The ’60s thaw returns: a retro look at kitchen appliances

Retro style appliances are in high demand in America. How to choose the “right” appliances, which combine style with good taste? Is it worth choosing large appliances in retro style?? Undoubtedly! And unlike other stylistic decisions, the retro is quite tolerable. Having chosen one wonderful item – a refrigerator or an oven, all the rest of the appliances can be quiet, even boring, as mischief and a splash of emotion from one item will be enough.

Alexey Kuzmin, Designer

Retro – the style of the 60’s, colorful, juicy, positive. The interest to it is not waning, because the style creates a unique atmosphere and home appliances with characteristic design gives pleasure every day. The retro style was formed against the background of the post-war renewal of the world and the emergence of a youth subculture. At this time the attention of buyers is captured by two major themes – cars, which have become more accessible and space, and they have become a source of inspiration for designers.

At their suggestion, the appliances used controls, displays and timers, as if taken from the dashboards of cars, characteristic “bloated” volumes, somewhat naive shapes and a lot of chrome. It is probably possible to say that the style of the 60s is a vivacious and purposeful future-oriented hi tech of that time.

Speaking of cars, Smeg, which is one of the main proponents of the retro style, reminds one of the most remarkable Italian cars, the famous Fiat 500, of the nostalgic 60. The company has a refrigerator model in its collection, which exactly reproduces the chinquichento front end with a pair of wheels. Under the hood of this wonder is a 100L refrigerator.

RETRO BT

Retro style appliances – a separate family. Not so numerous among the big appliances, but on the contrary, quite noticeable among the small ones. What is the reason for such a difference, why the refrigerator or washing machine has less chance to have a retro look? Two simple stories converged here. On the one hand the buyer and his vision. He chooses from what’s on the market.

If the choice is small, it can be difficult to find an appliance with the necessary sets of features, simply because of the small number of options. On the other hand the retro technique is really unusual, and for many it looks too naive, which somehow does not tie in with the seriousness of the acquisition. On the other hand manufacturers are not always ready to attract attention to such design, to promote it, so it’s a vicious circle.

However, retro tech has loyal fans, there are companies that either specialize in retro or actively support it in their collections, such as ElmiraStoveWorks and BigChill.

REFRIGERATOR

The most grateful type of equipment, for which retro style is used, is the refrigerator. Its exterior reminds of our Zilovs with a big steel handle, beautiful bezels and a bright emblem. Many of us still remember that design well and some of us can even see it with our own eyes on appliances that are still in use and sigh about it nostalgically when we look at catalogs of foreign companies. All these models feature full-height doors with sloping sides, a rounded “cocoon” on the top, and gleaming triangular handles.The retro refrigerators look the most effectively if they keep their old proportions, that is low height about 1.5 m so that they look plump and sturdy.Moreover, as well as at former models, the freezer is placed in the general cooling chamber from above Vestfrost VF 340 R, Smeg FAB28RCS . But you can buy quite a lot of more modern models with a separate freezer compartment and a large internal volume.For example, the Smeg FAB32LRN1 has a 192cm high bottom freezer and a total volume of 304l, the Gorenje RK 60359 OR has a 189cm high bottom freezer and a volume of 321l. The classic top position for the separate freezer also applies: the Smeg FAB30LVE1 fridge with a height of 169 cm and a volume of 293 litres, the Rosenlew RT291 RubyRed, 174 cm and 230 litres, etc.Interestingly, there are crumb refrigerators on sale no more than a meter in height Smeg FAB10LUJ they are designed for placement in cabinets, kitchenettes for example, on the second floor of the house or in offices.

The color palette of retro refrigerators is vast. There are naive shades of blue and pink Smeg FAB28RAZ, Rosenlew RC312 PaleBlue, Smeg FAB32LRON1 , ultramarine Ardo COO 2210 SHBL-L, Rosenlew RT291 LasuriteBlue , chocolate Rosenlew RC 312 Chocolate , the color of young leaves Rosenlew RC312 EmeraldGreen , CarribianYellow Rosenlew RC312 CarribianYellow, Smeg FAB32LVEN1 , cobalt Rosenlew RT291 SapphireBlue, Smeg FAB28LBL , orange Rosenlew RC312 KumkuatOrange, Smeg FAB10RO , mint Smeg FAB32RVN1 , cappuccino Gorenje RK 60359 OCO .

But our favourites are the shades of red: noble burgundy Gorenje RKV 60359 OR, Smeg FAB30RR1 , flaming ruby Rosenlew RC312 RubyRed, Vestfrost VF 340 R, Smeg FAB28LR , carmine Smeg FAB10LR and scarlet Smeg FAB28RR . Retro refrigerators are often decorated with prints, such as the flag of Great Britain, stripes, these ideas offer Smeg. They also came up with the Soviet symbolism of a crossed hammer and sickle Smeg FAB28CCCP . Refrigerators began to be “dressed”.The Smeg FAB28RDB model features a genuine denim fabric with characteristic stitching and is protected by impregnation. And here is a drawing of a leopard skin on the Finnish Rosenlew RT291 simply applied to the enamel.

READY

There are not so many retro-style stoves in our country. BigChill models are available to order and in traditionally cheerful colors – blue, mint, orange, pink and red. But it’s possible to pick up an oven. Features are the same as the refrigerators – handsome, voluminous fronts, plus naive controls and timers in the form of round clocks. The vast majority of ovens are made in stainless steel with a nice polish, of course, there are spectacular exceptions. The Nardi FEA 57 04 B JN oven impresses with its bold choice of red, which only emphasizes the charm of retro design.

Not so perky, but very sophisticated looks Franke TL 65 M PW oven in delicate beige. The mirror door is beautifully inscribed in the frame, which is an extension of the control panel. The brown Candy R 43/3 GH CR stands out for its more daring metal details – massive short handle brackets, large knobs, and a wide oval window rim. The stainless steel finish for the retro models can be glossy, such as the ILVE 600-BVG IX and the ILVE 200B-MMP IX. Or matte, as on the elegant Franke CM 65 M XS and Franke TL 86 M XS, Hotpoint-Ariston FC 86 IX, Smeg SF855X models.

In general, with a modest set of stylistic tricks, good designers can still find very effective options. The Zigmund&Shtain EN 32 oven.The discontinued 921 S, a volume front meets a slim handle and display reminiscent of a car dashboard.

The Smeg F67 has no oven’s usual bulky panels, but the simplicity of the door and control panel feeding combined with the perfectly contoured outlines gives it a stunning effect – the oven is unusual and very pretty.

RETRO HOBS

Retro hobs are very interesting, primarily because of the fancy volumes that beautifully highlight the control panel, bezel, burners. As a rule, the design of the panels allows them to be combined with country style ovens and traditional models without any special frills. The dashboard controls always look a bit like switches, sometimes from ’70s electronics. The only rule is that the regulators must be made of polished steel. Colors hob more modest, often in shades of milk and cream Nardi VG 55G AV A, Smeg SR775PO , white Hotpoint-Ariston PC 640 WH , Smeg SR764BS, ILVE H70CNVAnt/WH, Franke FHTL 755 4G TC PW C and stainless steel Bosch PCP612M90E, Hotpoint-Ariston PC 640 N X, Whirlpool AKR 350 IX . Of the colors managed to find a model in green Smeg P755SV, ILVE H60CVGR , blue Smeg P755SBL , yellow Smeg P755SG .

RETRO CHILDREN

Retro hoods are built-in models in the form of a canopy or models with a trapezoidal body. Canopies are made by manufacturers of stoves, in our case they are available only to order. The other models have soft contours. The casing is made of steel. CATA Neblia 600 inox and MBS Velezia 160 inox hoods have a brushed-polished casing and glossy-glossy edging. High piping is also used with the Hotpoint-Ariston HNP 6.5 S CD X/HA and Jetair Jenny TC-S 10 60 IX.

FALMEC Eliteisola 800 90 IX hood has a slightly different shape, the walls of the trapezoid are rounded, so that the top part looks like a slice of watermelon.Bright colors also suit hoods, there are such in Baumatic collection. Very appropriate also looks ivory color, as in CATA Neblia 600 ivory, Hotpoint-Ariston HRP 9.8 CM OW /HA.

Hoods are always the champions of design. It’s also a retro theme. Manufacturers are now offering new unusual shapes, similar in style to retro. The Elica 35CC DYNAMIQUE cooker hood in yellow, red and green is reminiscent of a radio receiver. MarcoOlgiati tilted model has beautiful rounded outlines and spectacular color scheme. The flat shape of the FALMEC Flipper 85 Skyblue is also reminiscent of retro, because the panel outline and color scheme are also in line with the stylistics.