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If you were a father, husband, partner or eligible bachelor 50 years ago you would have rarely ventured into the kitchen for anything more than a cup of tea or a quick sandwich. It was a woman’s domain.
Now in recent years the kitchen is much more a shared space. It isn’t surprising at all to see a man cooking dinner or baking bread. But how is this change reflected in kitchen design?
Obviously kitchens have changed over the years with the introduction of new appliances, gadgets and gizmos and fashion trends. But only recently have kitchen designs been noticeably more masculine. Of course the kitchen’s functionality doesn’t change, but there are three features that can be changed to give a more masculine appearance.
Colours
The colours in your kitchen can dictate the overall design. The leading designers say that masculine kitchens start with grey or stone coloured walls. Inoffensive colours like these give a neutral background to the work space. This creates the impression of a place of creation, after all that is what you do in a kitchen, rather than a gender specific room.
The unobtrusive background can make other features more prominent. For example, bold counter tops and a stainless steel fridge can add a rugged charm to a masculine kitchen.
Work Surfaces
Work surfaces and counter tops may not seem like areas that can add to the masculinity of a kitchen. Different colours and textures can give you a unique sense of being somewhere other than a kitchen. Certain types of wooden work surfaces can give the impression of being outdoors, evoking the spirit of the hunter-gatherer man. Chunky granite work tops promote a sense of industrial man hard at work.
Once you have chosen your style of work surface a good tip to keep the effect going is to keep them clean and tidy. Clean surfaces and definable work tops create can give a kitchen a classic, confident feel.
Appliances and Accessories
You can give a kitchen a more masculine feel by changing the appliances and accessories. By swapping them from soft pastel shades to metal-based finishes you will add a touch of sleek class to your kitchen. Chrome accessories, fixtures and fittings can conjure up ideas of super cars and James Bond-like gadgets.
The appliances may be more difficult to swap than accessories but they can make a big impact on the design of your kitchen. It is best to stick to metal-based colours, like chrome, or black. Buying appliances in these colours will give your kitchen a timeless class, akin to a well made suit. The trendy, gimmicky accessories and appliances will look good for a short time but their appeal will soon fade.
The world of kitchens is changing alongside the wider evolution of gender relations in our society. If you have any ideas on how to make a kitchen appear more masculine, any tips or ideas on redecorating or have something to say about the changes in kitchen design then please leave your comments in the box below.
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