A few months ago I wanted to read some lighter fare, and it doesn’t get much lighter than an interior decoration guide.
However, a style guide that is half a century old has it’s own gravitas.
The anachronistic use of “Mr. and Mrs. John Doe” was a amusing and cringe worthy, and the author seemed overly fond of Marimekko cloth. But it was really quite intriguing to see the true variety of kitchens in this book. Not merely finishes, but substantive differences in arrangements, equipment, and shelving. I strongly suspect that the past five decades of mass standardization made our modern kitchens quite banal.
1970 doesn’t feel that long ago, but frankly, aside from some of the newest kitchens in the book, most of the photos felt completely foreign even though most of them were located in America. Unlike books and magazines today, the photographs were primarily black and white, which wasn’t ideal – except for the modernist kitchens (such as the one in our own house) that didn’t have much color.
Purist kitchens pay no homage to rusticity or prettiness. Uncompromisingly they use twentieth-century units and ingredients. They are inevitably spare of line, extremely well planned and easy to work in. This does not preclude color, but they are often pure white and beautifully detailed. Most purist kitchens are designed by architects – usually for themselves.
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I picked up this book of the side of the road on trash day, and it is regrettable to think of what other books are being tossed out around town without second thought. Even though I wouldn’t have paid money to buy a copy, this book is now safe on my shelves.