7 stylish products for the retro kitchen of your dreams

Editor's note: This article is part of a series on products we think you'll like. The Week has affiliate partnerships with certain retailers, and may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Mid-century retro is where it's at. It's how all the hep cats are laying out their pads. Something about those comfortable pastels and sleek space-age silhouettes… it's just like wow, man. Especially when they're found on modern appliances, so you can have pieces that look real cherry while still getting the job done.

Here are seven kitchen accents inspired by mid-century design that are sure to razz your berry.

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1. Now Designs Bread Bin ($39.85)

It's amazing that we still use "is it bigger than a bread box?" in guessing games, when most people under 60 years of age have never even seen a bread box. Reliable plastic packaging removed our need for an airless compartment to prevent bread from going stale. But what family only keeps one kind of bread? Dad is off gluten, Mom is on hand-made flaxseed, and the kids only want the white fluffy stuff. So embrace the return of the breadbox; a place to keep all those bakery goods neatly contained and fresh. This model from Now Designs comes in multiple colors, including the most perfect of mid-century pigmentations, turquoise blue. Buy it on Amazon.

2. Waring PBB212 Professional Bar Blender ($99.95)

I'm not an expert, but I don't think the basic blender has changed much in function over the decades. They mix smoothies, crush ice, and terrify your pets, same as they always have. So if your only criteria is function and aesthetic, look at the perfect avocado green bar blender being offered up by Waring. It's not exactly cheap, but function and beauty all in one rarely are. Buy it on Amazon.

3. Red & White Kitchen Co. State Souvenir Dish Towels ($9.99 to $18)

What a treat to find an inexpensive combination of usefulness, cheerfulness, and subliminal geographic education among our 1950s-style retread. Discover the extreme charm of The Red & White Kitchen Co. state map dish towels. Printed on flour sack cotton, not all 50 states are represented. So you may not be able to find your home state, but you can definitely find one that makes your kitchen feel more like home. Buy it on Amazon.

4. Retro Aluminum Tumblers ($21.99 for a set of six)

There was once a line of dishware that could not be broken. Nor chewed by the dogs. Nor microwaved, but don't let that be a deal breaker. Bowls, tumblers, pitchers; JUMBL gives them to you, all in a rainbow of aluminum power-colors. Buy it on Amazon.

5. Nostalgia Electronics Red Retro Countertop Microwave ($172.92)

Now, there were home microwave ovens in the mid-20th century. In 1955, the Tappan Stove Company introduced a 220-volt home microwave for $1,295. It had to be built into your wall, was as large as a regular oven, and cost as much as a lower-end new car. Outfitting your modern kitchen with one of those would take more commitment to nostalgia than could possibly be considered healthy. So instead, enjoy the retro-look, but completely modern usage of the Nostalgia Electronics Red Retro Countertop Microwave. Buy it on Amazon.

6. Smeg '50s Style Refrigerator ($1,999)

The Italian appliances company Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla may have a rather unfortunate acronym, but their Smeg appliance designs are absolute visual darlings. These full-size (by European standards) refrigerators, available in a variety of colors, are reminiscent of slim mid-century rocket designs. Buy it on Amazon.

7. Coaster Home Furnishings Retro Round Dining Table & 4 Chairs Set ($369.72)

"Formica" is actually the name of a company, but most of us think of it as the colorful composite laminate popular for table tops and floors in the mid-20th century. Formica is still a company, but to find the chrome and plastic charm of the tables you remember, you may have to look elsewhere. These Coaster Home Furnishings dinette sets come in black or red, and are the perfect centerpiece of a retro rocking kitchen. Buy it on Amazon.

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