Kute-- er, Cute-- Kitchenalia

Cheap.

I am.

Or maybe we’ll call it “fiscally practical.” It has a nicer ring, doesn’t it?

Though I love those gorgeous vintage-look appliances that have a turn-of-the-century stove or icebox feel, they tend to cost more than a year’s worth of car payments.

I figure my refrigerator can’t drive me to work. My stove can’t transport me to thrift stores.

So being fiscally practical, these items are probably not in my future.


Instead I’ve got plain ol’ white no-frills jobbies which do what they’re supposed to and basically say:

“Pay no attention to me. I’m white and boring and not the focus of the room. Do you YAWN when you look at me? See, you’re yawning already. That is how plain and white and boring I am.”

(Hm. Sounds like my appliances are suffering from low self-esteem... Pity.)


But that just means other items in my kitchen get to step forward to make the room look as vintage/Victorian as the rest of the house.

It also means I can’t be much of a stickler for historical accuracy-- and it gives me the freedom to scour thrift stores and antique malls for cute kitchenalia.

I figure if the room simply evokes a sense of the past, I’m doing okay.

Thrift stores have been fun for finding things like casserole dishes and mixing bowls in cheerful retro colors.


Pyrex, I understand, has become increasingly collectible. Do you remember a particular Pyrex dish your mom or grandma might have used at family gatherings or everyday dinners? Maybe it evokes a certain sense of what “home” is supposed to be.

Growing up, my mother had a strange array of pink Pyrex dishes. I say strange, not because they weren’t adorable-- but because they absolutely weren’t her taste. Mom wasn’t a “Pink” girl. Mom was a “‘70s Harvest-Color Colonial Revival” girl. Yet pink Pyrex gooseberry-patterned mixing bowls still say “Mom is baking cookies” to me. And the pink Pyrex casserole dish above was like one Mom served scalloped potatoes in. I found this at the Goodwill for about $3.

The thrift stores are also good for finding vintage silver pieces. Sugar and salt shakers aren’t hard to come by at good prices. And serving pieces like ladles and serving spoons can be as functional as they are interesting to look at.


Please forgive the tarnish on these babies I’m showing here. Normally they’re polished up to a decent shine. (I’ve just been a bit pressed for time lately.) Let’s call the tarnish “character.”

Antique malls and flea markets have been good sources for finding intriguing kitchen implement, too. The wooden handles take on a nice patina with age, and things like this hand-mixer and dicer were only a few dollars a piece-- though it’s good to shop around, because these can run upwards of $8-$12.


Lastly, I thought it might be fun to show you some new kitchen items that seem to mesh well with actual vintage pieces. The “apple green” trend that Kitchenaid and Hamilton Beech have embraced has worked decently with my Depression glass-- it’s just about the same general color, and has a sort of vibrance that adds a little zing to a darker room. I just hang the teaspoons and measuring cups on hooks where I can get them.


The airtight canisters are Martha Stewart K-Mart purchases that are the same color as my jadeite. I use them for storing things like coffee and breadcrumbs. Again, it’s the color that I think adds a little something to the kitchen.

How have YOU tackled bringing a vintage feel into your kitchen? Has it been more difficult than the other rooms? I’d love to hear from you.

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Just as a reminder, the Nifty Thrifty Gifty Giveaway is still running, so you have until October 13 to submit your guesses.

Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far. If I haven’t sent you a confirmation that I received your entry, let me know. I had some flukey email one day, apparently, and at least one entry hadn’t come through to me. I don’t want to accidentally neglect anybody.

Click here if you’d like to read about the Giveaway.

Otherwise, I hope to see you all next week! Take care of yourselves!