Martha Stewart's '70s Kitchen Nailed The Earthy Retro Look Everyone Wants Now

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In the 1970s, kitchens morphed from a place to just preparing meals into a hub for family and friends to gather. Bright colors, textured fabrics, and patterned wallpaper were groovy, and people designed their homes as a personal expression of those free-flowing times. Over the years, kitchens evolved into bland tones with gleaming stainless-steel appliances and lost their distinctive character. But current design trends are deviating away from whites and beiges and re-embracing richer colors for creating a more comforting environment. The adage "everything old is new again" couldn't be truer when we turn our gaze back to Martha Stewart's famous Turkey Hill farmhouse kitchen in Westport, Connecticut, which she showcased in 1982 in her first domestic goddess opus, "Entertaining."

Stewart and her husband purchased the property in 1971. The farmhouse, built in 1805, was in a state of disrepair. The kitchen was basically non-existent, and so they began remodeling. Stewart's color palette was bold: She chose a warm gray for the walls that shifts hues in the light and chocolate-brown for windowsills, floor boards, and crown molding. She accentuated the brown tones with sycamore wood cabinets, which she built herself, shelves, and polished copper pots hanging overhead. Designers are today recommending using shades of brown, as Stewart did, for its warmth and sophistication. The copper pots, though, aren't just a pretty touch. She used them for the same reason Julia Child did: Their heat conductivity gives the chef control over what they're cooking.

In an interview with Frederic magazine, Martha Stewart claimed that "fancy-schmancy" kitchens were her least favorite design trend. In her opinion, kitchens are workspaces, and she always designs hers so that they're divided into zones: an island, stove (or in Stewart's case, stoves), and a seating area. It probably comes as no surprise that organizing a kitchen is one of Stewart's passions, and she offers expert advice on keeping a small kitchen efficient by adding more counter space. Clearly she practiced what she preached, because her Turkey Hill counters and work area were limited, considering all the parties she catered at the time.

Her Turkey Hill kitchen wasn't just a model of professional utility; it was also visually arresting. Copper pots dangled from the ceiling over the kitchen and dining area. Antique baskets and bouquets of dried herbs hung from the ceiling. The various elements created a sense of cozy familiarity. It was Stewart's way of blending the old with the new, a design choice that she still loves and which you might incorporate into your own kitchen.

Stewart sold Turkey Hill in 2007, but the kitchen at her Bedford Farm abode (which she has owned since 2000) has notable similarities. She likes to have everything on hand and know where it is when she needs it at any particular moment, which is certainly something to consider when re-doing your kitchen set-up. Her utensils, cooking equipment, and pantry items are efficiently arranged.