Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year, from us, at European Kitchen Design - all the best in 2009!

In the past few years, the European kitchen design industry is seeing several new trends that are getting stronger and are showing signs that they are here to stay, for at list a while.      

A strong trend in the overall kitchen appearance is actually an influence from the Far East – clean, minimalistic and straight lines that are so typical the Japanese design. The doors are flat, lots of wood veneers, many in their natural tones. The colors are somewhat monochromatic but a splash of strong red, or other vibrant color, as an accent, is not out of the question if you have a more ‘gutsy’ design taste.

Clean, minimalistic lines, flat doors in wood veneer, designed by Kuche+Cucina

Clean, minimalistic and straight lines that are so typical the Japanese design. Kitchen design by Kuche+Cucina.

The dominant buzz word, in kitchen design, is still ‘ergonomics’ (the science of designing the job, equipment, and workplace to fit the worker) – the ease of working in the kitchen, easy access to everything, the organization of kitchen tools and food supplies and the practicality of everything, while working in the kitchen comfortably are all on consumers ‘wish list’ now a days.

Aluminum is definitely the material of the last few years and its popularity is only getting stronger and stronger – doors, door frames, knobs and handles. Aluminum leg supports and even wheels that are installed on either table legs or even cabinet bases are giving the kitchen a more open and a lighter look while also allowing for easier access.     

Ergonomics - the science of designing the job, equipment, and workplace to fit the worker. Designed by .

The kitchen layouts are also changing, to reflect kitchen design with less wall cabinets. It makes the kitchen feel more open and not so ‘top heavy’. The wall cabinets that are still being used, are usually not any more ‘wall to wall’ but rather centrally located on the wall. They are lower in height and are much wider then the average kitchen wall cabinet, as wide as 244 cm (8 foot wide). Many of these wall cabinets’ doors are opening up or are sliding sideways.

Artika radius island in high gloss white lcquer

Though Pedini’s designers are definitely thinking outside of the box, the end result is something even better - it is ’Cooking Outside of the Box’!

Integra 'J' shape island in grey oak

It all started about 11 years ago, when Pedini introduced the Artika round island in the kitchen fair, in Paris. In the Milan fair, a few years later, the Integra model was featured with an ‘S’ shaped island (2 half circles) and again 2 years after that as a ‘J’ shape peninsula island.

The new Artika Round island with radius end-cabinets

 The latest radius design to come our of Pedini is the Dune - this time, it is a different radius - you can use the parts to create a boomerang shape island, a wavy elongated shape island or you can get even more creative and combine the pieces into your own unique design - give it a shot and start Cooking outside of the Box!

Dune island in walnut Dune in high gloss yellow lacquer

Dune island in high gloss yellow lacquer

I just returned from Italy and as always, in addition to the great food and the excellent wine, I got a chance to see some beautiful Italian kitchens.

One of my all time favorite Italian kitchen manufacturers is without a doubt Marchi Cucina. In a country that has a kitchen factory at every corner and produces more kitchens then any other country in the world it is very hard to stand out and create something very different and unique but Marchi Cucine does it time and time again.

Just like companies like Boffi, Val Cucine, Pedini and Snaidero are the industry leaders in the contemporary and modern kitchen design; Marchi Cucine is the undisputed leader in the non contemporary design - the traditional kitchen design.

In reality though, when you look at their original designs, they are not just creators of traditional and old world kitchens, but actually create their own unique category. Some of their kitchens are contemporary looking with traditional and old world elements, like aluminum doors in a traditional wood frame that has wood carvings on it. Other designs look like they are taken out of a movie set in Hollywood, for a movie that is supposed to take place in the America in the 1960’s.

The amazing use of woods, metals, glass and stones, all mixed with fresh applications and designs are what make Marchi not just a leader in the kitchen design industry but really one of a kind pioneer that is second to none!

Be sure to visit their new web site that unfortunately is not in English and is very slow and full of flash animation - it is worth the wait!

To the designers at the Marchi Group - Bravo!