The Outdated '90s Trend That's Returning To Kitchens

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More people are stepping away from the minimalist, open-concept kitchens that seemed to dominate design decisions for the past two decades. We want to personalize our kitchens, considering how much time we spend in them. Plus, many of us are seeking cozy comforts in today's world. This has revived past trends like choosing charming 1990s kitchen color schemes over monotonous monotone and collecting secondhand cookware and serveware to mix modern and vintage kitchen items. One other trend from the 1990s making its comeback now might surprise you: kitchen televisions. Whether this is one of those vintage kitchen features you don't remember or a prized relic of your home in years past, you're going to start seeing more TVs in kitchens, and it's worth considering if it's the right move for you. 

The trend began in the late 1980s as smaller TVs hit the market. Kitchens were separate rooms from living areas, and people wanted entertainment during chores or gatherings. But when the walls came down with the 21st century, many people could see or at least hear their living-room TVs from the kitchen, plus some cable plans changed to charging per box, so extra TVs were an added expense. Now, however, closed-floor-plan kitchens are returning, and some people have moved into homes that still have them, while streaming services can be used on multiple TVs. The need for added entertainment is there, it's possible to do so, and people are rediscovering the appeal of their favorite shows playing while they cook.

While you can likely find an actual 1990s-era television at a thrift store for a steal, and this is a good route to go if you're designing the rest of your kitchen in a '90s motif, you may want a sleek, contemporary model for something that fits more seamlessly both in terms of size and weight as well as aesthetics. For example, if you need ways to increase your kitchen counter space and not lose it to a boxy TV, there are under-cabinet hanging sets like this Sylvox 15.6-inch smart TV. You could also get this Northing 19.2-inch portable TV, a lightweight set with a stand you can easily move from the counter to the island to the table, or even this MNN portable 15.6-inch monitor you can hook up to your main TV or laptop to stream content.

When making your selection, think about clever hidden kitchen design features — you could drill a cord hole into the back of an unused cabinet and place the TV there, as long as the open door isn't an obstruction when the TV is on. Or, keep it out of the way by hanging it — a 360-degree wall mount enables you to watch it from anywhere. 

Once you have it, there's more you can do with it than catch up on your current binge while you clean. Use it to create atmosphere by playing movies on mute or music videos during parties.