Grey Matters

Happy eco kitchens and not a miserabilist in sight

The word eco attached to an article, product of service has become a turn-off, a moral obligation to read rather than a pleasure must continue kind of momentum. This is not to deny the importance of doing our bit to reduce carbon foot print. So mentioning the idea of designing an eco kitchen to the studio team the other day did not bring the normal enthusiasm that we get when we talk of starting a new project? The reason is that most eco projects have a slightly miserablist messages behind them. There are lots of good, exciting and enjoyable elements to the Eco-thought Zone. First it is a chance to use the imagination of a natural kind attached to ideas of longevity, quality and respect for nature; its is about things made well, slowly and with pride; it is about using renewable resources when it comes to energy. This suits anybody in love with timber, sunlight and harmony with nature (think William Morris or is true that it also about low energy or reminders of the Arts and Crafts period makes us think greenness is attractive. Why should eco mean cheapness and reductive down at heal scrimping when it should mean a release from the world of rat race competitiveness and devoid of human imaginative sensuality.

3 Responses to “Happy eco kitchens and not a miserabilist in sight”

  • Rob Barnard-Weston Says:

    Hello, I like the ‘Happy eco Kitchens piece’ - despite suddenly plunging into gibberish in the middle it inspires and makes a lot of sense :)

    Yep, it IS about celebration of craftsmanship, longevity, beauty and shared interest, not hairshirt, holier-than-thou, self-abasing resentment (I drive a bright, shi9ny, new fuck-off SUV - the only carbon-neutral 4X4 in England, as far as I know).

    We are just setting up a kitchens building company, working in reclaimed materials (think ships’ timbers, old oak beams, church oews, recycled snooker table slate etc) and I wondered whether you’d like to talk about mutually interesting stuff especially since we can’t design for toffee.

    Warm (smily) eco-wishes,

    Rob Barnard-Weston (Bath)

  • Johnny Says:

    Intrigued about the gibberish bits you refer to but keen to find out what you are doing. Design is about wrapping ideas (sometimes visonary but mostly everyday needs) around pragmatic expression - in our case buildings, interiors and kitchens. It is very hard to find furniture makers who re-use old wood because of damage to cutting blades and sawa. How do you get round this? i am travelling alot this month but lets meet up at the end of September.

  • Rob Barnard-Weston Says:

    Hi, a mere three months to reply - sorry ;-) Yes, we have to use wands to overcome the nails problem. Robert

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