Pleased to Meet you

Pleased to Meet you

by | Mar 28, 2023 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, PRODUCT DESIGN

When art chooses wood, a warm and lively material, sinuous and soft shapes born. We are delighted to present you here Pleased to Meet you, an art project by Nelcya Chamszadeh.

THE ARTIST

Born in 1972, Nelcya Chamszadeh, French origin, has lived in Milan for 10 years. After working outside the public scene in a totally private way, she decided to give her work a real container and she opened her own creative laboratory.
This atelier is her oxygen. Here Nelcya brings into questions and materializes her revolt to the conventions of contemporary society and expresses her personal point of view about world’s theme.

By visiting her studio, you’ll be surprised by the quantity of containers and jars filled with meticulously sorted small items. One small object beckons another and develops into an artwork and giving life to a new theme or concept.
An approach made popular from the Dadaists that find, in the works of Nelcya Chamszadeh, a deliberate Pop development thanks to the link with mass consumption and the forms of addiction to which it occurs leads back. Nelcya deals with the great and frightening themes of our society with disenchanted and somewhat cynical irony: death, sex, war, politics… subjects that obsess, that they consume, sometimes, to the point of madness.
One of the cathartic ways out is represented from creation, from letting go freely to artistic expression to escape the depression.

The title of each work plays a fundamental role in the reading and in the understanding of the work itself. “Help!”, “Uffizi”, “Les Connasses”, “You’re fat!” have the intent to guide towards an emotional direction or, for the surprise effect, to force the voyeurism.

Francesco and Nelcya

our Francesco with the Artist

Pleased to Meet You

“Art is the only time in my daily life where modesty does not exist, where I let myself go totally and feel absolutely free to express everything I feel, my anxieties, my intimacy.
The womb is for me the universal representation of life.
Life that would therefore be impossible without the woman.
It amused me to make it a self-portrait, in which I invite the viewer to look inside, while at the same time looking in the mirror.
In short, a game of voyeurism and intimacy.
One finds, peeping through keyholes, the scenes that, seen through the prism of my anxieties and ghosts, I imagine may have constructed my life.
I wanted to make it a tribute to women, to their primordial role in life, to their strength, their will, their capacity for resilience.
This work is a declaration of love and admiration of women.”

Nelcya Chamszadeh

external lock
inside room miniature
room one
external lock
inside room miniature

THE PROJECT

We begin by introducing this project with a quote from Picasso: “The artist is a receptacle of emotions that come from everywhere: from the sky, from the earth, from a piece of paper, from a form of passage, from a spider’s web.”
And I would also add from a piece of wood because that’s where the work of art evolved layer by layer.

The uterus of Pleased to Meet you contains many small microworlds, to be peeked through a mirrored glass that allows a glimpse of its contents.
We had the pleasure of creating the shell of the work and we want to show you the stages of construction step by step.

We started from the basic shape of the uterus that Nelcya gave us and that we made on MDF base.

To this were added several levels shaped for the necessary thickness to house the various wooden boxes. 

Shaped thicknesses
Shaped thicknesses layers

For these, in fact, an exact space was provided on the back and once “filled” with detail by the artist, they were then assembled by interlocking.

back without boxes
boxes of arts of Pleased to meet you

A LED connection expands throughout the structure with an arrival point at each box.

On the front, a wooden template with the locks carved coincides perfectly with a mirrored glass, applied last on the front.

details holes
LED cables

This has the fantastic feature of appearing homogeneous from a distance, while its transparency is perceived only when the LED inside the scene is turned on.

As a finale, the application of many small faces divided into groups on the front.

uterus no lights

THE REFERENCE OF WOOD IN THE PROMOTION

For the event, in which Pleased to Meet you was presented, we have created, thanks to the collaboration with LegnoStyle small laser cutted keychain gadgets in which was engraved the instagram profile of the artist and the Misschief collective. 

laser cutting
keychain gadgets

Grazie Nelcya per averci coinvolti in questa avventura 😊

ps: un’altra sperimentazione lingnea a questo link

A Minimal Kitchen to optimize the living area

A Minimal Kitchen to optimize the living area

by | Jan 13, 2023 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

To optimize the available space, in a small two-room apartment in Milan, we have created this minimal, discreet, bright and elegant kitchen.

Minimal white Kitchen

ALL LIVING ROOM

As we wrote in this article dedicated to the Kitchen Snack Table, in contemporary kitchens the living area and the kitchen increasingly merge into a single open space.
There are no more partitions even at the entrance to the apartments, the door opens and everything we can have in a Living area is revealed in front of us.
So the kitchen, dining area and living room become a single room, just like in this article dedicated to a functional kitchen.
To give harmony to this triptych, the kitchen must therefore lose its “operative” spirit by hiding ladles, pots and groceries and becoming a more discreet element, which is revealed only when necessary.
Much more storage space and doors closed from view, while maintaining everything needed to cook, serve and enjoy food.

minimal kitchen lateral
minimal kitchen lateral

​PHYSIOMY OF A MINIMAL KITCHEN

This kitchen, designed by Artecasa studio, optimize the most of the available space.
It develops in the niche of the side wall at the entrance with an equipped part and a front island that acts as an additional storage space and snack table for quick meals.
What can therefore be seen from the entrance are two horizontal gray stone floors, which develop parallel.

gray minimal kitchen countertops

In the equipped part in the niche there are all the appliances needed in a minimal kitchen: a refrigerator column, a dishwasher with a two-bowl sink, a hob with an oven and a tall microwave.
In the island, lots of storage space, drawers for cutlery, pots and crockery and the top that extends towards the living area becoming a snack top to accommodate at least 3 diners.

details drawers
The atmosphere is convivial, and the lights are skilfully designed to amplify this feeling of intimacy and warmth.
Three ceiling lights descend punctually on the Kitchen Snack Table, the backlit wall units remain at the service of the kitchen while a track with adjustable spotlights illuminates the relaxation area.
The colors are light and glow in the light from the large windows at the back of the room.
minimal kitchen lateral

On the ground a natural oak parquet that matches well with the gray veined stone chosen for the countertops and the back of the kitchen and the light-colored furniture.
Here another minimal Milanese kitchen with similar combinations.

Merry Christmas in Viva Magenta

Merry Christmas in Viva Magenta

by | Dec 21, 2022 | SPEAKING OF US

Merry Christmas in Viva Magenta

We close this year with our Best Wishes themed Viva Magenta, Pantone color 2023.
Viva Magenta is defined by the Pantone institute itself as “An unconventional shade for an unconventional time” it is in fact courageous and fearless, a pulsating, exuberant color.

Three years after the outbreak of a pandemic, the start of a war, tumultuous social unrest, an economy gone unstable and growing climate change, it represents the confidence and motivation we need to withstand long-term disruptive events. Indeed, we must find the motivation to continue.

Technically it is a shaded crimson red tone, a hybrid color between warm and cold. Viva Magenta envelops us in both power and grace, inspiring us to present ourselves with confidence and humanity.

May it be auspicious for the new year!

viva magenta new year

We take this opportunity to remind you that our offices will be closed from December 24th to January 8th.

Furniture for children according to the Montessori Method

Furniture for children according to the Montessori Method

by | Dec 16, 2022 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRODUCT DESIGN, SLEEPING AREA

Building furniture in Montessori style means creating a child-friendly, comfortable and accessible environment. The lines that characterize these furnishings are simple and the materials are natural, such as wood.

THE MONTESSORI METHOD

The Montessori educational method is based on free activity within an environment tailored to the structural and cognitive characteristics of children and teenagers.
The function of the environment and of the furnishings that complete their spaces is to allow them to spontaneously develop autonomy in all evolutionary areas. The environment must therefore be built in proportion to the child.
It must be beautiful, harmonious and clean, it must facilitate movement and activities, while limiting the tools.
A space free of obstacles and minimal, free to be experienced independently, without the help or interaction of an adult.
Children in these environments are free to choose, create, invent and become aware of themselves and their potential in a process of self-education and self-control.
Montessori pedagogy starts from birth and develops up to adolescence with the aim of making the child not only independent, but also responsible and aware towards individual, but also social growth.

MONTESSORI FURNITURES

A fundamental prerogative of Montessori furnishings is the possibility for the child to reach the object easily and independently for sensory activities.
Then leave it free to be “called” by the object.
Furniture with an impact that is not only physical but also visual, fantastic and emotional.
Elements that become playmates and life companions where adults are guests or spectators in the environment.

BOOKSHELF

To marry the Montessori principles is this bookcase, made at child height in order to encourage the free choice of the favorite book.
All or most of the books are displayed in full view and in an orderly manner, even better if with the cover visible and not on the edge.
The shelves are easily accessible while the closed parts are designed to make opening easy and intuitive.

Allegra Montessori Library
Allegra Montessori Library
Allegra Montessori Library

The “Little Cheerful Bookcase” in the shape of a house has shelves visible in the upper part and lower doors with a laser-cutted handle in the shape of a happy face.
The opening takes place precisely by inserting the fingers in the “voids” of the smiley, stimulating the touch for gripping the doors.
Internally, a shelf is available for any small items. Made of poplar wood it was subsequently painted with non-toxic water-based paints that still allow the natural grain of the poplar to be glimpsed.
All this to introduce the theme of colour, respecting the reference to nature present in the choice of material.

MONTESSORI TURRET

The Montessori turret is also called the Learning Tower.
This is essentially a wooden ladder that allows the child to stand up, in total safety thanks to the side bulkheads.
Thanks to this “elevation from the ground” all the adult furnishings, such as the kitchen top, tables or sinks, also become accessible for the child.
The latter thus manages to carry out, in complete autonomy, various actions such as brushing his teeth, hands or carrying out small household chores which allow him to acquire autonomy.
The steps of the Montessori tower also train the child in the actions of going up and down which he will have to deal with when dealing with higher stairs.

Montessori giraffe turret

Here is our creation in the shape of a giraffe in which the second step is removable and can be raised according to the height of the child.
This turret is a useful accessory and can also be used as a stool; in fact, the child can sit on the first step and the second shelf acts as a back support.

Montessori giraffe turret detail
Montessori giraffe turret detail

An example is our giraffe-shaped creation in which the second step is removable and can be raised according to the child’s height.
A multifunctional element, it can also be used as a stool using the first step as a seat, while the second shelf acts as a back support.

MONTESSORI BEDS

The Montessori bed is mainly characterized by its height designed to allow the child to get on and off in complete autonomy.
There are no side bars to impede movement, freedom becomes a design metaphor for essential and intuitive furniture.
There is therefore no back headboard, but the mattress is rather embraced by the surrounding wooden structure.
Montessori cribs can have side bars that give them a cottage look or, as in these cases, an Indian hut.

Montessori bed
Montessori bed details
Montessori bed details

Lights, toys or possibly a sheet can be hung on the upper bar to underline the feeling of den and protection.
The vision and perception of the child inside his bedroom are therefore total visual freedom of the entire environment and his surroundings.

Montessori bed light
Montessori bed back
Montessori bed light

The bottom is rigid and breathable, becoming an excellent support for the development of the spine.
Although the Montessori bed is extremely safe, also thanks to the reduced height, a useful tip is to introduce it starting from the year of the child when he becomes independent in walking and moving.
Here is another of our articles dedicated to the safety of children in the home.

PIKLER TRIANGLE

The Pikler Triangle is a game-tool created by a Hungarian pediatrician, Emmi Pikler, based on the Montessori Method.
According to Pikler, it was important to follow the pace of development of each individual child, giving them the opportunity to move and experiment with the body and its movements in complete freedom.
In order to express their emotions, the child uses movement as the first means of communication.
For this reason, leaving them free to move and experiment is very important for growth and psychomotor development, as well as relational and emotional.

Triangol Pikler
Triangol Pikler
Triangol Pikler

Here our Pikler triangle, characterized by a triangular-shaped wooden structure which can be associated with a platform-ramp, which hooks onto the pegs of the triangle. The latter can be used by the child to climb, go up or down and in a thousand other imaginative ways.
With this tool, children learn to discover and understand the movements of their body, control and manage movements, coordinate themselves.
It favors the development of the autonomous motor sense when used to climb, go up and down, but it is also an interesting stimulus for the imagination when used as a tunnel or hut, or much more.

CONCLUSIONS ON THE MONTESSORI METHOD

Montessori pedagogy is therefore not only based on independence, freedom and respect for the child’s natural physical, psychological and social development, but also on a sense of responsibility and awareness towards the network that links every small entity to a larger macrocosm.
Children deserve spaces where they can move, play and sleep, wake up and experiment.
Sometimes we think that a newborn baby is small, vulnerable and unable to open up to the world, but that’s not the case at all.
By trusting the child, right from birth, his growth will be balanced and independent and he will feel more secure in each new step.

The Kitchen Snack Table as an evolution of contemporary Cookery

The Kitchen Snack Table as an evolution of contemporary Cookery

by | Nov 21, 2022 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT

The Kitchen Snack Table has become increasingly common in contemporary cookery, representing an informal and multipurpose space. In addition to making the environment more convivial, it helps create a new hybrid connection between the kitchen and the living area.

A NEW WAY OF USING THE KITCHEN
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF KITCHEN SNACK TABLE
• INTEGRATED TO THE PENINSULA
• INTEGRATED INTO THE ISLAND
• IN SUPPORT
• SLIDING
THE KITCHEN SNACK TABLE IN CONCLUSION

 

A NEW WAY OF USING THE KITCHEN

In the last decade, the kitchen has consolidated its focal role within the domestic environment. Thanks to the multitude of television programs with starred chefs, the pleasure of cooking has been rediscovered, bringing the excellence of the Italian culinary tradition back into force. By virtue of this, more and more attention are paid to the functionality of the kitchen: storage, preparation, cooking and tasting become fundamental points in the act of cooking, each with its own needs and requirements.

Kitchens have evolved over time, marrying the idea of ​​open spaces in recent years, blending into the living area. By breaking down the canonical subdivision into closed environments, the sense of openness has also contributed to modifying the conformation of the kitchens. These have become more and more protagonists both in their island and peninsula arrangement, in which they accompany the conformation of the architectural structure. From this point of view, the kitchen snack table plays a fundamental role in the new vision of the living area, acting as a functional element of conviviality and a trait d’union between the two different areas.

By Kitchen Snack Table we mean any type of extension of the kitchen worktop, whether it is coplanar or overlapping the latter. Being a hybrid element of both the kitchen and the dining area, it allows the tasting of quick lunches and snacks without having to sit down at the dining table. At the same time, it remains at the service of a work surface during the preparation of meals.

Made in the same material as the top or in contrast with it with a different material, it is characterized by a sophisticated design. Dimensions and locations vary according to the structure of the kitchen and the importance one wishes to give to the element itself.

wasabi peninsula kitchen

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF KITCHEN SNACK TABLE

INTEGRATED TO THE PENINSULA

In the peninsula kitchen, the Snack Table has the same height as the worktop which is usually around 90cm and differs from the dining table which is 20cm lower. It is therefore necessary to use high or adjustable stools for a small number of diners, given the limited usable space.

In these examples of peninsula kitchens, the Snack Table is designed in the same material as the top to give a sense of visual continuity.

In this peninsula kitchen, the marble top stands out for its veins and elegance, becoming the undisputed protagonist of the environment. As such, it harmoniously embraces the development of the kitchen, declining towards the ground and restoring a sense of visual closure. In the second case, the worktop leaps towards the living area, supported by an anthracite gray painted iron structure with a linear aesthetic. The sense of openness created by this supporting structure allows maximum usability of this element.

lateral wasabi kitchen

peninsula kitchen in Wasabi marble with C-shaped snack top

peninsula gray snack table

peninsula kitchen in shades of gray


INTEGRATED INTO THE ISLAND

Born as a replica of an actual bar counter, it is in front of or to the side of the operational part of the kitchen, which very often incorporates the hob or sink. Usually shallow, no more than 30cm, it takes advantage of a small space both for support and for tasting. It can be raised above the kitchen top and made in a different material to create an interesting visual contrast. Here are two examples with a wooden top combined with a stone-effect kitchen top.

front dark kitchen

island kitchen with Lasa marble stoneware worktop and Snack worktop in dark wood

Bergamo apartment essential contemporary kitchen 01

island kitchen with gray stoneware top and oak snack top

In the island, the snack top can continue with the same material, providing only a useful support and workspace as in these two cases.

light island kitchen Snack Table

an ethereal white kitchen with a snack counter integrated into the parallel central island

gray white kitchen island

an elegant kitchen in light tones with a gray worktop and two side Snack Table

IN SUPPORT

The snack top can also be released from the island or peninsula and become an independent space for supporting or consuming quick meals. A singular element inside the kitchen, as in this case, where it becomes an additional surface for completing the kitchen on the wall.

kitchen with extended Snack Table

A disturbing architectural element, such as a pillar in the center of the kitchen, can integrate harmoniously by becoming a support for an additional snack top in the kitchen, as in this case.

kitchen with lateral Snack Table


SLIDING

The Slide Snack Table is a sliding support capable of hiding part of the kitchen by closing it in a solid and defenseless monolith. This, thanks to a mechanical movement, changes its development by stretching the lid outwards and making it become an unconventional support surface.

In this example, the whole island is clad in the same material, a dark emperador marble. When at rest, the structure appears fixed, while when it becomes operational, it shows the hob and the underlying materials, i.e. steel and ceramic glass.

island marble kitchen


THE KITCHEN SNACK TABLE IN CONCLUSION

We have seen how the island or peninsula of a kitchen can have a natural continuation of a multifunctional surface by becoming a Snack Table. A small but useful work surface that is used during the day for breakfasts and snacks. Or a sort of counter for quick lunches but also a support surface for enjoying aperitifs with friends.

In fact, the ritual of meals has lost its formality over time, becoming a moment to be optimized within the sometimes-hectic day. Therefore the snack top has become a fundamental element in the design of a contemporary kitchen.