If you’re a fan of American fast food, early rock ‘n’ roll and mid-century fashion, you might be tempted to give your kitchen an American diner style makeover. Sure, it’s not to everyone’s taste, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s cheerful, nostalgic and eminently practical. So, here’s how to create an American diner style kitchen in your home – jukeboxes and all!
Begin with the floor
This is the easiest way to inject that American Diner vibe into your space, and because it covers so much surface area, it has a really punchy impact. Choose a laminate or tiled floor in a large chequered pattern, opting for black and red, red and white or blue and cream for an authentic look. You could also consider laying a linoleum if you prefer – this material was originally used in diners and it still wears fairly well.
Move onto kitchen cupboards
Cabinetry that’s perfectly flat looks more authentic than anything that’s been carved or is particularly intricate, so consider replacing your cupboards if they need to be made a little bit sleeker to fit in with an American diner style. Red cupboards in a high-gloss finish will look incredible, but you can also opt for matt paints in mint greens or blues for something a little softer while still giving that nostalgic feel.
Its all in the appliances
You could opt for a retro fridge freezer, but they’re not particularly efficient (though they’re doubtless nostalgic). Instead, consider choosing a modern fridge freezer in a French door style. This is often mistakenly called ‘American’ style because it’s so large, and the double doors give it a real sense of theatre when you open it up for a midnight feast.
It won’t look the least bit out of place in an American diner style kitchen – especially if you opt for a stainless steel finish such as the kind designed by Fisher & Paykel: stainless steel was a material used over and over again in American diners due to its easy-cleaning ability and resilience to wear and tear.
Think about the furniture
Once you’ve settled on your appliances, give some consideration to your kitchen furniture. For example, if you’re going to have an open-plan kitchen diner (very mid-century!), you’ll need to pick a set of table and chairs that really look the part. Scour the web for genuine vintage pieces, or opt for imitation pieces that look like the real thing. Brands such as Cola Red offers complete retro dining sets, but you can choose individual retro tables, booth seating, chairs or stools to create an arrangement that works perfectly in your space.
The finishing touches
Finally, don’t forget to add those finishing touches. From vintage tea caddies to gingham tablecloths, Coca-Cola bottles to jukeboxes, it’s the details that make all the difference in a diner-style kitchen. If nothing else, invest in neon light fixtures, artwork from the 1950s and 60s and mid century milkshake glasses. They’ll all make it feel like as if you’ve time travelled – in a good way.