Pie and Picasso
The Case for Bringing Art Into the Kitchen.
Insights at the Intersection of ART x DESIGN Column / Edition 2 (in collaboration with Kelly-McKenna Gallery)
With so much time dedicated to stirring, baking, tasting, and hosting, the kitchen is often the room you spend most of your time in, especially during this season. Yet art is rarely considered a culinary ingredient.
Inviting artwork, even if it is not a Picasso, elevates anything that is happening in, and coming out of, your kitchen. And it makes you wonder what secret recipes a few masters might inspire along the way.
For a room defined by hard surfaces, straight lines, and utility, the kitchen is often seen as merely functional rather than a place of inspiration and personalization. And with open plan living, the kitchen has become an extension of the living space, therefore artwork becomes the secret sauce to creating a tasteful atmosphere. A single piece can soften the geometry, break up the monotony of cabinetry and tile, and add a layer of identity where it is least expected.
On the other hand, it is the space most people hesitate to integrate art into because they are afraid of damaging it, so let us break down the recipe:
Materials: Kitchens welcome more artwork than many assume. Ceramics, stone, metal, glass, enamel, and resin-based works all perform well. Photography or prints under glass or acrylic also hold up reliably. Avoid raw canvas, textiles, or unsealed works on paper.
Placement: Keep art clear of direct heat or steam, but not out of view. And be mindful of grease, smoke, water, and splatters. Areas around a coffee station, on or above floating shelves, between cabinetry panels, or in an eat-in nook are asking for a bit more attention.
• Tone and Balance: Kitchens consist of some of the hardest visual materials in the home, such as stone, steel, and tile. Art balances them, introducing warmth, texture, and character, a sense of expression, into a space ordinarily dominated by utility.
In one of our kitchen projects, “Limon Light,” a palette of light tones, including grey, zesty (limon) yellow ceilings, stone-style surfaces, and black accents set the foundation. What the space needed was a point of connection. We acquired black-and-white artworks from an artist who illustrated one of our client’s favorite neighborhood restaurants. They reintroduced a sense of inspiration and made the kitchen feel like a space she could step back into as the chef in her own home.
Thoughtfully chosen artwork brings presence, intention, a spark of creativity, and daily delight into the heart of the home where so much of life unfolds.