We came across this Amish kitchen from a historical farmhouse site, and we think it is so beautiful. The appliances surprised us, too; the refrigerator is gas-powered!
Apparently the refrigerator is gas-powered, and the range is powered by a mixture of gas and coal. That is a seriously substantial stove; it looks like one giant heap of metal!
This kitchen is very simple and old-fashioned, but I love the way the light comes in, and how the pale green paint creates a feel of serenity.
The thing I like the most, though, is how the table is in the very center of the kitchen. It reminds me that my ideal kitchen isn't just a showplace for sleek countertops (although I want those too!) or perfectly aligned storage. A kitchen isn't just a place for pyrotechnic showmanship or beautiful dishes. It's a place for eating, and for working.
That common table in the center makes me think of all the jams that have been put up there by busy hands, and all the batches of cookies and pie dough rolled out on its surface in the very center of the life of the kitchen. And of course it makes me think of all the meals eaten there, in the middle of the appliances and fixtures that, in the end, should be servants of the family table and not its masters.
Related: Good Quote: On Eating In
(Image: Flickr member wirawan0 licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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I love the color and the simplicity.
I love this. It reminds me of my Aunt's home, which they bought from an Amish family just south of Lancaster. Memories of huge, yummy, home-cooked meals and holiday cookie-baking comes to mind.
Many years ago I knew a man in Vermont who was one of the few (if not only, in his state) people who could service gas fridges. Being mostly city- (or near-city) raised, I was taken aback at this oddity.
Turns out that several manufacturers had made gas fridges back up to about the late 60s or early 70s, and then phased them out in favor of electric. The problem was that in extremely rural areas, electricity isn't always reliable, but nearly every house had a propane or natural gas tank. (My grandfather's place, in rural south Georgia, had a big honking tank that got filled regularly.) So these fridges were perfect for folks way out in the back of beyond, but they weren't being made any more -- which meant servicing them was a combination of cobbling stuff from dead fridges and a bit of metalworking to create new replacement parts.
It's always struck me as short-sighted that the big appliance companies just stopped making them, when there is a market, and a need.
(On the other hand, could you run a fridge off a solar panel, these days? Or would that be so expensive, in setup, as to be unlikely solution?)
Interesting. This post made me look into why the Amish would use gas, but not electricity. Apparently because using gas enables them to remain "off the grid".
I assume they buy gas and store it in tanks, rather than having gas piped in from a municipality, which would be somewhat "on grid".
And yes, the kitchen has a very peaceful feel. I'm still grateful for modern, uninterrupted counter runs, though.
I love it. Filing it away in case we ever do a kitchen remodel...
http://embritadesign.blogspot.com
@heather77
The Amish aren't against electricity really- you should see the things they can do with car batteries! They are against being dependent upon greater society. They are also against vanity and inequality.
The Amish who live next to my parents have an old restaurant sized Hobart mixer attached to a hydraulic arm through the wall, that's run by a gas engine.
Each community sets their own rules. And they do make exceptions. They can have a problem with inbreeding, and I know of one community where this has caused birth defects. They have electricity running to the house (from National Grid) *just* to run medical equipment.
I grew up in Lancaster, so this looks like any other kitchen to me, haha. Except that stove. I am envious. I used to have one like that in my dollhouse and always wanted a real one.
Lehman's has gas fridges, washers, etc. They're located in Amish country in central Ohio, where I went to college. Apparently they did big business before Y2K when everyone thought we'd be without electricity for months. ;)
I wish there were more photos! Is there a stove other than the wood one on the right?