during the 80s. Double door refrigerators, oven and microwaves went from black, white or beige to professional style steel to make kitchens look upscale and fit for even the best chefs.

With shiny stainless steel appliances came a love of high gloss handleless kitchens and cabinets. The slab style look was introduced in a whole range of colours from bright white to rich burgendy to charcoal grey. The streamlined sheen worked well with interegrated appliances and modern steel sinks and faucets. 

In constrast to high contemporary high gloss looks that remained popular well into the new century. Classic kitchens took on a smart shaker vibe in rich tones such as cherry wood. Colour and pattern was introducted through mosiac splashbacks- the smaller the tile and more intricate the pattern the better. 

By the 1990s trendy breakfast bars had made way for grand kitchen islands in open-plan kitchens were top of 1990 kitchen design wish-lists. Families used the kitchen as the hub of their homes for family-time, entertaining and studies. Kitchen islands had to be big for multi-use purposes and the more opulent the better. This central island is opulent with decorative pillars topped with smooth and shiny granite worktops. 

At one point rustic or 'tuscan-style' kitchens were everywhere. Travertine floor tiles, granite work-tops, glazed cabinets and terracotta accessories were all staples of the rather gaudy and fake take on Tuscan style. 

Carpenter and consturction engineer, Mikael Warnhammar developed and launched IKEA's first modular kitchen in 1998. By the turn of the millennium the freestanding units on legs were embraced by millions who installed mix and match, flat-pack VARDE kitchen units teamed with industrial style extras into their homes at a fraction of the price of fitted kitchens. 

Heading into 21st century we saw kitchen trends move away from warm toned wood kitchens in favour of all-white schemes. Runs of white cabinetry was topped with pale marble worktops and the world went crazy for metro tile splashbacks. The bright white-on-white schemes were balanced by glass cabinets displaying yet more white crockery inside and word art began to adorn walls.