Things I Still Miss About My Mom’s Kitchen

Walk into most kitchens and you will immediately get a sense of who lives there. It’s the heart of the home, not only because you cook and enjoy your meals there, but also because of the hours spent pouring love into every dish. It’s also were we used to talk on the phone or do homework. And, it was usually where our parents did the bills and planning. No room in the house works as hard as the kitchen!

It’s also the room that gets remodeled the most and so many of the old kitchens we grew up with are now gone. But, when I see some of the old kitchen tools or decorations I’m instantly reminded of my mom’s kitchen. Here are some of the things I never knew I’d miss so much about this special room.

Lace Curtains

To go along with all the other charming details in her kitchen she usually had lace curtains hanging in the window. This was once true of many kitchens, but today it’s often considered a more old fashioned touch.

That Big Old Meat Grinder

I think most people’s mom had this beast back in the day. It had a bunch of pieces that no one but her knew how to assemble. Bologna or ham salad was a favorite, but she used it for lots of things.

The Coffee Grinder

She had one of those really old coffee grinders where the coffee went in the top and was ground into a little wooden drawer. We thought that thing was so much fun as kids! But, now as adult I’m grateful for my electric one that does the job in seconds.

Her Butter Churn

She had one that was a crank operation, much more efficient than the old up and down plunge-style ones. It was attached to a glass jar so you could see the texture of the butter as it formed. She made so many things from scratch it’s amazing she had any time left in the day for anything else!

The Old Canisters

Nothing is quite as iconic as the old canisters for flour, sugar, coffee, grease, tea, and cereals. There were so many different styles that were made over the years, but they made any kitchen look bountiful and clean. I still use mine, but I’m not sure these have remained in fashion.

The Tablecloths

She had quite a few tablecloths as she always wanted to protect the table. In summer I remember we used the oil cloth ones more, perhaps because us kids were home from school and we made a lot more messes!

Ball Jars in Blue

I think my mom must have snapped up the old blue Ball jars anytime she saw them because she had a little collection going. To me this is such a nice way to store your rice or even your leftovers and you can’t beat that pale blue color.

Sink Skirt

It was such a cute touch for kitchens that had no cupboard underneath the sink or where the doors had become water damaged and had to be taken off. We had some cute patterns for ours and it made an awkward space look cute and cheerful.

Plants Above the Sink

It was a nice way to add some life to the kitchen, especially since we had dark cabinets. The hanging plant over the window added some greenery and made it feel homey.

Bread Rising

My mother always had something either rising or cooling and she made bread from scratch every week. At that time it was much cheaper to make your own, though I’m not sure that still holds true. Either way she preferred a sturdier loaf made with part whole wheat anyways and white sandwich bread just didn’t cut it for her. If I close my eyes I can still smell it baking now!

Old Fashioned Kettle

Nowadays it seems like everyone uses an electric kettle. But, back then we only had an old fashioned stovetop kettle that would whistle with steam when the water was ready. It was a mark of pride to make sure it was as clean as possible, too.

Herbs Drying

Back then we had a garden and there were always herbs that needed drying. This was done over the sink in my mom’s kitchen and gave the room a feeling comfort somehow.

Cheerful Wallpaper

Checkerboard, plaid, fruit, or flowers were the most common themes for kitchen wallpaper back then. Even if the walls weren’t covered with it, there might be some in the china cabinet or other spots of the kitchen. I can remember one in blue, but my mom changed it at least once. Most kitchens today won’t have any kind of wallpaper like this even though it’s so cute.