The age old quote by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus “The only thing that is constant is change” remains true today when it comes to kitchen designs. Kitchens have moved from a very basic use of preparing daily meals to a place today where they are used for family gatherings and entertaining friends.
Because kitchens are much more versatile in their use nowadays, they are designed and decorated with more thought in mind. Kitchen renovations now consider style and aesthetic beauty as well as practical application.
The Transition
One of the major changes that have occurred in kitchens over time is a move from strictly closed spaces to more open and revealing areas. Kitchens started out being closed rooms where food preparation activities were carried out behind closed doors that separated the rest of the home from its noises and smells. Even the internal storage areas in ‘old time’ kitchens were shuttered off with doors and drapes to hide all of the room’s utensils and supplies.
Today however, the kitchen has shifted to a room where owners are not only unashamed to invite in family members, friends and guests, but they proudly design it in order to show off its style and grace. The removal of the kitchen’s walls of division has resulted in a room that seeks to display items in an artistic way and yet provide the requirements necessary to fulfill kitchen duties. One way that this balance between art and functionality is met is through open and closed storage.
Open vs. Closed Kitchens
Closed kitchens follow those age old principles of hiding practically everything behind doors. For example, Amish kitchen designs use the old way of closed storage, keeping everything tucked neatly away behind large, simply designed kitchen cabinet doors. Even many modern appliances are hidden from view by large cabinet doors when not in use. Closed kitchens are particularly useful for those who have difficulty keeping things neat and in order or those who want a particularly clean look.
Open kitchen designs, on the other hand, provide the exact opposite effect. In open kitchens, all shelving doors are removed to display their neatly organized items. This design can add great openness and a freedom of flow to the space, but everything must be kept in proper order since all can be seen.
A Happy Medium
Most people that consider kitchen renovations choose to design a layout that combines the openness of kitchen spaces with closed kitchen cabinetry that hides certain items such as cleaning supplies. There are various ways to complete this open/closed kitchen look besides simply eliminating cabinet doors. For example, kitchen cabinets can be refaced with frosted glass doors which allow a certain amount of content viewing yet block clear visual access enough to keep from revealing every detail.
A broad selection of kitchen cabinetry and cabinet doors for refacing can be found at Southwest Kitchen, a Tucson cabinets source located in Tucson, Arizona. The company also offers professional kitchen design services to help you plan the perfect closed/open kitchen.