The bland design of the 30's was designed to bring functionality to the family home without the need for colourful, expensive items which could easily be damaged. Simple, clean, squared finishes were vital to the success of the family home.
The Kitchen: Essentially, the kitchen was it's own separate room which allowed an individual (usually the mother) to cook and launder for the family. The kitchen was usually 'hidden' as it was considered the be that of the messiest room in the house and should therefore not be displayed to guests and other uses of the house. A simple colour pallet of neutral blacks, whites and wooden materials was vastly common during this era.
The newly invented refrigerator was considered to be a milestone for the house. This started to allow individuals to purchase goods, yet (due to the lack of preservatives) keep them in good condition for longer amount of time.
As shown the living room of the 30's is vastly bland; however the idea of have large pots and vases on display was supposed to influence guests that you had actually acquired more