DESIGN
The Classic Kitchen Redefined BY JO MEACHAM URBAN KITCHENS
F
or the past 10 years the “Classic Kitchen” has ruled. Classic has become defined by white shaker cabinets, Carrara marble or the Carrara marble look, white subway tile, a wide variety of gray walls, farm sinks and natural wood floors. This style can be timeless when designed and installed in certain homes, but is it appropriate for every home? Is there only one definition of a classic kitchen? The times are changing, and we must be prepared to define a new “classic.” A “classic” that can be applied to every kitchen. The white and marble kitchen was developed at the turn of the 19th Century when painted cabinets and tile backsplashes and walls were a deterrent to newly discovered germs. These types of cabinets, usually a simple Shaker 58 ion Oklahoma
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021
door painted white, and common white subway tile became typical for most homes built between 1900 and the 1950’s. For the upper class, marble from the northeast became a durable countertop, later to be used sporadically across the United States. Wood countertops and linoleum covered countertops were standard for the middle class. Tile was also commonly used for countertops and backsplashes. This style of kitchen remained in place until shortly before World War II when Mid Century Modern styles appeared. Many Mid Century Modern kitchens favored a slab door, either wood or metal. This style was also a reflection of developing technology and ease of use. Stained cabinet doors were common but metal cabinets came in a wide variety of colors including white, blue, pink, yellow and shades of blue. Laminate countertops became popular in the 1940’s and continued to be used well past 2000. the event.Á
