Given the following two descriptions, which would you think most likely a representative of “Texas chic?”: 1. “For people who are seeking an entirely new awareness of life. The handle-less aesthetics and the wall-hung base units with lighting effects place futuristic accents”; or 2. “An accomplished combination of natural materials that are guaranteed to stand the test of time. The trendy colour and material mix, comprising natural rough-cut oak veneer and the finest ceramic surfaces, positively invites you to reach out and touch.” You wouldn’t be alone if you went for door #2, which sounds to me like the kind of big, bold statement and elemental appeal that the Lone Star state just loves. Au, contraire, as they say, for the Neos and Cult kitchens by manufacturer Rational have reversed this particular equation.

Neos. Designed by Rational.

Unexpected Combinations for an Unconventional Aesthetic

Perhaps a bit of history will elucidate the aims of Rational einbauküchen GmbH, a kitchen brand from Deutschland whose four decades in the business have given them a solid reputation for synthesizing quality and functionality, as well as for dancing out there on the proverbial aesthetic edge. Just so, the vast expanses of Neos—the handle-less fronts, the stark cabinetry, the interplay of white glass and striped smoked oak veneer—suggest a millennial Texan, one who can fashion the landscape of wide-open spaces into a thoroughly contemporary aesthetic (Of course, the prairie antelope antlers mounted on the wall don’t hurt either).

Neos. Designed by Rational.

Cult. Designed by Rational.

Cult, for its part, will generate a different kind of following. This kitchen is definitely banking on the sensual allure of touch: rough cut oak veneer in chocolate brown and rich black contrasts with ceramic countertops in veneer or Top-Tec compliant soft lacquer (see here for the full line-up). The counterplay between rough and smooth, large and small (note the rough-cut oak on the large pantry space), and dark and light creates a duality for those with particularly bold affinities.

Via Trendir.