Ideas for Five Dream Kitchens from 1935

       Are you, too, a little weary of working hour after hour in the kitchen? Wouldn't you like, sometimes, to just give up the whole business of housekeeping? Most of us would. It all seems so monotonous . . . that is, until we learn the secret. And the secret is this: Beauty is a cure for the blues! A beautiful, modern kitchen will lighten any housekeeper's work!

"...even your best friend, for a moment, will be jealous of you for cornering so many darling ideas.

       Let's go straight to the point and talk about the main feature of this kitchen -- that unusual plan of placing the sink at right angles to the window: First, the light comes over your left shoulder instead of straight into your eyes; second, it saves valuable wall space and puts otherwise useless floor space to work; third, it concentrates the food preparation center so that a minimum of steps is required to reach the sink, cupboards, refrigerator, and stove; fourth, two people can work at the sink comfortably. Why didn't we think of it before? However, the laboratory-like efficiency of this kitchen would not be so appealing were it not clothed in such an abundance of color. There's nothing subdued about this daring scheme of bold red and cream.

"A refreshing symphony in greens."

       A vision of coolness, this kitchen suggests the freshness of a garden after a shower - let's say a vegetable garden, because that very new and very smart wall paper with the naive and playful colored vegetable motif has given such delightful zest to a simple color scheme. Oh - you say you are tired of green kitchens; they've been done to death! Well, there are greens and GREENS. The deep myrtle shade in this plan gives the lighter green a certain distinction. Three good decorative materials make up the background for this tidy little kitchen - the floor of Armstrong's Embossed Linoleum , the wainscoting of linowall in close gradations of soothing green, and the fanciful wall paper.

       Instead of the usual and obvious treatment, the floor was bordered in white linoleum with inset strips of jade and evergreen plain linoleum for accent. This same dark green linoleum was used for quiet counters and table tops and for the new type of linoleum and Stainless Steel sink. It's this sharp contrasting note of deep green appearing in stove and kitchen cabinet fittings, under-cut baseboard, and chair that give character to the room. And, lest you miss it - make a mental note of that convenient rack for trays.

       Of course, the liquid quality of the green rubberized silk curtains further emphasises our cool idea and completes the scheme with the exception of that cozy little breakfast setting at the left of the picture. In front of a white leather padded and cushioned banquette is a just-right, long, narrow but practical breakfast table.

       That white painted tin epergne for fruit - the oblong china trays to hold the egg cups and cereal bowl in lieu of the usual plate and doily combination - the maple leaf plates for rolls and butter, and the deep green thumb print goblets are refreshingly new and different.

"Chinese Modern in a Breakfast Room and Kitchen."

       If you like modern things you may find in this plan a formula for your own ideal breakfast room and kitchen, especially if you live in an apartment, keep house on a small scale, and would like a breakfast room that might be used for lunch and impromptu suppers as well. Of course, it would be just as useful in a big house.

       The floor suggested the Chinese motif and the mad bright green for a dominant color which, in combination with gray and black becomes quite dramatic.

       Several arresting decorative ideas distinguish this two-purpose room. To begin with, the dull polished black walls, the Chinese grill, and the curtains in brilliant parrot green are simply breathtaking.

       If you would like your friends to grow faint with envy, make a note of those unusual curtains over the natural bamboo shades - widths and widths of gause-like Chinese silk accordian pleated. They are positively glamorous!

       The handsome yet casual bamboo chairs were a bit expensive but they do so much for the scheme that they are worth all they cost, especially when you save so much on your floors! As a foil for the breakfast room, the kitchen is done in restrained gray and silvery Monel Metal with just a touch of red. The walls and cabinets are simply pale gray with metal trim, the curtains a fascinating silver rubberised silk. Even the stove is pearly gray. And lest we forget that extra quip of smartness, the aquarium is illuminated from the bottom and incorporated as a part of the grill design.

       Somewhat sophisticated yet undeniably practical, this kitchen is commended to young moderns who want chic for a song.

"A cottage kitchen...homey and intimate."

       This kitchen was planned for the woman who is happily and frankly domestic - and proud of it - the nice sort of person whose husband, children, and friends just naturally drift into the kitchen to be with her while she works. So, efficiency experts to the contrary, this kitchen is purposely a bit roomy.

       There is a certain serene charm about the scheme of copper and brown - how friendly and warm it seems in contrast to the wintry landscape. The pretty informal plaid linoleum floor is one of those highly satisfying combinations of beauty and serviceability. Best of all, it won't throw your budget into a panic. 

       Linowall, the new linoleum-like wall material, has been enthusiastically received by every housewife who has seen it. Instinctively she seems to sense its practical qualities. The coppery tones of the linowall wainscoting chosen for this room suggested the delicious color used for the cupboards and wood trim, a sort of pink apricot, or it may be salmon is a better description. Metallic copper paint was used for the scalloped frieze to harmonize with the polished copper hood over the stove which, by the way, is one of those modern miracles - a really good-looking, flat-topped gasoline range.

       Those filmy soft curtains are embroidered batiste - the fifty-cents-a-yard kind. Sunlight does such fascinating things with eyelet embroidered material. You will be interested to know that what may look like a complicated style in that graceful swag, is really very simple. One long length of material was used for the diamond casement group of windows, two ordinary straight curtains for the other.  The trick is all in the draping with the cotton cords and the glass tie-backs. For those necessary jewel-like accents, without which no picture is complete, clear green was used in small accessories - the table setting, the curtain tie-backs, and the child's chair. It goes without saying that this scheme is at its best in a northeast kitchen where the light is cold rather than on the sunny south side.

       Warm, inexpensive, and friendly, we commend this kitchen to those home makers who by choice or necessity, do their own work and crave a joyous place in which to do it.

"Peasant charm in a kitchen workshop."

       Here is a kitchen that doesn't have to be coddled, worried over, and spared. It will take the grueling wear that any family kitchen receives and look pleasant because it's almost completely "linoleumed" from top to bottom. Yes, those soft brown walls; the floor a marvel of serviceability; and the counter tops plain terra cotta; are all linoleum.

       This new Linowall is really something to become excited about. It's like linoleum except for the backing. You know, genuine linoleum has a burlap back - linowall has a strong, evenly woven fabric back which is better for walls. Like linoleum, the colors go through and, therefore, will not scrub off.

       A business-like kitchen is desirable, but not at the expense of beauty. This is how the two qualities were combined . . . Starting with a permanent finish Linowall and an equally serviceable floor, natural wood was the logical choice for cupboards and wood trim and, between you and me, there's really nothing quite like stained and waxed wood trim for a kitchen that gets hard use. The stark simplicity of plain wood was softened with a bit of free hand decoration in green, red, and blue on the cupboards, frieze, window recesses, and the tiny built-in desk at the left.

       Peasant chairs, cheerful decorated boxes, waste-basket (on a swinging crane), makeup mirror, the black china cat so often seen in French Provincial kitchens, shiny copper utensils, and colorful table setting lend charm to serviceability. Another interesting item is those double sash curtains. Even if you don't know one end of a needle from the other, you can make them yourself for they're really a large coarse plaid linen lunch cloth with fringed edges, cut into four pieces. Of course, you do have to sew a casing for the rod. That's all, however.

       And what makes it all unblemished joy is the fact that with expenses nudging you from the left and right, you can still afford this quaint, permanently finished kitchen, for both the walls and floor are surprisingly low in price. edited by grimm