Kitchens and vintage decor go together like bread and butter. A vintage kitchen is perfect for you if you enjoy quirky and traditional design. There are many various vintage eras to pick from, whether you like a mid-century, retro aesthetic, or a rustic farmhouse vibe. The kitchen is the center of your home, so give it great consideration when adding unique wall decor. Wall decoration is great because it can give visual depth without taking up important counter space. In this post, I have compiled a creative list of ideas for the best vintage wall decor for the kitchen. So let’s jump right into it!
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Vintage kitchen posters are one of those universal wall hangings that will match any kitchen — from 1920s and 1930s vintage kitchen decor all the way to the 1980s. You just have to find the appropriate kitchen poster for the era you’re aiming to recreate.
And when using vintage kitchen posters to add a retro vibe to a modern space, anything goes! Vintage kitchen art prints, as they may also be referred to, are super versatile and they’re used in both old and modern house kitchens and food service establishments all over the world.
Botanical illustrations have a long history, dating back to the 16th century when the first botanical gardens were established. These prints were used to identify and classify plants and also to showcase their beauty to the public. During the 18th and 19th centuries, botanical prints became popular among collectors, and many artists produced detailed and accurate illustrations of plants for this purpose.
Go for some lovely light academia style vintage kitchen wall decor with old botanical prints. Vintage kitchen art prints of flowers, plants, and herbs can all be hung together to form a nice rustic gallery wall in the kitchen. This type of retro wall art for the kitchen is perfect for vintage farmhouse decor or a Victorian-inspired kitchen.
Tin is a material that screams vintage. Vintage decor enthusiasts should definitely give it a closer glance when decorating their kitchen walls. Kitchen tin signs were popular from the late 19th century to around the mid-20th century as a form of advertising for various food and household products. They usually featured colorful graphics and catchy slogans, and they could be found in diners, restaurants, and homes throughout the United States.
Putting up one tin sign on your kitchen wall could be good enough – making a standout item is one of the simplest ways to give anything a vintage feel. A focal point will offer a sumptuous touch and detract from any unwelcome modernism. However, I would suggest a gallery wall made up of smaller vintage tin signs. A collection of such vintage and quirky kitchen wall art gems could make quite an impression.
In the 1920s and 1930s, neon signs were a popular form of advertising and could be found in nearly every major city in the United States. By the 1940s and 1950s, neon signs had become iconic symbols of the American dream and were often used to advertise diners and other roadside attractions.
In the kitchen, vintage neon signs can evoke a sense of nostalgia and create a fun and playful atmosphere. Whether it’s a sign advertising a particular brand or simply a colorful piece of artwork, a vintage neon sign can be a unique and eye-catching addition to your kitchen, ideal for those wishing to recreate 1930s or 1940s vintage kitchen decor.
I feel like I talk about this in almost every post, but my love for vintage and antique china is forever. Especially when hung together to create a curated gallery wall. Regardless of the color combinations and style, vintage china can be mixed and matched and still look good.
Some color combinations and patterns to pay attention to are:
The shapes can also vary and hanging plates, platters, and cups together is definitely recommended.
Plan out the arrangement of the plates on the wall, using paper templates or painter’s tape to visualize the layout. Once you’re satisfied with the arrangement, hang the plates on the wall using plate hangers or adhesive hooks. An option here is also to consider mixing in other vintage kitchen items like retro silverware or cutting boards to add even more interest to the gallery wall.
are another wonderful type of vintage wall art for the kitchen.
Actually, the ones I’m thinking about are more of antique kitchen wall decor – they’re truly nostalgic kitchen wall decorations. I have in mind these types of antique paintings:
I know that buying an original painting (especially a really old one) can cost a fortune. A good alternative to that are giclee posters, which are basically reprints of old paintings. There are a ton of options to choose from on Etsy; they’re usually really good quality and really inexpensive. Just make sure to go by the reviews and you’ll be good to go!
Pair your paintings or reprints with some antique or vintage plates and/or drawing or sketch art prints encased in romantic frames for a perfect vintage farmhouse wall decor idea.
Moving from 2D to 3D, next up we have copper cookware which has been used for centuries due to its excellent heat conductivity and durability. In fact, copper was the preferred material for cookware among professional chefs and households in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Its popularity continued to grow in the United States during the 20th century, especially among affluent households.
In vintage kitchen decor, copper cookware can be used as a decorative element due to its aesthetic appeal and historical significance. Not only that, copper pans and dishes can be functional as well – they can be used for cooking and baking just like in the old days.
Set aside one, two, or three copper pans for purely decorative purposes to hang on the wall.
Wooden crates can bring a rustic and natural feel to a vintage-themed kitchen, while also adding a functional storage solution. Historically, wooden crates were used for transporting goods in the early 1900s and were often made from solid wood with a sturdy construction. Today, vintage and antique wooden crates are sought after for their unique character and patina.
As part of rustic kitchen wall decor, wooden crates can be used to display vintage kitchenware, such as antique utensils, plates, or mugs. They can also be used to store spices, oils, and other cooking essentials, providing both functionality and style to the kitchen decor.
Old food cans are usually colorful and often artistically designed making them unique storage containers or decorative pieces. Use a variety of vintage food cans to store knives, forks, spoons, and kitchen accessories.
This is actually one of my favorite types of old-fashioned kitchen wall art. Cookbooks have a long and rich history, dating back to ancient Rome and Greece, where recipes were written on scrolls and tablets. Printed cookbooks became popular in Europe during the 16th century, and by the 19th century, they were widely available in the United States.
Pages from old cookbooks provide a glimpse into the culinary habits and customs of the past and can be used for inspiration. Vintage cookbooks with hand-drawn illustrations or unusual recipes can also be used as a focal point in a room.
Scouring for old cookbooks can actually be a fun endeavor if you know where to look. I would suggest antique bookshops and flea markets, but also Etsy, for some unique items.
Mid-Century cookbooks are not hard to find and will make perfect 1950s vintage kitchen decor. Another option is to look for reprints of even older cookbooks, like the famous Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management from 1861, although you may not want to rip it apart. My suggestion is to make good quality copies of the pages you want to hang.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, silverware was often used to showcase the wealth and status of a household. Today, vintage and antique tableware can serve as vintage kitchen wall hangings.
Collect kitchen utensils from your favorite era in the past (for example – late 19th century) and accessories such as vintage bottle openers, antique forks, knives, and spoons, cake and pie servers, or can openers. Hang them on the wall in any shape you like, for example oval or to form a heart.
Particularly suitable for vintage farmhouse kitchen decor, a rustic chalkboard will look fantastic, especially with writing in an old-fashioned font. Don’t worry if you’re not a calligraphy expert, there are plenty of free old-style font stencils to be found online. Add to that some line illustrations of fruit, bread, vegetables, cheese, or whatever else you like, and say hello to the perfect retro kitchen wall art.
The second option is to find or buy a wooden board (or use your kitchen’s wooden wall if you have one) and stencil in a food-themed logo or illustration on it. Vintage food and kitchen-themed stencils can be found for super cheap online, making it a nice DIY vintage kitchen decor option.
Let’s discuss some frequently asked questions regarding vintage wall decor for the kitchen.
Look to a more recent era in design history for a wacky spin on old decor. A modern setting would appear beautiful when combined with the playful kitchen decor that was popular in the Mid-Century. A terrific approach to connecting the past and present is using mid-century design.
Opt for vintage posters, vintage tin food signs, paintings, old plates and cups, copper pans, wooden crates for storage, stenciled signs, or botanical vintage kitchen art prints.
To decorate a kitchen vintage, use vintage kitchen posters, old cookbook pages, and recipes, vintage tin signs of food advertisements, copper pans, wooden crates for storage, vintage or antique utensils and accessories, or botanical prints.
To make your kitchen look vintage, apart from vintage-inspired kitchen appliances, use vintage kitchen pictures or posters, paintings or reprints of pastoral scenes, flowers, and landscapes, vintage tin signs of food, and 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s neon signs. Also, hang some vintage utensils, plates, and accessories on the wall to create a vintage gallery wall.
Vintage kitchen posters will work well in most vintage kitchens. For a vintage farmhouse kitchen, use landscape paintings, botanical prints, and pages from old cookbooks. In a Mid-Century kitchen, you can use vintage tin signs that represent food advertisements. If your kitchen is inspired by the Victorian era, use still-life paintings, and recipe pages from 19th-century cookbooks
Adding vintage wall decor to your kitchen is like adding the secret ingredient to your favorite recipe – it just makes everything better! Whether you go for a rustic farmhouse, a retro diner vibe, or a Victorian-inspired atmosphere, incorporating vintage pieces into your kitchen design is a fun and easy way to bring character and charm to the heart of your home. So raid your grandma’s attic, hit up your local thrift store, and get ready to turn your kitchen into a vintage wonderland. Happy decorating!
