Franke kitchen featuring Fragranite double bowl sink

Reintroducing the Classic Kitchen

Reintroducing the Classic Kitchen

“Sometimes old is gold. Throwback to the traditional classic kitchen with these timeless yet fresh layouts, featuring neutral colour palettes and defiantly simple details.”

The sterile and austere lines of modern kitchens currently dominate showrooms and design magazines. While beautiful to look at, it is debatable if minimalism does well in a functioning kitchen, where the need to keep it always meticulous may get in the way of real life. That is where the traditional classic kitchen comes in—a space that is welcoming, warm and homely. This is where there is still space for small details and even eccentricities to reflect some individual character. This is especially relevant as kitchens are no longer closed off and off limits to visitors, amid renewed interest in the culinary arts brought about by cooking shows like Master Chef.

 

Use of Natural Materials

These spaces tend to utilize natural materials like wood and stone. Details like raised panels on cabinets which add dimension and depth. To balance the features in the cabinetry, the selection of wares and fittings are key. They need to go beyond blending into the look to ensure they meet the demands and functions of our modern lives.

 

Interesting Textures

 One of the most high-touch items in the space is the kitchen faucet. With the vast majority being finished in chrome, Franke’s Elegance and Urban kitchen taps stand out for their graphite and grey colour options. Also a feature is their interestingly textured surface. Together with Franke’s “Form follows Function” philosophy, these mixers fit in naturally with a traditional kitchen’s organic feel.

 

Hardwearing Surfaces

Following on to the kitchen sink, Franke also offers its range of Fragranite sinks. They come in a wide range of nature-inspired colours that would be perfect in a traditional kitchen. Made of 83% quartz and 17% acrylic resin thermochemically bonded, the colours are fade-proof while the sink’s Sanitized® silver ion coating is said to reduce bacteria and microbe growth by 99%. These sinks come with a 50 year warranty. 

 

A Bit of Whimsy

While we are at it, we find that the Smart Deco hood by Franke could also be an interesting addition to a traditional classic kitchen. Its form hints of a farmhouse kitchen chimney, albeit with clean lines. Its range of colours range from pure black to whimsical yellow and a pretty pink, and is an interesting option to combine aesthetics with utility.