Want a minimalist kitchen like the ones you‘ve been pinning to your inspiration board? Here are easy ways to get – and maintain – the look.
8 June 2020
Text by Reese Jones
Top image: Design by three-d conceptwerke
Kitchens are always a good place to start a makeover. After all, it’s often where loved ones gather and make precious memories. For those dreaming of a minimalist kitchen but aren’t sure where to start, know that it’s a lifestyle that rides on the ‘less is more’ philosophy. That minimalist look can be achieved when you set your mind to it and put yourself to work. Look to keep only what you need, and dispose or donate the rest. Once you do the heavy lifting, be sure to follow through. Remember, decluttering is not a one-time fix but a mindset.
The Bosch MUM5 kitchen machine is not just great for baking – with the right attachments, it can even double up as a slicer, blender and meat mincer
Decluttering your kitchen means finally letting go of appliances you’ve been holding on to for too long. If something simply does not work, throw it out. If you find something that has not been touched and likely will not be used, donate it. Keep only what you will use, and think about investing in appliances that serve multiple functions.
Don’t discount the basics either – rice cookers can do the work of several others, like steaming food and acting as a slow cooker. When it comes to choosing appliances for your minimalist kitchen, think about convenience and multifunctional capabilities. Remember this the next time you’re thinking of purchasing something just because it’s on sale. The additional counter space will be worth it.
LeMans II from Hafele makes perfect use of a corner space. It has a load capacity of up to 25kg per tray, and the patented 4-arm articulation system swings the trays out of the cabinet in a smooth, fluid movement. Trays are height adjustable and eliminate wasted space.
Once you’ve settled on which appliances to keep, you can now move on to the nitty-gritty details and muster the courage to sort through your cabinets and drawers. Throw out what is expired or broken before you think about which storage solutions work best for your needs.
Organisational tips:
1. Arrange your ingredients and tools according to what you use most often or find yourself reaching for every day.
2. To save space, roll out organisers to maximise cabinet space, especially for vertical cabinets that you find yourself overlooking. Some storage solutions also have tiered racks that you can arrange spices on for easy viewing and access. Corner organisers can get into these awkwardly-shaped areas and increase their initial surface space to accommodate more items.
3. To keep yourself accountable, label these areas, and make sure everything is returned to its proper place.
4. It’s important to maintain your minimalist kitchen. Dedicate days at least twice a month to evaluate your work and repeat the routine when necessary.
(Left) Riippu Garden shelf is a great functional accessory that combines a hanging shelf for that herb garden, with space to store and display your kitchenware. (Right) Designed by Arne Jacobsen, Multi jar by Design Letters is an easy way to organise your items by alphabet! Both available at Finnish Design Shop
When it comes to accessorising, don’t go overboard. After all, you’re looking at a minimalist aesthetic. With this in mind, accessorising can be a matter of form and function.
Accessorising tips:
1. In your minimalist kitchen, forget about trinkets and kitschy items which have no other use. Opt for simple, well designed canisters, bins, or jars. Or go for ones made of glass that you can store grains, snacks, or other foods in and display on your counters without compromising the overall look. These are often inexpensive and will even encourage you to shop for items in bulk.
2. You can even go for a wall-mounted utensil rack to hang a few selected (and often used) cooking utensils as decoration instead of throwing them in drawers or stuffing them in a container. The next time you think about buying accessories, think about whether they are also pragmatic. Never buy two gadgets that serve the same purpose.
3. To maintain this overall minimalist look, resist the urge to purchase additional trinkets or appliances for your kitchen every time you shop. When your kitchen is all set and you have everything you need, a good mindset to keep is that you buy something to replace the old, not to add more to the existing stockpile, especially if it’s something you don’t need.
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