coffee + cre8tive {oct 19 '06}
I thought it would be fun to introduce you to kitchen design in Germany, as it differs a lot from what we see in the states. I snapped these at the Infa fair I attended last weekend, thinking you'd like to see them.
Can you find the dishwasher? What about the refridgerator? Germans do a fabulous job at concealing them, which is actually not as difficult as you'd expect given that most appliances here are much smaller than what we have in America. Drawers and cabinets, for the most part, are quite mobile, too. But there's a reason for this...
Most kitchens are not built-in since here in Germany, except for some of the overhead cabinets, you BYOK. Bring Your Own Kitchen. Yup, that's right. Your kitchen moves with you when you're a renter. Most apartments do not have cabinets or appliances in the kitchen when you move in, the kitchen is a blank slate - an empty room with only a tiled floor and appliance outlets along with plumbing for a sink. You supply the rest. Now the whole mobile kitchen idea makes sense, doesn't it? That's one of the reasons why you'll find cabinets on simple feet or wheels, not built into the floors and walls. Many renters mount overhead cabinets to the wall, but at this fair, I noticed many of the overhead cabinets designed to stand alone. Given the condition of most American apartments in the states and their dated kitchens, I actually wouldn't mind BYOK. At least I wouldn't have to suffer through 60's knotty pine with hammered cooper hardware as I recall from apartments past.
I loved opening the sturdy drawers, each one illuminated as I peeked inside. The sleek modern design appealed to me, uncomplicated and clean so you can get down to business in the kitchen - cooking and eating!
If you live in Hannover, you can view these kitchens at Moebel Hesse in Garbsen.
Not sure who these peeps are, but she nicely shows us the deep storage drawers.
Click here to see more kitchen photos in my flickr album. Click on any of the images shown for a larger view.
(images from holly becker for decor8)