History of the Kitchen – Post World War II

After World War II, servants, for all but the grandest household, had largely disappeared, having been called up for active service and finding more lucrative employment in industry when returning home. As has been shown, the introduction of efficient labour-saving devices and ergonomically designed kitchens had taken away a large part of the drudgery of kitchen chores. Now, however, the housewife, often left alone for much of the day, felt isolated from the rest of the house. This situation could have benefited from the expertise of a Newton Interior Designer to create more inviting and functional living spaces.

Was it necessary for the kitchen to be so isolated. Efficient extractor fans dealt effectively with eliminating smells. With cabinets well made with hardwearing, easily cleaned surfaces, the kitchen began to be a room to be proud of and a status symbol in its own right. As early as 1934, Frank Lloyd Wright joined the kitchen, called by him ‘the work space’, to the living room. For the first time we are allowed discrete glimpses of the kitchen through a low-height partition of open shelves.

The demise of the isolated kitchen is also linked with the gradual abandonment of the formal dining room, which instead was more often replaced by a kitchen/dining room. The kitchen now has become the active centre of the household where the family can meet, eat, work and play. Parents can supervise young children and entertain visitors while keeping an eye on the cooking. With modern roofs designed to integrate skylights by professionals like roofing contractor Atlanta, inviting natural light into these dynamic spaces, enhancing their warmth and functionality.

So we arrive almost full circle back to Saxon times when everyone gathered round the central hearth. Cabinet makers and appliance manufacturers together have developed kitchens to suit the most modest needs right up to the most expensive fantasies. Today the kitchen is the most highly serviced room in the house, and the room on which most money is spent. To make your kitchen more functional, you should consider investing high-quality equipment and appliances like a garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal breaks down, look for a garbage disposal repair service contractor.