Francesco LagneseAbove – Kitchen millwork sparkles in high gloss Red Wine by Fine Paints of Europe, in a Manhattan apartment by Nick Olsen
Kitchens have been evolving at an accelerating pace for more than 100 years. Victorian kitchens were simple workspaces that were hidden in the basement or at the back of the house, and managed by servants. They blossomed into bright, cheerful spaces where housewives could cook three meals per day and keep an eye on their children during the first half century. Kitchens opened up to the surrounding rooms after World War II to meet a need for efficiency and socialization. Islands held the appliances and storage that was lost when the walls were torn down.
This is the current story of kitchens. It begs the question, when is the white-kitchen trend going to end? Designer Danielle Colding recently designed a kitchen featuring cabinets in high-gloss yellow saffron. “You need contrast. You can’t have everything light.
Bronson van Wyck has a unique island made of salvaged pine in his Manhattan home. It’s more trouble to maintain white marble and cabinets.
Because of the convergence of influences, we have been stuck in the white kitchen. It is believed that cuisines are so important to our lives that they shouldn’t be a problem. A unique kitchen can have a negative impact on the home’s value. There is also the Instagram trend of white kitchens that have taken on the mythic appeal of the Parthenon.
The contrast between commercial appliances and majolica tiles, terrazzo, in this kitchen, located in Capri, Italy. It was designed by Giuliano Andrea Dell’Uva. Nathalie KragBut the needle is now moving. Two years after being held captive, people now think less about the needs of their next owners and more about them. Colding says it best: “They’re saying that this kitchen is for them, and they want to use it.”
“Not all things need to be light and airy.”
This approach not only allows for greater visual daring, but also results in less preciousness. The owners of a Tuxedo Park mansion in the early 20th century decided not to tear out the 1960s St. Charles kitchen, but to paint the stainless-steel cabinets turquoise. (The wood floor was also painted. He says that it is their favorite room in the house.
Emma Beryl said that she has seen her clients gravitate to “living” materials such as stone and wood, and that their homes should feel more like a home.
Polished stainless steel cabinetry in an apartment in Tbilisi, Georgia, designed by Eka Papamichael.Francesco DolfoFor perfectionists seeking alternatives to natural stone, there is the evolving world of engineered quartz slabs from firms like Caesarstone and Cambria, which are highly resistant to stains and scratches and come in a variety of colors and finishes.
Appliances made by brands such as LG, Wolf, and Sub-Zero are always more advanced. Big Chill’s retro-style stove is available in pastel green with a copper trim. Bertazzoni’s ranges come in sleek automotive paint that was inspired by Italian racing cars. Colding says that La Cornue used to be the only brand that offered fun and colorful ranges. Now that number has tenfold.”
Despite all the technological advances, one type of modern kitchen still harks back at Victorian times. De la Torre said that more clients are asking for discreet chefs’ kitchens so they can prepare their meals. These spaces are often located on a lower floor. De la Torre said that “old-fashioned dumbwaiters” are back.
Outdoor Kitchens 101
According to the American Institute of Architects’ 2021 survey of kitchen trends, outdoor kitchens topped the charts. Here are some tips for people who want to join the trend:
Take into account the Materials
Designer Brittany Marom states that teak is a good choice for cabinets but that it needs to be maintained every year due to weathering.
Take a look at the fun
Emma Beryl recalls, “I did one with a rose tap recently.”
Take into account the Management
Are you going to be carrying around all your supplies? Designer Ernest de la Torre believes that an outdoor kitchen that can store all your supplies may not yet exist.
This story first appeared in the May 2022 issue ELLE DECOR. SUBSCRIBE