Kitchens / The Heart of a “G” Home

I’m not happy with my kitchen. But why shouldn’t I be? After all, it looks just like my neighbor’s kitchen, and he doesn’t seem to mind his. In fact, most new homes in San Diego have similar kitchens these days — they look nice but are poorly made. If I could redo mine, I’d put the oven closer to the sink, and the pantry farther from the dishwasher. Not to mention, having lived in Spain and being the Dwell Magazine buff that I am, I have a fascination for more modern simple European designs.

I did some research and found that European kitchens are in fact available here in the US, and, lo and behold, there is a showroom just up the street from me! After weeks of anticipation, I finally got the opportunity to meet with Lisa Wilson, founder of arclineasandiego.com, which was originally established in 1925 by Italian designer Silvio Fortuna. Arclinea may not be a new company, but they define the concept of modernism and embody technology, ergonomics and function. Lisa is responsible for bringing these amazing Italian kitchens here to the San Diego area. God bless her.

As we sit and chat at her showroom over homemade espresso and tea — made right there from a fully functioning, integrated coffee maker — she informs me that I’m not alone in my feeling of detachment from my kitchen.

"A kitchen is the heart of the home," she says. It’s the place of gathering, conversation and mealtime. It is also the selling point of a new home; it is integral to the architecture of the rest of the home. In the event of a remodel, the kitchen is normally the first thing to be demolished and redone. Naturally, we want a kitchen to suit our needs and look right for our style, considering the fact that we spend so much time there.

Lisa explains. "In Europe, a kitchen is considered a personalized piece of furniture that a family will take with them from move to move, because it is custom made to be functional for that household." It is this concept that her company’s high standards are based upon in regards to design, durability and manufacturing. "Our kitchens are designed to be moved from home to home, so the materials are durable and designed to last. There is no need to tear it down and send it to the landfill." Exploring that wonderful concept of quality over quantity, you see that low-budget, cookie-cutter kitchens make no sense in Italy.

It is wasteful to construct things out of low-quality materials that have to be replaced constantly. When you consider all of the tearing down and remodeling we Americans do, you realize that it is inefficient and excessive.

In addition to the creativity and functional innovations, Arclinea takes pride in their true environmental commitment. They create modern yet timeless kitchens that meet the needs of each family utilizing technology, ergonomics and function. And these features alone spell out G-R-E-E-N.

According to Lisa, the green aspect is not as much of a selling point in Europe as it is here in the US. In Italy, high quality products have stricter and more environmentally conscious manufacturing standards; it’s implicit when buying a name-brand product. "Here in America we talk about ‘green’ so often because most stuff made here is not," Lisa explains. Arclinea uses water based eco-friendly panels, partially or fully recycled materials, and materials like aluminum and glass that are recyclable themselves.

It’s not just their small carbon footprint that sets Arclinea apart. Their modern design and clean lines earned them Metropolitan Home’s Modernism award and the Elle Decor Edida award. Well-traveled clientele have an appreciation for this type of design and are aware of the improvements that it can bring to their quality of life. Stars like Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt have purchased Arclinea kitchens. They are glamorous and prestigious — "the Maserati of kitchens" as Lisa likes to put it.

When asked about her favorite kitchen design, Lisa thought for a moment. It was not an easy decision. "The arclineasandiego.com [see photo below] because there are double islands, prep stations, and stations with storage. It’s clean, and I love the accessibility of tools and equipment all working together."

But that’s just Lisa’s choice. Arclinea can customize any kitchen space for the individual client’s needs to better facilitate workflow and the specific uses for that kitchen. Is it a vacation home? Are you a big spice user? Will there multiple cooks using the kitchen at once? Just decide what you need, and they can create it for you.

Then why don’t more Americans opt for quality kitchens? Of course they’re the best choice when it comes to aesthetic, function and environmental responsibility, but what about price? Most would probably rather compromise and spend much less and get a temporary fix, even if they know they’ll have to replace it later. With Arclinea’s smart concept of buying a quality kitchen for life, Lisa Wilson is trying to change that.

I think I know exactly what my next (and quite possibly my last) kitchen will be.

First Photo: Green info: recyclable stainless steel on the island, with an integrated slatted dining table in teak veneer. The table features the most contemporary approach to maximizing space: The slatted table features a hydraulics system for raising and lowering from dining height to work height, and vice versa. The connected “Closet” kitchen can be enclosed with its lacquered sliding doors, and features stainless steel worktop and backsplash, an aluminum lighting profile (with fluorescent lighting and LED greenhouse), and laminate cabinets with marine ply edges and stainless steel handles. Green details include: Water-based lacquer and sealers; energy efficient lighting (Title 24) and LED elements (greenhouse); and all constructive parts of Arclinea cabinetry are E1 class for formaldehyde emission (low emission of less than 6.5 mg HCOH/100g).