1940s Interior Home Design

1940s Home Design: a Transitional Period

In this 1946 kitchen design, linoleum is the star since it is from a publication called Portfolio of Room Interiors, produced by Armstrong World Industries Inc. Three types of linoleum are combined to form this floor.

Curved Floorplan for 1940s Kitchen

This uniquely designed kitchen works off of an oval shape to facilitate workflow. Sink, stove, and refrigerator are all within easy reach. Base cabinet open shelves help the cook locate and retrieve pans. Shades on the right side pull together to close off and hide part of the kitchen.

Blue 1940s Kitchen Full of Linoleum

In this kitchen, linoleum is used not just for the flooring, but for the sink surround and countertops. Rarely is linoleum found on kitchen countertops, even in the 1940s. Yet the designer noted that linoleum here would be "clatterproof, easy to clean, and resistant to stain." Even the scalloped swags near the ceiling were cut from linoleum.

1940s Home With a Knotty Pine Bathroom

This bathroom from 1946 has been done in a Colonial style with knotty pine, scallops, and Shaker-inspired fabrics. Knotty pine was often used in kitchens at the time, but was not often found as an element in bathrooms. The rectangle to the very left of the picture, right above the magazine rack, is a medicine cabinet.

Regency Moderne 1940s Bathroom

This 1940s bathroom is the epitome of modern and sophisticated. It is a Hollywood Regency, or Regency Moderne, style made on the cheap with linoleum flooring and other inexpensive materials.

Much of the furniture is made of furniture-grade plywood. Plywood as a design element is popular once again. In the late 1940s and into the 1950s, higher grade plywood was often used to make nightstands, beds, cabinets, and chairs. Edges would be rounded off with a router, sanded down, and lacquered to help smooth them down.

The shower is enclosed in a glass cabinet and with a curtain at the door.

1940s Dining Room

This 1940s dining room style is up for interpretation. The crenelated, appliqued gold pattern along the table cloth has a definite Grecian flavor. Yet the room designer calls this crenellation a "Chinese fret design." In any case, this dining room's purple-on-gold bold color scheme catches the eye and makes for lively conversation.

1940s Children's Bedroom with Nested Beds

The custom linoleum lets us know the bedroom belongs to none other than Tom, Dick, and Larry. At that time, it was possible to order customized linoleum flooring with special name plate inserts from the Armstrong factory.

To save space in this children's bedroom, these three beds become one. In the morning, the middle bed slides under the tall bed, and the short bed slides under the other two beds. 

Shelves behind the beds are staged proportionate to the height of each bed.

A movable ladder helps the children access the upper cabinets.

1940s Home Foyer Design

In a period when books frequently lined the walls of homes, this 1940s home has a solid wall of books along the staircase. It's a classic look with bright, bold-statement splashes of red against blue that help catch visitors' attention the very moment they enter the home.