Shapes and designs influenced by current trends
I’ve always found it interesting how current trends (of the day) influenced the designs of appliances. For example, mid-1950 electric stove panels were highly influenced by automobile dashboards; the oven dial would typically be on the left side and the clock would be on the right. The panel would also be shaped as though you were sitting behind the steering wheel with all of the chrome and Lucite. Automatic washers and dryers also received their initial styling from the same automobile dashboards, where the dials would typically be on the right side, as most operators were right-handed.
Another interesting design was how the sewing machine sews: needle on the top, bobbin/shuttle underneath. This was due to the way people use to sew: from top-down. While this design was not influenced by any current trend, it was the trend handed down thru the centuries from mother to daughter. A sewing machine could be just as effective if the needle came from the bottom, and the bobbin/shuttle was placed on the top of the fabric (similar to a serger).
Finally, another curiosity was that on very early electric ranges, the elements were large flat circular plates, like the ones used with wood/coal burning stoves. Yet, these early plates had coiled or circular elements underneath, providing the heat source. Somewhere in the 1920s the flat plate was removed to expose the coiled elements which are still being used today. Funny, though, seems we’ve come full circle: the latest trend is to have “flat” top stoves. Strange how all these technological advances seem to return to where it all originates!
