Modern Kitchen Guide

Modern design sent the walled-in kitchen the way of servant quarters, leaving us with the eventual rise of the open floor-plan and the creation of that familiar structure, the kitchen island. Once purely utilitarian, the kitchen became a room to show off, with cooking gadgetry competing against spectacular appliances for attention though not necessarily for use. Today, the kitchen is less than ever a space defined by the necessity of cooking, yet it remains the heart of most homes—even if people spend more time chatting, reading the paper, or watching tv there than preparing meals. Recent trends in contemporary design reflect the room's multipurpose function. An open floor plan is still the rule, and stainless steel is as ubiquitous as ever, but a new level of high-tech minimalism, intuitive organization, and even splashes of color have brought about a fresh, organic feel to contemporary kitchen design. So whether you're an amateur gourmet or more likely to treat the kitchen as your home office, we offer a guide to the best and brightest in contemporary modern interiors. And fortunately, here in the Valley we have almost a surplus of fine, high-quality European companies, whose sleek designs prove that a beautiful working kitchen is much more than the sum of its cabinets, countertops, and cappuccino machines.

[The Disappearing Kitchen]

If you're looking for—and can afford—the premium in high-end kitchen architecture, Bulthaup, the venerable German company founded in 1949, offers stellar craftsmanship and an aesthetic that unites form and function effortlessly. It's a kitchen that doesn't really resemble one: refrigerators look like cabinets, oven hoods are sculptural, and spice racks are either completely hidden or displayed as decorative objects. Robert Moric, of Bulthaup in Scottsdale, puts it this way: "Things are concealed, but in a way that makes sense—appliances 'go away' when they're not needed." If this sounds theoretical, it's not: everything at Bulthaup is designed to merge into one integrated living space. Expertly crafted and engineered, Bulthaup counters feature 11 mm thick stainless steel surfaces, seamlessly welded to eliminate any grooves that might collect grime or stub fingertips. The result is a kitchen without the hard edges or austerity of earlier contemporary design: sinks appear to melt into countertops and the suspended cabinets almost seem to float above the pristine floors. Efficient and ergonomic storage systems are priority, as well, and wall-units are customizable and interchangeable depending on client need. Moric has seen the client base for contemporary design steadily grow in the U.S., although it's been the norm in European kitchens for decades now. "[In the U.S.] we don’t have the past that Europe does, and hence the popular demand here for Tuscan, Spanish, or Colonial designs, which force a nostalgic idea of the past. Western Europe kind of got over that," he says.
Steve Johnson, owner of Atelier in Scottsdale, attributes the success of contemporary design to its timelessness. "35 years ago, a contemporary-modern kitchen looked s a lot like it does today," he says, though perhaps without the high-tech specialized appliances now available, like the warming drawer crafted to prevent food from losing heat outside of the oven. Atelier stocks German luxury brand Poggenpohl, a cabinetry company that has been around for over a century and has, of recent, set the standard in contemporary design. According to Johnson, the beauty of Poggenpohl products is in the details—the beveled edges, clean lines, and flush installation, all part of a craftsmanship that puts most modern kitchen manufacturers to shame. Poggenpohl, the largest importer of German kitchenware in the U.S., offers a line of all-wood kitchens whose gorgeous warmth is irresistible. And like many brands, Poggenpohl is going green, offering laminate door styles and woods culled from low-risk areas. Car enthusiasts, take note: this fall, Poggenpohl will unveil a collaborative effort with Porsche.

Nolte Küchen, another German manufacturer available at EuroDream Kitchens in Scottsdale, also offers environmentally-friendly installations, like ventless fireplaces and window treatments (for high rise buildings) that block out the sun without sacrificing a contemporary look. German hardware is “innovative and versatile,” says EuroDream owner Johan Bolle, and thus well-suited to a variety of spaces, from condos to larger homes. According to Bolle, people are trending away from conventional American thinking, which often equates bigger with better. "The need for more storage doesn’t mean you need a bigger home, just more effective storage. People are moving less and less and looking for permanence,” he says. EuroDream Kitchens also stocks appliances, most notably Gaggenau, whose combination steam and convection oven is a tempting indulgence for health-conscious cooks.

[Kitchen Couture]

If the German kitchen companies boast master engineering, then the Italian designers bring the glamour, style, and color. But we're not talking about the olive greens or oranges of the 1970s. Cabinets made by Scavolini and Valcucine come in rich reds and deep plums; electric limes and glossy blacks. Scavolini remains the best-selling kitchen in Italy, and is notably affordable: you can put together a kitchen for an amount comparable to quotes at Home Depot—in other words, well within range for those not equipped to stomach the pricier brands. But there's nothing shoddy about Scavolini, which offers teak and zebra woods, twelve kinds of tempered glass cabinets, and integrated lighting. The company is green in more ways than one, as well: recycled products and materials made by environmentally friendly processes are used. And though the bold colors—a departure from the monochromatic contemporary days of yore—might seem to scare off a more conservative clientele, this is not the case, says Brigid Bresnahan, of Arizona Scavolini dealer Roma Designs. "The dark red is the best-selling model," she says. 
 Each of these brands exhibits the types of finishes and veneers that the Italians have perfected and American companies labor to achieve. Customizing and installing the high-quality, technically superb cabinetry and appliances is a process in itself. Denny Miller, of Omnicabinets in Scottsdale, takes pride in the level of detail he and his crew put into individual jobs. "It's a painstaking process. We've got four sets of eyes looking at every stage, which greatly reduces the possibility of mistakes.” Omnicabinets stocks Italian cabinetry brand Pedini. "The Italian way is to get rid of wing walls, so you don't have to go wall to wall," Miller says. Over the years, Miller has noticed a difference in the way Italian and American consumers approach cabinets."In Italy, when they move, they take their cabinetry with them,” he says. “It’s a different mentality, it’s about permanence and customization.” Back-painted glass cabinetry is the latest rage in designer kitchens and can be found at Scavolini and Valcucine as well as Varenna, available at Poliform in Phoenix, and in Scottsdale at Snaidero, whose latest kitchen, Venus by Pininfarina, was the recipient of the 2006 GOOD DESIGN award. The heaviness of the glass doors is complemented by their reflective surface, which adds depth to smaller spaces. NYLOFT, a European contemporary showroom in downtown Phoenix, carries Maistri La Cucina, whose hood and cooktop components capture the eye far more readily than their function would normally insist.

[The Accessories]

No kitchen, of course, is complete without dishwasher, refrigerator, stove—the workhorses of the domestic sphere. But don't expect to find anything large, bulky, or even audible in the product selections described here. A designer kitchen deserves top-rate machinery, and each appliance is engineered to fit in with and complement cabinetry selections. Brands of note include: Miele, which offers everything from washing machines to wine storage; Bertazzoni, a former wood-burning-stove dynasty that crafts high-efficiency ranges available in a variety of colors, and who recently introduced its Modular Series, which allows you to pick and choose cooktops according to size and shape. Bosch; Thermador, whose refrigerator options expand by the year; Siemens; and the aforementioned Gaggenau.