How the Kitchen Has Changed Over 100 Years

Colorful appliances go out of vogue, and in their place come sleek black or white choices. (Though some would opt for the creamier "almond" color occasionally offered.)

It's big, it's bulky, but it's useful. Multiple burners let you multi-task. In the 1920s, enamel finishes became trendy, which added more style options but also ease when wiping them down.

The electric dishwasher promised to rescue us all from the drudgery of washing hundreds of dishes and and cutlery (some women reported washing 200+ pieces per day). But encouraging homeowners to buy it wasn't easy. House Beautiful encouraged readers to remind their husbands that he'd have a happier life with a happier wife if she were free from "the curse of dish-washing drudgery."

Waffle irons, toasters, and percolators were such marvels in the '20s that we suggested placing them — all of them — right on the dining table.

By the early '20s, the piecemeal kitchen, with its freestanding Hoosier cabinet, stove, and work table, was being replaced with all-in-one configurations.

Though color dominated the '50s, some designers encouraged a little playfulness with decor. Note the compact icebox and the very roomy double-sink.

Saving time was a consistent theme in the '30s, when House Beautiful teamed up with Procter & Gamble to create the Ivory Washable House. The design emphasized materials that were easy to clean and maintain, like metal cabinets, stainless steel counters, and linoleum floors.

Clean lines and an efficient design can be seen in the kitchen of actress Joan Fontaine, a film star in the '30s and '40s.

Here's another celebrity kitchen, this time belonging to the actress Heather Thatcher. A more streamlined gas stove, a compact cabinet unit, and over-the-sink dish storage maximized space in the smaller room.

The sleek, glamorous lines of the Art Deco period made its way into the kitchen. There's an emphasis on light (a triple window), sleek lines, and a geometric motif make a definitive statement.

In the U.K., the compact washing machine and wringer makes its debut. The machine wasn't in a laundry room just yet, though. Its home was in the kitchen.

Built-in dining nooks first hit our pages in 1920, but they weren't exactly comfy — think church pew – style benches. Fast-forward to 1949, and the nook had morphed into a comfortable banquette, ideal for casual family meals.

The magazine's new "Take It Easy, Lady" column illustrated cutting-edge innovations, like an early-'50s at-home incinerator. What could go wrong?

In the '50s, we encouraged homeowners to pull up a chair ... to the sink. It's all about saving your back!

Easy-to-clean glass shelves, in-door compartments, and crisper drawers were a novel design in the '50s, and would become standard. But the refrigerator isn't the only in-demand appliance. In the postwar years, sales of home freezers went through the roof, making daily grocery shopping a relic of the past.

We've cooked with wood, coal and gas, but by now, an electric range, however small, was the hallmark of the high-tech kitchen of the period.

Though we think of open floor plans as very "today," the modern homes of the midcentury often boasted the boundary-less designs that combined many functions into one space. Here, pastel cabinets separate the social area from the cooking space in the kitchen.

While we can't speak to the safety of pull-out steps that function as an eating surface (let alone speak to the hygienic impact), but the '50s were all about innovations ... quite often for the sake of innovations.

New advances in food tech and labor-saving devices theoretically saved time in meal prep, making it possible to devote more space in your kitchen to decor (rather than to a pantry).

Custom cabinetry was a popular option in the affluent '50s. White enamel and stainless steel reflect a more practical consideration.

Appliances like stand mixers (which are still a standby!) began to make a statement in the modern kitchens of the era.

By the mid-century, the kitchen had become a stylish gathering space. In 1953, House Beautiful wrote about this new era: "The best measure of the revolution in the food world is that the kitchen has become a presentable living room. The kitchen has changed because the work done there is different, and because modern materials can look beauty — yet still be practical." This combo kitchen and dining area elegantly proves the point.

As food prep becomes simpler, cooking takes on a more "hobby" status. Budding gourmets flock to the teachings of Julia Child, while more adventurous types take advantage of new tech (like the indoor barbecue and range hood in this kitchen). Decor-wise, color is king, but also lighting — high-end kitchens rely on recessed or hidden sources of illumination.

The emergence of earth tones in the mid-to-late '60s brings shades like "harvest gold" and "avocado green" into kitchens across the country. Though some may go even bolder with color, these hues remained popular even though the '80s.

The U-shaped kitchen gives a space the feeling of intimacy without being enclosed by walls. This design also provides a little extra space for cooking and storage, while still allowing natural light to come in.

The kitchen pegboard became popular in the '50s when many home cooks followed the lead of Julia Child. It's a convenient way to keep pans within reach while also adding an unexpected decorative element, so many people kept it up.

Boundary-breaking design hit suburban and city kitchens alike, in the form of busy prints. Here, vinyl wallpaper unifies the refrigerator and backsplash while adding a trendy touch in a feature from a 1966 issue.

A pair of landlines make doing the dishes go by just the tiniest bit faster.

The '60s ushered in daring design and the '70s took it up to a very experimental place. Case in point: This rule-breaking kitchen that combines saturated color with foil wallpaper (in two prints!), wood cabinets, and avocado appliances.

Tech also took an experimental turn in the '70s, with this suspiciously person-height kitchen robot promising to help lend a hand in the day-to-day care of your family. Really, though, the best tech advance to come out of this decade wouldn't be robots. It would be the microwave.

Don't get distracted by the pheasant. Instead, notice how features like the oversized fridge blend in with the overall design, thanks to the faux wood facade that mimics the cabinets. The tiled kitchen island is cutting-edge at the time, but would eventually be something that would be a "deal breaker" to homebuyers decades later.

The emphasis on bold design isn't limited to color. The other prevailing trend is the nature-inspired look that likely took its cues from California. Rustic wood grain, a stone backsplash, gleaming copper, and a ton of ferns made for a very "in" look.

Acid-hued Formica (the decade's most popular material) let homeowners get creative with their cabinets. Plain wood countertops created a cutting surface throughout the kitchen and gave a place for the eye to rest. The bold trend in color also shows how fashion often crossed over to interior design.

Water and ice dispensers start to sit in the door of the super high-tech refrigerators, dazzling everyone with the novelty of not having to go to the sink for a drink.

This Frank Gehry's kitchen is nothing like the average kitchen of the time, but creatively hinted at a few big trends coming: natural light and open shelving.

By now, the island is a mainstay in a kitchen. But in the '80s, like shoulder pads and hair, the island gets huge. Part of this was due to the natural evolution of the kitchen as a social space. The other reason? Pure status symbol.

Light colors, high ceilings, beams, and pale woods have a soothing, home-y look. By now, the kitchen has become a space for hanging out — countertops are a great spot to do your homework, or watch some TV.

The '80s were about work, work, work. In this kitchen, appliances like the fridge basically disappear into the background and a bulky computer takes the spotlight.

Just because most homeowners favored black and white appliances doesn't mean everyone eschewed color. Pastels and bright hues are a popular '80s trend that occasionally made its way into the kitchen. Here, the colors also signify the different "zones" for different functions.

Previous decades got away with laminate, Formica, and wood countertops. But in the '90s, high-end homes were all about granite countertops.

Color was decidedly more subdued in the '90s, with sage and hunter greens walking that fine line between soothing and statement. It was a color that worked well with both black and stainless appliances.

The country look of the '80s pared down even further in the '90s, with the emergence of the "farm house look." A little nostalgic, a little European, this eclectic style brought in marble, unusual thrift store finds, open shelving, white cabinets, and vintage ceramics.

Just like the convenience of the '50s lead to cooking becoming very much a hobby, the '90s experienced a shift towards gourmet kitchens. The main difference: The '90s gourmet kitchen took its cues from restaurants, with professional ranges and huge refrigerators.

While McMansions had their place, many craved smarter interiors that used space in more efficient ways. We'd see the rise of the tiny home movement in the next decade, but for now, many designers sought to create efficient minimalist-inspired designs.

Kitchens have all but abandoned color, with the exception of beige. This timeless shade was a popular choice for cabinets, making open kitchens seem brighter yet more inviting.

In our 2009 Kitchen of the Year, Ina Garten revealed her inspiration behind the design. She thought of the kitchen as a place for gatherings.

White cabinets, marble counters, and reclaimed wood floors don't need a filter to pop. Like the gourmet kitchens of the '90s, these elements were borrowed from trendy restaurants and translated into the home.

In our 2014 Kitchen of the Year, we see the emergence of darker cabinets, along with smart appliances that emphasize maximum efficiency (like the Whirlpool Gold Wall Ovens, which have a rapid preheat function).

Though some kitchens go smaller, others go bigger with massive cooking ranges (and hoods to go with them), like what was in our 2016 Kitchen of the Year.