You might ask what makes Italian kitchen design what it is. With Giorgio Armani designing designer beachside accommodation in Egypt the exclusivity of Italian fashion house design has never been more prevalent in the world of domestic interior design. The Italian kitchen has maintained trademark features for generations not only through the national characteristics of style but also catering for specific practical requirements which are embedded in Italian culture.
As in many cultures the Italian kitchen is the centre of the home. In a heavily patriarchal society it is the nucleus of the household as it is where the food comes from, usually prepared by female members of the family. The Italian kitchen is designed with this in mind, the large family unit having to accommodate large family meals with large teams of related chefs catering for the rest of the family.
This in mind the large open plan sprawl of an Italian kitchen is a trait that has survived over the centuries and been adopted into modern interior design by the manifold exclusive suppliers of the Italian kitchen. The open plan design allows for free movement within the kitchen, which is essential for health and safety with boiling pots and sharp knives flying between obscenities and it allows for food preparation in separate areas which is a tradition in Italian cooking.
It is a brave man that enters an Italian kitchen in full frenzy however another trait of Italian kitchen is that the whole family will sometimes gather there to drink wine before a meal or help with specific parts of the meal. Italian meals are served in smaller, numerous courses. An antipasto is served, followed by a pasta dish, fish dish and so on and an Italian kitchen needs to be spaced to accommodate this style of cooking.
The aesthetic style of Italian kitchen design has been adopted by many top designers. This involves a Tuscan feel with subdued lighting with rustic iron light fittings, deep greens, golds and beige colour schemes and ancient kitchen accessories that are blatantly not going to be used for cooking. Sometimes iron stoves and racks are added to further the rustic feel of the Italian kitchen.
Some Italian kitchen designs have a quasi-futuristic feel about them that makes them feel less homely and more disposed toward the Armani super home feel of recent years. The true sentiment of the Italian kitchen is the homely feel of the nucleus of a large family. Italian culture focuses around family values and the traditional routines of preparing and consuming meals as a family is an integral part of that tradition.
The American TV dinner has on occasion been attributed for the degeneration of the middle American family unit and it is easy to see the value in this theory. The Italian kitchen allows for family members to interact and communicate in close proximity to older family members so that they might learn about older generations, meaning traditions and values are passed down. This can be seen to good effect in other family orientated cultures such as Indian.
The Italian kitchen is more than a place to prepare food and the tradition of large family interactions are maintained through this domestic feature. The wide open spaces and other rustic aesthetics have survived as cultural heritage and now they have been paired with contemporary design to provide unique interior spaces.
It's all very well trying to stay loyal and buy British but when it comes to re-fitting your kitchen, you are never going to beat an Italian kitchen. The design is always going to be one step ahead of the rest of the world as Italians are known for their commitment to high fashion and style no matter what the genre.
Take a look around on the internet at Italian kitchens and you will be awestruck by their simplistic beauty. Classic Italian kitchens have the beauty and elegance of beautiful, natural woods and you can rest assured that they are built by master craftsman that have inherited a skill of cabinetry that has been passed down through the generations.
Polished wood that holds a depth you can just lose yourself in is a characteristic of Italian kitchens but they don't stop there. New and imaginative ways of using wood are being explored all the time. Ways to treat wood that allow it to be used in almost any context make the possibilities endless and rarer woods from sustainable sources can look amazing if you have the funds to treat yourself. Even as much as laying the wood grain at a different angle will be enough to bring your Italian kitchen that unique feel.
For those looking for something more upbeat and fresh, Italian kitchens come in designs that push the boundaries of what is expected from kitchen design. Colour is a big thing at the moment and it has been applied through the use of coloured glass to bring a contemporary feel to the kitchen, making it a social room as well as a functional space. Strengthened, coloured glass is both durable and scratch resistant with a high gloss, easy clean surface. It injects a shot of colour into an otherwise bland room.
The Italians have always been known for their bold colour choices and have, thus far, never got it wrong. Making strong statements applies to their homes as well as their fashion lines in designer clothing. For those who are slightly more daring and with a penchant for the highly visible, unusual aspect, Italian kitchens now come with a choice of door surfaces in gold, silver or copper leaf. Not for the faint hearted!
Of course, the look for all these kitchens needs to be done in moderation. Italians don't only pride themselves on their boldness but also on their exquisite taste. Balance is the key to that taste and this is found through their use of brushed stainless steel and frosted glass. These are brought into the Italian kitchen design as elements of calm. Also, an aspect that lends itself to calmness in what would normally be a fairly buzzing, chaotic room is the use of symmetry.
Symmetry is not something that is essential in the kitchen but, as they have found, it helps restore a sense of calm. It also makes the overall look a lot more pleasing to the eye and leaves you with free reign to explore the added extras that make the kitchen the heart of the home. With symmetrically laid out cupboards, you can afford the injection of colour, you can afford to have a few handy gadgets, all stylishly produced of course, out on display without the look becoming messy.
Try as you might, beating an Italian kitchen design is going to be a tall order.
Both Dominic Donaldson & Catherine Harvey are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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