Simple solutions

It's an exciting week for us kitchen nerds as EuroCucina opens its doors in Milan, www.cosmit.it/en/eurocucina. Held biannually, this is basically a mahusive kitchen exhibition where the leading European manufacturers show off their latest designs. It’s THE place to go for kitchen trend inspiration in terms of new materials, colours and finishes but I particularly love seeking out new innovations behind closed doors. The last time I went, the focus was on electronic opening systems, which saw drawers and doors gliding open at the lightest touch. Brilliant for those seeking an ultra minimalist kitchen without handles, not to mention impressing guests. The only problem was that every time anyone leant up against a kitchen on display a drawer would pop open, generally freaking them out and making the exhibitors blush with embarrassment. Fortunately the technology has been refined and the pressure resistance adjusted to prevent accidental opening but it does make me wonder if such “innovations” are really necessary. What’s so difficult about opening a kitchen cabinet with a handle anyway (assuming you are not physically challenged of course)? And if it’s minimalism you seek, why not go for recessed handles that hide in the shadow-line of the door?

I prefer to live by the K.I.S.S acronym – Keep It Simple Stupid. One of my favourite working examples is the cling film drawer in our kitchen. When I realised that the new extra-long 10m tin foil I bought wouldn’t fit, Nick simply took the drawer out and cut a nice neat hole in the back, through which it slots. Since then many of our customers have requested a similar solution for their new kitchens. Best of all, as there’s no swishy technology or complicated storage system involved, it doesn’t cost a penny.

Published by Linda Clayton
April 7, 2014