There is a very famous phrase in the world of design that says ‘Form follows function’. While it can be very nice to have an old ‘ice box’ from the late 1800’s in your living room that draws attention and buzz, it’s better to have art that works. Old appliances from the early 1900s are also interesting, like the old wringer washers, but no one today would want to work as hard doing laundry as our grandmothers did.
Today we demand much more from our kitchen appliances, from toasters to broilers. Even our Refrigerators and ovens have new features.
Countertop appliances are more easily converted into “character” and cartoon themes. Some just need a little “touch up” to take on their own personality.
It’s easy to imagine little broilers with big-mouthed faces, ready for their most desired treat. ‘Animation’ art is even used on cars. Remember the old pickup trucks from the sixties that turned their grills into snarling teeth? Mixers and blenders can easily be turned into art by turning backgrounds into ‘turtles’ and ‘tree frogs’ of a myriad of colours.
Microwave oven appliances would stump most people with their boxy appearance (what’s the best way to transform them?), but think of vintage and ‘collector’s’ vintage portmanteaus. Louis Vuitton trunks were the height of fashion and design in the early 20th century and many things were copied from them. Their patterns alone would make wonderful ‘textural’ themes and raw leather and suede ottomans are very tactile ideas for new kitchens being designed. Of course, these ideas are also made to be easy to clean.
Kitchen backsplashes are made from recycled leather that could be used for all kinds of appliances, including stoves and refrigerators. Changeable themes should be made to suit the mood and season.
Stove fronts, refrigerators, they could all be designed to ‘mix and match’. New brushed metal fronts are just a start. Imagine transparent fronts with colored gel-filled neon tubes that move and reveal mechanical workings just like the recent design period that featured in desktop computer design. Creating fun translucent designs that reflect the ‘stained glass’ effect and ‘window tattoo’ uses seen on vans, trucks and cars today. Another idea may be to use ‘under water’ designs with integrated bubble glass which is widely used in glassware in Mexico. The Bauhaus furniture movement had reinvented ‘wicker’ for their chairs. This and other organic designs that feature “curvy” lines based on Art Nouveau, such as Hector Guimard’s work on the Paris Metro, would be lovely.
It is obvious that we are moving into a much more flexible art and design period with regard to kitchen appliances, and they will soon be present in our homes. We already see that more capricious colors are used.
