Have you ever been to a historic property and visited the area that they called a kitchen? Nothing like what we have today, right? In the 18th and early 19th century kitchens were typically located in an outbuilding next to a residence. The reason for this was that the food odors would be kept out of the living area, the house would also be free of the intense heat of the cooking fire especially in the summer months, and that there would be no threat of a devastating fire to the residence. In the latter part of the 19th century the wood burners turned to gas and began to be incorporated into building plans where a very small kitchen was part of the main house. By the turn of the 20th century electricity was becoming a major part of every day life and electric stoves were eventually born along with ventilation to remove odors. Kitchens were mostly utilitarian until about 1930 where kitchens can be found to have had added design details such as casual pendant lights, decorative knobs on the cabinets, and added wood detailing. Casual eating areas also start to be found in kitchens in this era.
In the 1950's kitchens really start to take on personal design styles. The use of vibrant colors and many added decorative elements make the kitchen a fashion statement and the most important room in the home. The microwave was also invented in this era, however, it was very expensive and rarely seen in a kitchen.
1970's brought lots of patterns, decorative cabinet doors, and colored appliances. Every aspect of a kitchen could match.
In the 1980's - 90's islands and peninsulas became very popular to have in all kitchens. Everyone wanted a place to sit directly next the kitchen. Golden oak cabinets were the standard look seen at this time. The invention of Corian revolutionized countertop material. Granite was available, however, it was very expensive and didn't become a more common material until the late 90's.
Since 2000 kitchen has become the main living area in the home that incorporates large casual dining spaces, sitting areas, wet bars and coffee stations. The new kitchen is an open floorplan that has many work or relaxation stations for the everyday life of any given family.
KAS INTERIORS, LLC - CLIENT KITCHEN
OPEN FLOORPLAN EXAMPLE COURTESY OF RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT MAGAZINE
