You love the idea of your mother’s kitschy-cool 1955 hot plate, but you don’t exactly want to use cooking tools that predate the Kennedy administration.
Luckily, there are now a handful of companies selling totally modern appliances that look straight out of a June Cleaver kitchen. Here, a few of the most swell:
Big Chill This Colorado company resists the trend of concealing appliances, instead offering up fridges (from $2,495), stoves ($4,295) and dishwashers ($1,695) in bold retro colors. The Retropolitan refrigerator is a terrific blend of old and new with its diner-chic hardware and modern sliding freezer.
Elmira Stove Works sells similarly Americana-inspired fridges (from $2,195) and ovens (from $3,900), with the addition of backsplashes ($200), microwaves ($700) and hoods ($1,100). The option of a built-in fridge keg could even be enough to get your husband on board.
Nostalgia Electrics Popcorn makers! Snow-cone machines! Hot-dog rollers! Nostalgia Electrics carries all the bygone treasures of your real or imagined youth. Unless you’re planning to run a carnival, however, you might find the flip-down breakfast toaster and griddle ($35) most useful.
