Italian Kitchen Design

When people want to do an Italian kitchen design, they often have a classic Italian motif in mind. While this may not be a complete reality, use your imagination and harken back to a more traditional age to create a beautiful and warm, family oriented family kitchen.

Under a Tuscan Sun
Tuscany is a warm place for most of the year and your Tuscan kitchen design should reflect this. This means that you should have lots of subtle, warm colors and textures that are soft and inviting. It also means getting as much natural sunlight as possible into your kitchen. Invest in great windows and be sure to buy soft yellow or cream translucent drapes to give your kitchen a warm glow.

Classic Italian Food
Grapes, tomatoes and olives are considered the holy trinity of Italian cooking. These are the elements that make up almost every Tuscan meal. A motif with these foods will inspire you to cook foods that would make Emeril say ‘Bam' a thousand times. Also, try to pick up traditional Italian pots, pans and utensils. Often, they are best suited for cooking food using traditional ingredients. They also make great decorations when you are not using them.

Familia
In Tuscany, families cook and eat together. Your Tuscan kitchen design should allow enough space for your family to move around freely. Small spaces for cutting vegetables and meat will ensure that everyone has something to do and everyone has something to say. You will notice that conversation in the kitchen transfers over to the dinner table creating a total eating experience.

From Michelangelo to Da Vinci
This period of time was known for its rebirth of knowledge. After several centuries in the dark ages, people rediscovered the knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Therefore, design and art during this time period was very classical. Keep this in mind when you are choosing materials and decorations. Marble is a great way to harken back to the glory of the Roman Empire.

Also, don't forget that the Italian Renaissance produced much of the best art the world has ever seen. Sculptors used gold and brass and marble to make their masterpieces, while artists like Michelangelo painted frescos (Italian for fresh) that were soft and engaging. Think of this when choosing art for your kitchen.