I had been looking for a kitchen for a new house and checking other kitchen manufacturers. I felt that most of what was offered was missing the atmosphere that kitchens should have. They were mostly slick and well designed systems but resulting in a somewhat sterile environment for the chef. I wanted to put the atmosphere of food and cookery back into our kitchen and I chose the name Lepic as a play on L’Epicure, the enjoyment of food and eating. Epicurus believed that pleasure is the greatest good, but the way to attain such pleasure is to live modestly and to gain knowledge of the workings of the world and the limits of one’s desires. The goal of the Lepic kitchen was to make a kitchen that would be a pleasure to use and make the right kind of atmosphere for cooking in.
The functional aspects are an important part of the design and contribute to the atmosphere it provides. The open storage allows easy access to pots and pans and food stuffs. There are many options for accessories which attach to the wall panel to ease cooking tasks, the handles are designed to hold tea towels, the hood can be used to store pots and pans too. It’s practical as well as a way to prevent the kitchen from looking too formal and unused. Seeing the more pleasing cooking utensils in these open areas lets the kitchen personalise itself to the house. I’ve also tried to carry the language of the Lepic into other spaces of the house with kitchen furniture units like cabinets and sideboards.
Since the kitchen has become such an important room in the modern house, and in my opinion should always be connected to the living room, it has become increasingly important that the design contributes well to the general atmosphere of the space we spend the most time in. It shouldn’t be overly formal or minimal, but have a character which both inspires the cook and contributes a certain warmth to the rest of the space.
The pieces which join the Lepic family aim to further integrate the kitchen with the dining/living room and provide a characterful spirit of good living without the exaggerations of status which often spoil the atmosphere.