There is much discussion about the resurgence of home decor trends from the ’70s and ’90s, focusing on bringing comfort and coziness back into our living spaces. However, the ’80s remain an era that feels stuck in time, characterized by an overwhelming amount of white and dark tones, which many consider unappealing.
While the music, movies, and culture of the ’80s were remarkable, the home decor left much to be desired.
The 1980s Kitchen Was Full of Surprises
This brings us to kitchens of the 1980s, where children of that decade spent considerable time. With mothers often at work, kitchens featured islands and stools for doing homework.
MORE '80s PHOTOS: What Life Was Really Like in the 1980s
This was before we had dedicated “computer rooms,” and after we were no longer confined to watching TV in the den; some families even had TVs in their kitchens!
What Did a Typical ’80s Kitchen Look Like?
The ’80s brought a desire to collect items… a lot of items. Everything was made of plastic, often cheap and abundant. Counters overflowed with gadgets that seemed essential at the time, featuring appliances that have since become obsolete, along with decor trends that felt modern in 1985 yet bewildering by 1995. Some themes, like roosters and country decor, just emerged spontaneously and everyone embraced them.
Let’s take a nostalgic journey back to the kitchen island illuminated by fluorescent lights — here are some staples you would find in a typical 1980s kitchen.
PHOTOS: Items You’d Find in a Typical 1980s Kitchen
Explore 35 items that defined every 1980s kitchen as unmistakably ’80s.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
LOOK: Daily Life in the 1980s Captured in Photos
Step back into the everyday life of the 1980s — from mall hangouts to boxy sedans, Walkmans, and family snapshots that capture life’s perfectly ordinary charm. These photos celebrate the small moments, styles, and scenes that made the decade unforgettable.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
