Open Kitchen

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

Four Kitchen Island Ideas It seems hard to imagine a kitchen these days without either a peninsula or island of some type. With today's open kitchen designs, the extra workspace comes in very handy. Here are a few kitchen island ideas for kitchens of various sizes and shapes. 1. Wheel-In Kitchen Island Belmont White Kitchen Island This roll about cart from Crate&Barrel can serve as a work table or as convenient roll-in seating for a small kitchen. Roll it out of the way if you need the space to maneuver around the kitchen 2. Basic Kitchen Island Credit: Trackmeetsonline If you have room to add a permanent kitchen island, here's one that fits basic needs of an island with workspace, and seating for two. It's great for food prep or for your morning coffee and roll: the French call that morning cuppa with croissant a petit dejuener. 3. Kitchen Appliance Island I'm kind of an appliance guy, so I have to point out that a kitchen island can be a great place for appliances. Get that microwave off the counter and into the island. The microwave pictured above works well, but I really like the convenience of the microwave drawer for an under counter unit. The wall oven shown in the above picture is particularly useful for an accessible kitchen. If plumbing is available, another favorite use on a kitchen island is for a sink. Either a main sink or a small prep sink can make the island even more