A watch, as a device for telling time with hands moving in a circle, has long been no longer an urgent need. Today we find out what time it is by looking at the TV screen, computer monitor, or smartphone display. Accurate numbers telling the time accompany modern people everywhere, but this does not mean at all that the good old mechanical watches should be written off as rarities. These mechanisms are still in demand, especially as accessories. A wristwatch complements the look, and a wall clock for the kitchen will become a magnificent decor that will not only decorate an empty wall, but will also emphasize the stylishness of the interior, and in some compositions will be a real highlight of the decor. It’s worth talking in more detail about this unusual role of ordinary watches in decor.
vintage clock in the kitchen interior
Clock in the kitchen: looking for a place
Where is the best place to place the clock in the kitchen? In vintage, classic and country kitchens, a clock serves as a decoration for the area above the fireplace. In a modern interior they are hung above the stove. In principle, this place for the clock is traditional. In ancient times, their ancestors were attached to an exhaust hood, which, like the hearth itself, symbolized home warmth. Since the place of the hearth was always in the center of the kitchen, people tried to decorate its cap with something. The most suitable element for this turned out to be a watch. In addition to the fact that it turned out to be aesthetically pleasing, this idea brought additional comfort to housewives, because during the cooking process it is often necessary to withstand a certain time.
In a modern interpretation of vintage, country or classic style, a hood is rarely found in decor, so the clock in such a kitchen can be mounted directly above the stove, on the hood, or under it. If this is not possible, place them somewhere close to the stove. There is always a place for a watch.
in a small kitchen the clock can be placed on the hood
In trendy minimalist interiors, the clock is hung on the kitchen apron or mounted on a rail, right along with the kitchen utensils.
Another typical place for a clock in a modern kitchen is the space above the top cabinets and shelves. New buildings have high ceilings, so there is more than enough free space between them and the hanging modules, which can be perfectly decorated with a clock.
Such a decorative technique as placing a group of clocks is in favor. Three mechanisms of the same type are attached in one line in a horizontal or vertical direction. The kitchen clock may show the same time or display different time zones. For example, the first clock will indicate local time, the second - Khabarovsk, the third - London. The design of such watches can be absolutely the same or slightly different. For example, models can have the same shape, but differ in color, or be united in style, but differ in size.
large clock on the wall as a decorative detail
If there is a fireplace in the kitchen, then the clock should be located only above it. This also applies to traditional solutions. You can also often see a large clock hanging above the doorway of the kitchen entrance.
A gallery of various wall clocks, arranged according to size and color, looks interesting in the kitchen interior.
Clock-pictures, which are presented on the market in a wide range, are especially in demand for decoration. Among them, there will certainly be one that will perfectly decorate a certain interior.
option for placing a clock above the front door
Variety of styles
The design of a wall chronometer completely depends on the style of the kitchen interior. When choosing a clock for the kitchen, you should take into account such nuances.
- The predominance of wood materials in the decor, which create the basis of the interior, allows you to choose the appropriate frame for the accessory. As a rule, in aristocratic retro styles, such as classic, empire, rococo, etc., massive wooden cases, perhaps even with a pendulum, look harmonious. Not only wall-mounted models can be used here, but also floor-standing ones, stylized as antique chronometers.
- If the furniture, even in the styles listed above, is painted, then you can choose more sophisticated options: a porcelain clock for the kitchen in the form of a plate.
- In retro trends that are close to a rustic interior, such as country music from different countries, Provence, and chalets, decor with a gastronomic theme corresponding to the cuisine is often used. Such wall clocks can depict fruits or vegetables, still lifes with food, desserts, coffee beans, steaming cups, wines in glasses or bottles. The basis for the picture is wood or the same porcelain plate. It’s easy to make a wooden clock for this type of kitchen with your own hands. At the same time, their size and ornament will fully correspond to your wishes and preferences.
- Modern interior styles do not accept floral or motif patterns. Here, abstract images or monochromatic solutions are most often used. For such a kitchen, it is better to choose a strict metal, glass or plastic clock. Their wall models can be of different sizes and shapes. It is in such interiors that original design options in the most unusual forms are usually used. For example, this could be a cut of a pear, chronometers in the form of a fried egg or a frying pan.
Clock for the kitchen: what to choose?
“Modern interiors will accept kitchen clocks made of glass, plastic and metal, but more sophisticated styles will require products in solid cases made of expensive wood or decorated with artistic forging.”
To choose a watch model for your kitchen interior, you need, of course, to take into account the style and features of its design. This will require an individual approach, but there are general tips that will help you avoid global mistakes in choosing this accessory.
In kitchens with classic wooden furniture or sets stylized as wood, a clock in an antique wooden case will look great. These can be monumental models with a pendulum, or a dear cuckoo clock. In light classic kitchens, you can use models of an original shape, reminiscent of a porcelain plate.
pendulum clock in a classic kitchen
In traditional interiors with hints of Provence, retro-country or Tuscan style, watches with pastoral and gastronomic motifs in the decor will look best. You can choose variations decorated in wine, coffee, fruit and vegetable or dessert themes. Still life clocks are also good in such interiors. A watch with elegant forging will perfectly complement country and Provence.
You can emphasize the vintage feel of the decor with the help of a kitchen clock, the dial of which has a large diameter and large numbers.
A clock with a large dial is an integral part of a vintage-style interior
In modern interiors, clock mechanisms are most often used, housed in cases of unusual and complex shapes made of metal and glass. When creating a high-tech kitchen, the main background of the room is made of monochrome or combinations of neutral colors, so the interior simply needs a bright accent. These “sprays of color” are exactly what modern watch models can become.
By and large, tableware and gastronomic themes are suitable for a kitchen of any style, because the colorful edible images present on the clock, be it a piece of cake or a juicy pear, only make this unique room tastier and more appetizing.
a plate-shaped clock in a modern kitchen interior
Summing up what has been said, I would like to dwell once again on the most important aspects of choosing a clock for the kitchen. So:
- The size of the clock should always correspond to the dimensions of the kitchen. In a small and narrow room, a massive and voluminous clock will look like a real monster - and vice versa, a miniature clock will look ridiculous in a spacious kitchen. In the latter case, there will be an obsessive desire to brush them off the wall like a cobweb.
- The choice of decor for the watch case should be made in the same style as the kitchen interior. If the overall design is made in a retro style, then the watch in it should appear antique or, at a minimum, artificially aged.
- Since for a kitchen interior a clock is, first of all, a decorative element, it should be in harmony with other accessories and furnishings, that is, it should have something in common in the decoration with furniture facades, lighting fixtures, curtains, and even with chairs and a dining table.
- Particular attention to the material. Modern interiors will accept kitchen clocks made of glass, plastic and metal, but more sophisticated styles will require products in solid cases made of expensive wood or decorated with artistic forging.
- Color. In this parameter, you will again have to focus on the color schemes of the overall kitchen interior. In light decors, models with a light dial framed by a dark case and with dark hands are appropriate. In bright kitchens with cheerful yellow, green, orange tones, you need to use the same bright and memorable clocks. For example, a clock in the shape of an fried egg would be a great addition to the yellow-green kitchen interior.
clock for the kitchen in hi-tech style
Tabletop or wall-mounted?
Where the clock will be located in your kitchen is, in principle, not so important .
They can hang on the wall, stand on a shelf or even on the floor, as long as space allows. The main thing in this case is not where you place the device, but that you can use it without problems. You should clearly see the hands of the clock and the numbers on its dial, because, you see, it’s somehow uncomfortable every time you try to find out the time, quit work, wipe your hands and look for glasses. To be fair, it must be said that wall-mounted models for kitchen decor are still preferable, because they have a number of advantages over their “brothers”. Drops of fat, water and crumbs, which are always rich in the cooking process, will not fall on the hanging clock. Being on the wall, they will not take up space in a limited kitchen space and will also be perfectly visible if you can choose a good place to mount them. Do not hang the clock above the stove itself. Even a schoolboy understands why this should not be done: fumes and elevated temperatures have never contributed to the “resistance” of watch mechanisms.
black wall clock in the interior of a light kitchen
Quartz or mechanics?
“From the point of view of experts, quartz models are more practical, especially if the clock is planned to be mounted on the kitchen wall”
Which watch to use – with quartz or mechanical movement – is up to you to decide. From the point of view of experts, quartz models are more practical, especially if the clock is planned to be mounted on the kitchen wall. Mechanical watches require daily winding, so you will have to remove them every time to tighten the spring and prevent it from stopping. The action is simple, but the problem is that you need to constantly remember this. And getting them from a great height is not always convenient, not to mention the process of returning to the place, which can generally waste a lot of time.
Hands or electronic dial?
You can easily use the type of dial that you are more familiar with in your decor. You can generally place both types of clocks in the kitchen, but you shouldn’t place them next to each other. By the way, a clock with an electronic dial will also serve as additional lighting for the kitchen interior.
clocks of different shapes in the kitchen in Provence style
Which enclosures are more practical?
Modern manufacturers use the latest technologies, so you can buy a clock for the kitchen in any case . It could be:
- Stainless steel.
- Glass.
- Ceramics.
- Plastic.
- Tree.
The latter is also quite acceptable for the kitchen, because wooden cabinets undergo additional treatment that protects them from destructive moisture. The question of choice in this case is based solely on price. If you want to save money, choose synthetic cases; if you have the opportunity to spend money, buy luxury models framed in natural wood.
red glass clock is a bright accessory in the interior of a bright kitchen
A striking clock in the kitchen interior
There is no question at all about whether a striking clock is appropriate in the kitchen interior. Use it for your health! The main thing is that their melody, sounding every half hour, does not irritate you. On the other hand, if you have such a clock in the kitchen, you don’t even need to look at the dial, because they themselves will notify you with their melodious ringing about what time it is. The cost of such models is within acceptable limits, and even if you get tired of listening to your chimes and want to just sit in silence, you can easily turn off this function in them.
Built-in clock
Handmade decorative details decorate any interior. The clock can also be played with in different ways. For example, they look very unusual when built into a cabinet door. This is not difficult to do. You will need a little imagination and the ability to work with a drill and screwdriver. You can use an old watch with a damaged case or make a clock mechanism with a dial, as they say, “from scratch.” In any case, it will turn out original. Such a clock will become a real highlight of your kitchen interior!
clock built into the wall
Practical tips for choosing a clock for the kitchen
If the kitchen furniture is made of wood and designed in a classic style, then the logical choice would be a large mechanical clock with a pendulum and a cuckoo. Such watches will organically fit into the design. If the kitchen is classic and designed in light colors, then it is recommended not to philosophize, but to use in the interior a clock stylized as a plate, naturally white, perhaps with a discreet pattern. In retro, country or Provence style kitchens, clocks with a so-called “gastronomic” theme or still life clocks are quite appropriate. A large round clock with simply huge hands will suit vintage kitchens. In a modern interior, watches of unusual shape and design should be used. For high-tech kitchens, designers have developed a special scheme: 1-2 neutral tones, followed by a “color flash”; it is precisely for this purpose that it is recommended to use a clock. And finally, a watch specially designed for kitchens with a “dishware” theme. They can be used in kitchens of any type, since dishes are a must in any kitchen, which means that a clock styled after them is quite appropriate.
Article on the topic: Distribution board (ShchR, ShchS, PR)
