Mixture of full-inset and half-overlay cabinets: A common cabinet style for the era was the “half-overlay” style, where the cabinet doors and drawer fronts would overlap the frame of the cabinet slightly while still showing a strip of the front of the cabinet (like in the kitchen above). This kitchen designed by Anne De Wolf showcases the bright colors, half overlay cabinets and visible hinges typical of the era. The scalloped apron above the stove is also a replica of the original, showcasing some of the charming details common in the era.īright colors: Cabinets, walls and counter tops were often in cheery, vivid contrasting colors… a departure from all white cabinets and counters of the sanitation-obsessed ’20s. The mesh panel doors are exact replicas of their 1940s originals.

This kitchen designed by Kristyn Bester showcases the bright colors and decorative glass knobs that came into vogue in the ’40s. It also shows early signs of the manufactured product boom that was to come in the ’50s. The post-War kitchen benefited from the huge influx of returning soldiers who got married and set up housekeeping.

The 1940s pre-War kitchen borrowed from the ’30s with its cheerful prints and focus on white, sanitary spaces. If you have a 1940s house, it most likely falls into one of two categories: Pre-War or Post-War.

Bakelite vintage drawer pulls