Art made with kitchen appliances

There is a very famous phrase in the world of design that says ‘Form follows function’. While it can be very nice to have an old ‘ice box’ from the late 1800’s in your living room that draws attention and comments, it’s better to have art that works. Old appliances from the early 1900s are also interesting, like old washer dryers, but no one today would want to work as hard doing laundry as our grandmothers did.

Today we demand much more from our kitchen appliances, from toasters to broilers. Even our Fridges and ovens have new features.

Countertop appliances more easily become “character” and cartoon themes. Some just need a little “touch up” to acquire their own personality.

It’s easy to imagine little broilers with big-mouthed faces, ready for their most desired treat. ‘Animation’ art is even used on cars. Remember the old trucks from the sixties that turned their grills into snarling teeth? Blenders and blenders can easily be turned into art by turning the backgrounds into ‘turtles’ and ‘tree frogs’ of a myriad of colours.

Microwave oven appliances would stump most people with their boxy appearance (what’s the best way to transform them?), but think of vintage and ‘collector’s’ old traveling trunks. Louis Vuitton trunks were the latest in early 20th century fashion and design and many things were copied from them. Their patterns alone would make wonderful ‘textural’ themes and rawhide and suede ottomans are very tactile ideas for new kitchens being designed. Of course, these ideas are also made to be easy to clean.

Kitchen backsplashes are made from recycled leather that could be used for all kinds of accessories, including stoves and refrigerators. Changeable themes should be made to suit the mood and the season.

Stove fronts, fridges, all could be designed to ‘mix and match’. The new brushed metal fronts are just a start. Imagine transparent fronts with colored gel-filled neon tubes that move and reveal mechanical workings just like the recent period of design featured in desktop computer design. Creating playful translucent designs that reflect the ‘stained glass’ effect and ‘window tattoo’ uses displayed on vans, trucks and cars today. Another idea may be to use ‘underwater’ designs with integrated bubble glass which is widely used in Mexican glassware. The Bauhaus furniture movement had reinvented ‘wicker’ for its chairs. This and other organic designs that feature “curvilinear” lines based on Art Nouveau, such as Hector Guimard’s work on the Paris Metro, would be lovely.

It is obvious that we are moving into a much more flexible period of design and art with regard to kitchen appliances, and they will soon be present in our homes. We already see that more whimsical colors are used.