Kitchens That Get Better For Living In
The kitchen is the hub of the home and it is often the room we remember as being the place where we were nurtured as children, where we learned about family life and where we saw food prepared and brought to the table. The trend in kitchen design has been towards a streamlined look with high gloss cabinetry and granite work tops. Improvements in kitchen technology have given us:
- large deep drawers that close quietly with a gentle nudge
- plug sockets that pop up from work surfaces when required
- extractor fans that seem to hover in space, and
- surfaces that have ‘easy to clean’ written all over them
I wonder if kitchens are becoming sterile and characterless? Have we gone a step too far and designed all the love out of them?
When I met internationally famous kitchen designer Johnny Grey earlier this year he said that the kitchen has to be a friendly space, a place to be lived in where clutter is evidence of family life and where creativity should be encouraged. I found his words inspiring because I’m forever trying to tidy up and put away and keep work surfaces clear. His ideas inform his designs so that they contain ledges for putting things on, little round tables for kids to sit around, a corner here and there for a book or some papers and somewhere to perch and rest while the potatoes are boiling. You can have a modern design with simple lines and smart styling but you don’t need to remove visible signs of your family’s story. So, breathe easy, you can leave the kiddies drawings on the fridge and have the jar of coffee on view along with last night’s opened bottle of wine.
In the design world we often describe certain materials as ‘forgiving’ and I think these kitchens are just that! Here are a few images I think to work well with this philosophy. They will still look good with crumbs on the work surface, finger marks on the doors, and scuffs on the floor, reminding me of this comment roundup from farmhouse kitchen experts. How do you rate your kitchen for ‘forgiveness’?
- Top-Five Farm Gate Signs Ideas - August 17, 2022
- How Smart Homes are Impacting the Interior Design Industry - January 10, 2022
- 7 Ways to Make Your Home More Handicap Accessible - January 10, 2022
July 23, 2014
I perfectly agree with you that kitchen is the hub of the home and Thanks for sharing these great kitchen display pics.
September 25, 2015
Hi Yasmin
Really like the kitchen display photos, the second last photo kitchen layout would go perfectly with my bowls set