When it comes to designing in retro themes, you should first examine your retro dreams. Is it staring dreamily into the eyes of the one you love over a milkshake across a red laminate table with gleaming chrome edges while ‘Earth Angel‘ wails in the background? Or does the setting of your retro dreams fit more in June Cleaver’s happy but humble kitchen with clean lines and checkered tablecloth? What about a far-out culinary paradise where you melt fondue in a large pot on your avocado-green stove? These days, “retro” is all in the eye of the beholder.
The central focal point of any retro-themed kitchen is the kitchen table – the place where the family comes together, where daily life is discussed, and where all those culinary creations are enjoyed, but where can you shop for retro kitchen tables and chairs and how much can you expect to pay for those in the style you want?
1950’s Diner-Themed Retro
The favorite of retro redecorators is the classic diner theme, which offers a variety of retro kitchen table choices for families of all sizes. From two-seater diner sets to large family-size booths, there are many options for families to create an aesthetically pleasing, lively, fun kitchen where friends and family alike will flock for food, comfort, and conversation.
Most automatically think of the color scheme red, white, and black when visualizing the type of kitchen diner scene they would like to recreate, but with the vast amount of retro kitchen tables on the market today in a variety of styles and colors, the retro 50’s look is getting an upgrade with a greater color palette of aqua, yellow, red, blue, pink, turquoise, black, white, and mint green (If you go with a 70’s retro theme, the typical colors of the time were avocado green, mustard, orange, reds, and browns). This is why it can be important to check out all the different retro kitchen table options out there before committing to a color scheme.
$500 and above
Bars and Booths seems to be the mecca for finding 50’s-style diner furnishings. They offer round, oval, square and rectangular tables with differing options for a footed or flat, round base. The standout of the tables seems to be the oval-shaped model with four sculpted chrome art deco legs in lieu of a central base. The sizes from 36″ by 48″ up to 36″ by 72″ with starting prices ranging from $475 to $982. On this model, as with all their order-to-custom modules, you have the choice of different custom chrome edging and laminate patterns for the top. The cracked ice pattern is one of the most beautiful choices with a flecked and swirled pattern reminiscent of a bowling ball. The chic retro boomerang pattern is also available for those that crave extra kitsch and for those who want to keep the look pared down, there is always the traditional, solid-colored standard laminate in a variety of colors.
On the square table models, there is an optional laminate design including a central checkerboard and backgammon layout for multi-functioned fun.
Table prices from Barsandbooths.com seem to go anywhere from $155 to well over $1,000 depending on what upgrades you get and that’s just for the table. The site instructs you to e-mail for quotes on pricing for the chairs. Not only can you get standard vinyl diner chairs, but you can get diner-style booths – perfect for large families. Booths come in a variety of shapes and sizes including semi-circle booths, corner booths, and traditional face-to-face booths. This site seems to cater towards the serious decorator or homeowner looking to do a total overhaul on their kitchen. They offer an excellent package deal which includes 2 Coca-Cola booths and table, a round table with four Coca-Cola chairs, a pub set complete with two Coca-Cola bar stools, a refrigerated Coca-Cola cooler and a free full-size CD jukebox for $4,747.69.
For other serious decorators, New Retro Dining is another place to shop, offering many of the same products as Bars and Booths but providing downloadable catalogues for more information on products as well as prices.
RetroPlanet.com also offers a selection of ready-to-ship tables and chairs from $500-$1,100 for those who don’t want to piece together the look they’re aiming for à la carte.
Pastense offers a few different styles from what the others are offering with a very comprehensive price listing on their website for the base, table top, and chairs.
American Retro Furniture is another site with a comprehensive price listing offering high quality retro tables, chairs and booths with prices in the $1,000’s.
Targetdecor.com offers an attractively under-stated set with red vinyl chairs and a red laminate top for $560.00.
The Bean Bag Store offers a nice selection of retro tables of different shapes, sizes and colors ranging from $300 to the low $1,000’s.
Elite Products Unlimited has quite a few options, including sets with the Coca-Cola brand from $588-$2100.
Historic Housparts sells a little bit of everything, including retro diner tables and booth benches. They sell the tables separately or you can buy sets complete with chairs starting over $500.
Under $500
For those on a budget, there are many other sites out there that offer retro style for a more affordable price.
Furniturecreations.com is offering a 60″L x 36″W oval table with a white laminate top, chrome plated legs and base, complete with black vinyl chairs (also come in “rose” or “blue”) with chrome-plated legs for $389.95. They also offer a round table with chairs for $339.95.
You can’t top Everything Furniture’s price of $106.58 (shipping included) for a white laminate dinette set trimmed in red with a silver base and four silver chairs with red vinyl. The actual price is only $89.00. They also have another nice-looking model with black vinyl for $219. $262.25 if you want it shipped right to your door.
Of course the best places to find deals on anything retro is Ebay, flea markets, and antique stores. These bargain-shopper hubs may be where you find your retro kitchen table for less than you thought you’d pay.
Homestyle Retro & 60’s/70’s-Style Retro
So the chrome and bright diner scene isn’t for you but you’re still a vintage soul at heart? Many are now seeking to replicate the comfort of the kitchens they grew up in as a child. The sturdy wooden tables, the printed curtains, the wallpaper and serenely-painted walls.
The table for your setting will need to be one of understated elegance that can be dressed up with a tablecloth to give it that vintage feel. You can accomplish the look by getting a simple wood table or a formica-topped vintage table.
Unfortunately, they just don’t make them much anymore and the most unique formica tables are still the authentic ones which you can usually purchase on online auction sites or find in thrift stores. If you’re quick on the jump, you could get an authentic laminate-top table with rare flower detail on Craigslist or another family laminate-top table complete with a very rare “slop bowl”.
If you’re a fan of the late 60’s/70’s brand of retro, you’re in luck. 70’s retro furnishings have seen a huge resurgence and many companies are reproducing the zany space age fiberglass and plastic creations and curvy wooden chairs. Where can you get them?
Over $500
Plushpod sells one of the most unique café tables that comes in such colors as clear, shades of pink, blue, and orange. With a brushed-metal stem, the orange table looks almost has the appearance of a large bicycle reflector. This table could set you back a pretty penny though. Even without chairs, it goes for $1050.
Vintage Looks has got the space age look you want with their fiberglass creations that range from $475 to $1200.
Spacify also has all kinds of retro-geared tables from the $500’s into the thousands that are worth taking a look at if you’re looking at going retro mod.
The Bean Bag Store has a fantastic avocado chair set with a white formica table that is going for $950 that would go great in a 70’s-themed kitchen or in a 1950’s kitchen.
Under $500
IKEA’s Fusion table makes use of the dark wood and contemporary stylings of 70’s furniture at a reasonable price. The curved chair backs perfectly mold to the curved corners of the table, making for an interesting appearance when the chairs are stored. This interesting set is only $299.
Furniture Creations also has a dining set of lighter wood in a simple design that would accent any retro 70’s scene with class.
If you’re going for the more traditional look of the 50’s without all the shiny chrome, J.C. Penney has a great drop-leaf table with a simple, pleasant design for $259.99. Target also has many good selections for dinette sets with a retro feel and an affordable price.
After you find the table that suits your design preference, the design ideas will begin to flow. If you’re going with a 1950’s style, you can pull your color scheme from the colors in your diner set. The main color should be your main accent color and if you pair that with two other complementing accents (aka. red, black, and white or aqua, pink, and mint green), then you will have a very workable color scheme on which to base accent pieces and to select wall colors from.
You will also want to accent your room with interesting pieces. Sites such as Jack and Friends are great shopping resources for all the vintage reproductions your kitchen needs to have the authentic look you are trying to achieve.
The focal point of your room, your retro kitchen table, is just a springboard towards the retro kitchen of your dreams.
