In typical American design, kitchens are the heart of the home. And said kitchens are typically big, bold and eye catching, crammed full of every design element under the sun. Think flashy ranges, huge custom hoods, major marble, open shelving upon open shelving, giant islands, chandeliers…it’s all just…a lot.
That’s why kitchen design in Scandinavia felt like such a breath of fresh air. I was so inspired by the understated, minimalist kitchens I saw while in Sweden and Denmark last week. Rather than wall-to-wall cabinets, miles of tile or crazy bells and whistles, what if our kitchens were quieter. Simpler. More like furniture?
What if we all had downsized kitchens?
I was lucky enough to visit the Frama showroom in Copenhagen and see the Frama Studio Kitchen. This design is the epitome of the minimal kitchen idea. The Frama Studio Kitchen is designed to be a free standing element in a space without mounting to any walls or floors. As the brand describes,
“The Frama Kitchen portrays the light expression of a piece of furniture within the kitchen environment. Every Frama Studio Kitchen is built upon a powder coated metal grid, providing an industrial but light approach. The free standing units encase top of the line appliances while retaining a low-tech and analogue expression.”
While this kitchen design has won major awards, I really love that this look takes out the ostentatiousness of kitchen design without taking out any style.
Completely customizable, you can use different components to meet your storage needs. And this design also begs the question – how much stuff do we really need to cram into our kitchens?
This type of kitchen is perfect show off the architecture or other materials used in a home. While it seems an obvious choice for an industrial space, this look would also look minimalist and beautiful in a really refined home.
What would it be like to have a kitchen you could change around with relative ease? It could shift to meet the needs of a growing family or to satisfy someone’s design whims (hello!). And think about the cost savings you would enjoy if you aren’t dealing with built-in custom cabinetry, slabs of expensive stone or jumbo sized ranges.
I’m thinking I probably should have done my Scandinavia trip before finishing This Old Victorian. Maybe I just need another project!
For more kitchen design ideas, CLICK HERE.
images via frama / 1st dibs / our food stories / residence mag / vogesparis / frenchrosa / ignant
I think the biggest difference between our Scandi homes and American ones is the kitchen. I think the kitchens here tend to be a bit too small (they don’t really grow with the size of the house). However, I do like that they are usually in line with the decor style – e.g. modern furniture, modern kitchen. In America, the kitchens tend to be Shaker or French country, even in modern homes. Also – gas stoves are a real rarity in Scandinavia! It’s all minimalist induction, pereferably so you can’t even tell which part of the counter top is ”stove”.
I was noticing that too and while I’m used to cooking on / and the look of gas ranges, I was really getting into the minimalism of the induction. And in fact my parents have induction now. It’s perfect for small space living as it essentially gives you more counterspace