“Material Girl” was a chart-topper as homeowners embraced must-haves for the kitchen that included white tile countertops, honey oak cabinetry and the newest convenience: the microwave.

By Donna Heiderstadt

As NKBA celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023, we’re taking a retrospective look back at major kitchen and bath design trends over the seven decades since our founding. This week, we’re revisiting what happened in kitchen design in the decade defined by pop culture, materialism and all things “Wall Street” — 1989-1980 — as we continue to work backward in time until we highlight the top trends in the kitchen and bath spaces in the early 1960s.

1. Tile countertops were in. 

Fashion-wise, the ’80s were all about mixing and matching — think Madonna with her corsets and pearls and Boy George with his fedora and colorful dreadlocks — and the decade’s kitchens saw some of the same throw-it-together-and-see-if-it-works creativity. How else to explain the migration of ceramic tiles from the backsplash to the countertop? Yes, these square white tiles complemented the proliferation of honey oak cabinetry. Plus, their shiny geometric symmetry was appealing.

2. Black appliances added some attitude. 

Black appliances, which paved the way for stainless steel later in the decade, didn’t exactly fade into the background of ’80s kitchens. Rather, they added some sleekness and depth. Shiny and futuristic-looking, these refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers provided some serious Darth Vader attitude in contrast to the decade’s ubiquitous oak or white (or a combo of both) cabinetry and tile countertops.

3. Humongous microwaves changed the way we cooked and ate. 

Introduced in the late ’70s but not fully embraced by many homeowners until the ’80s, the microwave oven revolutionized the way families enjoyed their meals. This brilliant but bulky appliance helped get dinner on the table faster — and it  also allowed the “latchkey kids” of Generation X to prepare afterschool snacks, especially Hot Pockets and the decade’s favorite salty treat: microwave popcorn.

4. Track lighting, skylights and ceiling fans with bulbs were overhead fixtures. 

Adding to the eclectic character of the ’80s kitchen was a trio of ceiling treatments designed to add luminescence. Track lighting, deemed the sleeker and more modern alternative to fluorescent box lights or chandeliers, was everywhere during the decade, including above kitchen islands and countertops. Skylights were also a huge trend, especially in new builds, and having one in the kitchen was the chef’s kiss. Lighted ceiling fans were popular, too. 

5. Greenhouse windows above the sink brought the outdoors in. 

Suburban homeowners in the ’80s were gung-ho for greenhouse windows. Often installed above the kitchen sink, these larger windows extended out beyond the exterior of the house and featured several shelves to showcase houseplants, herbs and assorted cacti. Not only did they add a natural element to kitchens, but they were also helpful for reminding whoever was rinsing the dishes to give their indoor greenery some water and attention.