Kitchen Design Trends

French Kitchens vs. Open Kitchens

Appliance manufacturers grind out tons of PR information about their products trying to capture our attention. It can be difficult to sift through the all the bombast and hype to find meaningful content. In a recent press release by a big appliance company describing kitchen design trends, the author conflates “European Minimalistic Design” with “open kitchen design”.

The pinnacle of interior design, open-concept, European-style minimalism is very trend-forward.

They’re two very different concepts. Open kitchen designs which have become so popular are not European at all, but an American trend. In fact, the French term “cuisines américaines” refers to a kitchen without a door. French kitchens have doors that can be closed to the rest of the residence.

If a Parisian invites you to their home for dinner, you will be served in a dining area separate from the kitchen. You certainly won’t get an opportunity to “help with the dishes” and your offer might be considered odd or even an insult.

Typically, you’ll find Parisian kitchens small and crowded with perhaps a microwave, but no room for the many countertop appliances we consider standard. The refrigerator is quite small since fresh food is purchased daily, but a washing machine is quite common in the kitchen. You’ll be amazed at the incredible food that comes from a kitchen that seems to have almost no counter space at all.

Of course, things are changing as American trends are spreading to Europe. Even Starbucks exists in some of the tourist areas of Paris. (Paris has over 6,000 cafés and about 50 Starbucks). And increasingly, the French are tearing down kitchen doors and opting for open (American) kitchens.

For appliances and plumbing fixtures for your American Kitchen or European Style Minimalism design consult the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center today.

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