“Nearly a century after the Prang lithograph, the whole idea of the kitchen had been revolutionized. Electrical appliances and other conveniences shifted the balance of time and labor that went into feeding a family.

In our 1960s kitchen, it is not just an electric fridge and gas cooker that make life easier. The painted or laminated surfaces and lino flooring make quicker work of keeping the kitchen clean. (Today, linoleum is still one of the most popular types of kitchen flooring.) The copper-bottom stainless-steel pans under the breakfast bar are low-maintenance. And you can bet there is a plug-in toaster and coffee percolator hidden in one of those cupboards.

Perimeter countertops freed up social space at the heart of the kitchen as food prep became part of ‘entertaining.’ Designer units and utensils were cool. Designing, buying, and using kitchenware were now expressions of consumer freedom and aspiration.”