What exactly is an Artisanal Kitchen you ask?
The Artisanal Kitchen was one of the new directions showcased at the Milan Kitchen show.
The Artisanal approach to kitchen design would encompass both decor items and architectural coverings that are unique and made by artisans. Adding paintings on a blank wall, hand crafted wood or ceramic pieces to a display shelf is a start ..but it is much more than that.
In recent years we have had an increased availability of functional kitchenware with more artistic flavour in unique, beautiful serving pieces, containers and dishes, hand made stemware and artisanal cutting boards. A truly artisanal space is however not limited to craftsmanship only in accent pieces.
Choosing “One of a Kind” materials for wall, floor, ceiling and counter tops would embody the concept. Hand carved stone or tile back splashes, sandblasted, etched, or stained glass windows and hammered copper range hoods are only a few possibilities.
The rustic “barn doors ” that have become quite common fall right into this category. A desire for cabinetry that feels more like furniture and is less utilitarian in appearance moves also in this direction.
The kitchen has always been a functional place to prepare and eat food but now as we often take out some of the walls around it, and expose it to other areas of the home, does it have to become more of show place? Is this why there is a move to more beautiful,unique and quality crafted materials?
Homeowners are finding attractive more natural,unique surroundings at home that are imperfect and hand made is this also perhaps a reaction away from the technological, bureaucratic and impersonal world they work in, I ask?
No matter what the reasons I like the direction ! I am all for supporting artisans.