Kitchen design – what is minimalism, exactly?
Doing some catch-up browsing in the blogosphere these last few days, I came across this rather beautiful kitchen by designer Amy Finley:
The "minimalist" kitchen from HGTV's "Top 10 Amazing Kitchens"
I’m always a sucker for the juxtaposition of unexpected materials – so industrial stainless steel next to thick chunks of luxurious, high maintenance onyx really caught my attention. I nearly jumped out of my skin, though, when I realized HGTV was describing this as a minimalist kitchen. I mean, really? You call this minimal?
Thousands of LEDs shine through the onyx
In my mind, minimal doesn’t encompass extravagant, one of a kind, organically shaped light fixtures. Nor thousands of LEDs illuminating onyx counters. Even the cabinets, with their dark wood, visible pulls, slightly angled (and curved?) legs, make me think of that whole Arts and Crafts/inspired by Japan/Mission/Prairie/handcrafted continuum. The kitchens below fit my definition of minimal better (and here are some earlier thoughts on the style):
Minimal - a barely there kitchen via OWI
or this (first blogged here):
Almost invisible by Mark Guard Architects
Then again, the HGTV kitchen does have clean lines, simple shapes, no upper cabinets, no ornamentation or trim. Perhaps it’s my definition that’s off, not theirs?
I’m obviously going to have to explore this question further – and share my findings in future posts. I’d love to know what you think – what exactly is a minimal kitchen? Can it include glowing onyx?
Hi Steph – oh yes then, relative to a lot of things it is quite minimal, you are right. Joking or not!
Surprisingly the unmatching thicknesses of the countertops doesn’t bother me….and it usually would.
I just mean relative to something like French Country than yes, this kitchen would be more minimal than that. I don’t think it’s minimalistic at all, I was just joking with the relative comment.
Hi Steph – relatively minimal? I have to think about that. It is a lovely kitchen, though now I’ve pondered it for a while, I want the stainless steel counters to match the thickness of the onyx…
I LOVE this kitchen though I too wouldn’t call it minimalistic.
Maybe it’s relative?
I just think you have to be able to cook in it, for it to be a kitchen. Otherwise, it’s just art, isn’t it? Though definitely minimal.
It would be the idea of a kitchen and what could be more minimal?
Hmm – that would be minimal, but would it be a kitchen?
HGTV got it wrong. As usual. Minimalism pares structure down to its barest essentials. I always say that my ideal minimalist kitchen would be en empty white room with images of a kitchen projected onto the walls.