The German Kitchen
The German Kitchen has been and is increasingly popular in the UK, specifically dominating the handle-less modern kitchen trend. Characteristics of the German kitchen are long vertical and horizontal lines created by the handle-less recess spanning the units. Predominantly flat panel doors in laminate or lacquer doors give a beautiful, sleek, streamlined kitchen.
Combined with the German well-documented efficiency and thorough product offering , you can be guaranteed a great, functional and long lasting kitchen but what are the other options to consider?
The Italian Kitchen
Italian kitchen furniture interestingly is either very modern or very traditional. Concentrating on the modern, we see a trend towards handle-less kitchens but without the metal profile. Instead, the doors have a cut-out or recessed handle to open units. These handles give a less linear, arguably less mechanical overall look to the kitchen.
In addition full height rather than split doors are an Italian characteristic, typically taller and sometimes stretching floor to ceiling. Perhaps following the passion of Italians we have a greater concentration on natural wood veneers rather than laminates, offering something very special and warm to the Italian design
The Danish Kitchen
So the Danes....theirs is an interesting style and one which it can be hard to determine exactly what it is about a Danish kitchen that makes them so different, but one thing’s for sure, we know a Danish kitchen when we see it!
The colour white was perhaps a Danish tell-tale sign but nowadays, we are seeing a rise in darker Danish kitchens. What we don’t seem to see much of, are mediocre middle-of-the-road colours.
As for materials, there is a strong tradition for natural resources with an emphasis on wood and stone. The practicalities of everyday function of materials that the Germans have high regard for, give way to the aesthetics and feeling of the kitchen. For certain, Danes steer away from laminates for their kitchens!
Again in contrast to the Germans, Danish kitchens are not seamlessly and efficiently fitted wall-to-wall. They will often finish sections leaving 6 inch gaps to the wall, deliberately separate one wall section from another and have standalone wall elements. The logic behind this doesn’t quite make sense but the overall look does give that distinctly Danish look.
As for handles vs handle-less, a Danish kitchen would be predominantly handle-less but never, ever with a metal recess! Handle-less units are created by push-to-open, recessed or cut-out handle or groove recessed into the back of the door.
The Danish are however, very keen on their lines, often being religious in continuing them. Many Danish kitchen designs will incorporate fake drawer fronts to allow these lines to be continuous.
Whether German, Italian or Danish, you would never imagine there was so much to consider when thinking about which style of modern kitchen is right for you!