Kitchen drama
Harry S Truman once said: ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.’ He may well have been speaking metaphorically about his fellow American politicians at the time, but equally he could have been passing on helpful advice to noncooks.
From left: Fenchurch two-door larder unit, £1,499, by Marks & Spencer; Freestanding kitchen, from £30,000, by Chalon Kitchens
Most households break down into two types: those who cook, and those who eat. As a rule, it is sensible to allow the former to choose the look (and layout) of the kitchen.
From left: Pull-out trays and Worktop, both from a selection by Poggenpohl; Eddingtons Lambourn fourdrawer butchers trolley, £850, by John Lewis
The first ideas to optimise the work in the kitchen go back to Catharine Beecher’s A Treatise On Domestic Economy, published in 1841. She was the first to suggest the idea of a systematic design based on an early form of ergonomics. Her suggestions are still in use today, including shelves on the walls, ample workspace, and dedicated storage areas for various food items.
From left: Carisbrooke taupe doors and drawer fronts, £10 to £230, by Cooke and Lewis at B&Q; English Revival dresser, £2,500, by Mereway Kitchens
Most of the last century was given over to refining this system into what we now know as the modern fitted kitchen. Poggenpohl led the way with its ‘reform kitchen’ in 1928, an interconnecting series of cabinets, and then the world’s first unit kitchen, known as the Form 1000, unveiled at the Cologne Furniture Fair in 1950.
Clockwise from top left: Continental kitchen collection in honey oak veneer, POA, by John Lewis; Handpainted cupboards with grey granite top, £16,000, by Rencraft; Macasser kitchen, from £37,000, by Smallbone of Devizes
Now that the dining and kitchen areas are blurred, worktops and cabinets are designed to blend into the landscape of the living area with an increasing use of heritage paint colours and warm wood open shelving. Perfect visions of a clutter-free life – and not a half-empty jar in sight.
From left: Abstrakt product range, prices vary, by IKEA; Bespoke kitchen, from £25,000, by Bryan Turner Kitchens
From left: Fenchurch two-door larder unit, £1,499, by Marks & Spencer; Freestanding kitchen, from £30,000, by Chalon KitchensMost households break down into two types: those who cook, and those who eat. As a rule, it is sensible to allow the former to choose the look (and layout) of the kitchen.
From left: Pull-out trays and Worktop, both from a selection by Poggenpohl; Eddingtons Lambourn fourdrawer butchers trolley, £850, by John LewisThe first ideas to optimise the work in the kitchen go back to Catharine Beecher’s A Treatise On Domestic Economy, published in 1841. She was the first to suggest the idea of a systematic design based on an early form of ergonomics. Her suggestions are still in use today, including shelves on the walls, ample workspace, and dedicated storage areas for various food items.
From left: Carisbrooke taupe doors and drawer fronts, £10 to £230, by Cooke and Lewis at B&Q; English Revival dresser, £2,500, by Mereway KitchensMost of the last century was given over to refining this system into what we now know as the modern fitted kitchen. Poggenpohl led the way with its ‘reform kitchen’ in 1928, an interconnecting series of cabinets, and then the world’s first unit kitchen, known as the Form 1000, unveiled at the Cologne Furniture Fair in 1950.
Clockwise from top left: Continental kitchen collection in honey oak veneer, POA, by John Lewis; Handpainted cupboards with grey granite top, £16,000, by Rencraft; Macasser kitchen, from £37,000, by Smallbone of DevizesNow that the dining and kitchen areas are blurred, worktops and cabinets are designed to blend into the landscape of the living area with an increasing use of heritage paint colours and warm wood open shelving. Perfect visions of a clutter-free life – and not a half-empty jar in sight.
From left: Abstrakt product range, prices vary, by IKEA; Bespoke kitchen, from £25,000, by Bryan Turner Kitchens