Appliances have a big footprint, so it’s no wonder that manufacturers have been busy trying to make them disappear beneath decorator-friendly panels for years. For those looking for period-sensitive styling, though, there are three ways to create a nostalgic look—and it’s possible to mix and match these approaches.

Is hardware from a fine 1790 brick Federal appropriate in a farmhouse of the same era? What kind of entry set best suits an 1895 town house? And what about the explosion of new and revival styles during the bungalow era? The answers aren’t always obvious.