Tecnocucina Modern Kitchen Designs
1 February 2010
“Something Old, Something New”
Well, you learn something every day, I guess. I certainly do with the interminable research assignment that is this writing-five-blogs-a-week-every-week-no-matter-what-else-is-going-on-just-keep-at-it-five-a-week. Sorry, went away there for a moment. But writing these blogs these last two years truly has been a learning experience, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Modern European kitchen design has been an incredible eye opener for me, because I never knew what could be done with Medium Density Fiberboard until I saw what the Italians are doing with it.
I bring that up, though, because one of the things I have found myself believing is that the modern minimalist kitchens I write about with such frequency could never be used in a traditional home because there would then be a clash between old and new. Well, sir! The picture at the side here is of Castle Place in England, which has now been converted into six separate apartments and offered for sale to the general public. Here in the USA we would call this arrangement a condominium, but I’m not sure what the term is in Europe.
Castle Place itself has been lived in for nearly a thousand years and stands by the historic ruins of Bletchingley Castle, a fortified manor house built in Norman times. Interestingly enough for history buffs-that would be 
me!-the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket stopped at Bletchingley Castle on their way to Canterbury in 1170. Over the centuries the property went through many transformations, and it has now been lovingly restored by skilled craftsmen who still use the old methods of construction, which just warms the cockles of my fussy old cabinetmaker’s heart!
But what I found particularly intriguing is that the six kitchens have been made by the subject of today’s blog, namely Tecnocucina, another of my Italian kitchen manufacturers. Man, I’m telling you, with all the writing I’ve done on Italy, they should be making me an honorary citizen and sending me a pizza from time to time.
What I like about Tecnocucina, really, is what I find myself liking about the minimalist movement as a whole, the many things that can be done with straight lines and a minimum of fuss. Tecnocucina bills themselves a
s “a workshop of ideas for the kitchen,” and they really are. They have been “producing and exporting Italian design and quality all over the world for more than thirty years and have created a partnership with famous architects and international builders,” which brings us back to Castle Place.
Here in the USA, of course, we are accustomed to thinking of foreign countries as far away (because for us, all but two of them are!), whereas in Europe borders are frequently crossed, so the concept of an Italian company providing the kitchens for an English castle is pretty much the norm in that part of the world. If the Italian company can deliver the goods! Well, for confirmation of that, we have only to look at the accompanying pictures. There is a cleanness of line here that is welcome in any home, even one that has stood for a thousand years or more. Now all Castle Place needs is something borrowed and something blue.
Joseph
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2 Responses to “Tecnocucina Modern Kitchen Designs”
March 12th, 2010 at 1:25 AM
Hi Joseph,
Glad you approve! I grew up in Castle Place, and my parents are the ones turning it into apartments. We’ll be getting some new pictures up over the next month or so, and the two large apartments and their kitchens should be finished by then.
All the best,
Chris.
April 7th, 2010 at 11:48 AM
Hi Joseph,
thank you for your article about Tecnocucina and I will do my best to offer you a pizza!
You can contact us at sales@tecnocucina.it if you like to be updated aboìut latest news of Tecnocucina.
Thank you!
Dario Reicherl
Sales Director
Tecnocucina S.r.l.
Cadoneghe, Italy