Discover Denmark’s secrets to successful kitchen design
With the world currently obsessed with Danish design, it’s no surprise that Denmark has reformed the kitchen industry with its export of stylish minimalist designs.
The minimalist look, with its streamlined cabinetry and neutral tones, has become a key trend, perhaps due to the fact that more homeowners want flexible open-plan living, where the kitchen is integrated into the rest of the space.
Designer, Katrine Martensen-Larsen private kitchen illuminated by natural daylight. © kmldesign.dk
While the minimalist style of the kitchen is important, one of the other elements that makes Danish kitchen designs so successful is that the Danes put a significant focus on lighting, using both natural daylight and artificial light fittings to create the perfect scheme.
The clever positioning of windows, mirrors and even mirrored surfaces can make a room feel larger and brighter and will help enhance the clean, minimalist look, especially when combined with a mix of practical task lighting and mood lighting.
Whenever you see images of super-stylish Danish kitchens you’ll also notice that they’re always impeccably finished, with no trace of clutter in sight; it seems keeping things pure and simple is the secret to smart kitchen design.
White window panes and candles blend in softly into this kitchen. © kmldesign.dk
Don’t buy stuff that you don’t need for your kitchen,’ quips Danish interior designer Katrine Martensen-Larsen when asked about the best way to achieve a minimalist kitchen.
As many of us are often impulse buyers and hoarders, this advice might be hard to follow, but the trick is to be savvy with your storage solutions – just don’t have it all out on show. Martensen-Larsen hides her rarely used items, such as bulky juicers, blenders and mixers, in storage units, rather than keeping them out on the worktop.
Renowned Danish designer Knud Kapper Hansen agrees that the way forward is to create timeless, streamlined designs.
‘We need to make modern classics again. We did right after the Second World War, and it was a success,’ says Hansen. ‘We have to nurture the next generation of young designers who can make these modern classics again that will become icons of Danish design.’
The continuation of this kitchen into a segment for entertaining guests © kmldesign.dk
But Hansen says that it’s not just about opting for the right style – in order to achieve a truly modern classic design, a designer must spend a lot time researching and testing the product to come up with a kitchen that will last.
So it seems that the future of Danish design is bright, with these minimalist yet timeless kitchen designs leading the way not just in Denmark, but the world.
