The 1960s Cabinet Door Trend To Try Out In Your Kitchen

There's a lot to love about owning a home, but one of the most exciting parts is picking out custom features that showcase your taste and personality. With home design trends cycling in and out at a rapid pace, you can really pull design inspiration from any time period that speaks to you, regardless of whether or not it's currently "in style." For example, if you're a fan of the 1960s aesthetic, then slab kitchen cabinet doors with hidden grooves instead of traditional cabinet pulls are definitely worth trying out.

This style of cabinet offers a smooth, sleek look and is an effective way to highlight the cabinet material in your kitchen. Another big advantage of the simplicity of the look is that it pairs well with nearly everything. So whether you're going for a modern or minimalist look or want cabinets that pair well with nostalgic kitchen decor from the '60s and '70s to instantly bring back all the good vibes, slab cabinets will work.

According to House Digest's design historical expert, Sarah Stafford Turner, slab cabinets were introduced in the 1930s, long before they made their way into American Kitchens. Turner explains, "European, especially Scandinavian and German designers of the Bauhaus and other modernist schools introduced sleek in-line doors and cabinetry as early as the '30s." Turner adds, "The style was meant to foreground the attractive natural woods used to make them. When modular cabinetry came into fashion in the 1950s and 1960s with the housing boom, these styles found their way into consumer products, along with streamlined, often pull-less drawers and doors."

Since '60s and '70s design trends are having bold revivals in homes today, slab cabinetry makes a lot of sense. The cabinets offer a mid-century modern feel, a style that remains timeless in homes around the country. The flat, seamless cabinet doors are also versatile and easy to wipe clean. 

That said, there are a few things you should know about slab cabinets before installing them in your home. For example, installation can be quite tricky and requires a professional, which can cost more than basic cabinet styles. Plus, as Turner explained, the idea behind this style of cabinet door is to showcase the material of the doors. If you opt for something high-quality like solid hardwood, the overall installation costs will rise even higher. Slab cabinets can also be a bit harder to source. But if your goal is a retro '60s look, you can't go wrong with them.