Against a backdrop of lustrous hand-painted tiles and wood-beamed ceilings, colonial hacienda kitchens simmered with pungent aromas, conversation, and activity from an early hour.
 
Typically spacious and laden with cherished, well-worn implements, colonial hacienda kitchens were inspired by centuries-old convent kitchens charged with preparing meals for hundreds.  Though today’s kitchens no longer require endless hours for grinding, chopping and rolling food ingredients, the original designs and style of early colonial kitchens remain an important influence.
 
Contemporary Mexican kitchens combine rich color and familiar old-world elements with modern fixtures and appliances: Talavera tiles, painted trasteros, rustic tables & chairs, simple iron chandeliers, ceramics and traditional utilitarian objects surround modern stovetops and polished concrete surfaces.  Read more about Mexican kitchen design in our “Cocinas” chapter of Hacienda Style (2008, Gibbs Smith Publisher).