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.

AN OLIVE GREEN KITCHEN IN THE OROBIC PREALPS

AN OLIVE GREEN KITCHEN IN THE OROBIC PREALPS

by | Sep 9, 2022 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT

Immersed in the woods of the Seriana Valley, a splendid villa with panoramic views has renovated its interiors and the living area with a new olive-green kitchen.
Opening doors white kitchen with island

A FUNCTIONAL AND MODERN PROJECT

The heat of these summers has made us rediscover how beautiful, cool, and relaxing our second mountain homes are.
There has been a real repopulation of our Valleys and the trend is increasing.

After so many years living away from our second homes, however, we also want to return to live there by renovating them, to fully enjoy them.
The customers’ request was to have a new modern kitchen, open to the living room in a large, functional, and capacious Open Space.
A kitchen able to marry with some wooden elements already present in the house and with the new living area with fireplace in shades of gray.

Our interlocutors were not a single subject but several families who use this second mountain home, so we tried to satisfy all of them with a project in harmony with the context.

green and wood kitchen
detail of green door hollow handles
gas hob detail

THE KITCHEN PROJECT

Once the dividing wall was knocked down and the old access to the room closed, the kitchen had the opportunity to develop into a corner, right in front of the bright French window that overlooks the external panoramic terrace.


A first column volume on the left acts as a large pantry with shelves (useful for several users).
In the center and taking advantage of the corner, a hollow with low wall units houses the sink with drainer, the gas hob, and a good worktop.
The refrigerator column and the oven column with service doors in the upper part close the opposite corner.

green and wood kitchen
aventos detail
dish drainer detail

GREEN KITCHEN: HARMONY BETWEEN INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS

The materials and colors was chosen to follow both the trends we found at the Salone del Mobile and, on a conceptual level, the external environment. The predominant color of the kitchen is in fact a very delicate olive green, which recalls all the forest green that can be glimpsed from the window. The walls are also in the same color tone but in a lighter shade. The floor is made of oak planks and rises to become the same plinth of the entire kitchen. In addition to aesthetics, however, a certain degree of resistance was required, as the house is used by several families, so both doors and wall units are made of plastic bilaminate. As far as the oak essence bilaminate is concerned, we sought the closest color to the parquet, but we preferred to move it away from the floor in a more linear rhythm and without obvious knots. The top is in HPL, that is a compound of cellulosic fiber impregnated with thermosetting resins, practical and resistant. The finish of the top is in Cardoso stone, in shades of gray, which incorporates the other elements in the living room and its irregularity, and its marked veins make it very similar to the sandstone rocks of the Valley. Green, wood, and rock, these are the harmonic references that we have chosen as the common thread between inside and outside and the result is really satisfying. Here the link to another renovated mountain apartment.

THE FURNISHING OF A TAVERN IN A CONTEMPORARY STYLE

THE FURNISHING OF A TAVERN IN A CONTEMPORARY STYLE

by | Jan 31, 2022 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

The interior design of the taverns with the passage of time requires small retouchers to return to their original beauty and allow the owners to rediscover that desire to fully living the space. Here the case of a tavern adapted in a contemporary style.

Modern wooden table tavern

THE TAVERN

The tavern is a home environment that risks not to being exploited to the fullest, especially if it is used as a second living area. However, what makes it different from the traditional living area is an intrinsic intimacy that makes it the most welcoming place in the whole house. How many people immediately think of the tavern when they have to organize a dinner with friends? Or when they want to enjoy a bit of tranquility, how many of them are isolating themselves in the company of a good book in their relaxing corner? Precisely for this reason the tavern can be elected as the most convivial and intimate place in the house, although its furniture must always be functional and in line with the other environments.

Kitchen tavern table lights

the living area connects to the kitchen, an equipped floor divides them.

FIREPLACE

As already mentioned in the article dedicated to Hygge, a fireplace or a wood stove are elements that can best convey warmth and intimacy; usually the fulcrum of the environment in which they are located are the perfect places to spend time chatting with loved ones and a hot tea or a good glass of wine in your hands. In the case of this renovated tavern in a contemporary style, a large fireplace becomes the focal point of the entire living area. It also acts as a connecting element between the living area of the apartment, located on the ground floor, and the exit to the courtyard. The terracotta floor take up the choice of keeps the materials of the rest of the house. This also covers the raised base, becoming both a seat and a support surface according to the different depths. A large cushion makes it even more comfortable to use, welcoming a comfortable reading corner.

fireplace e higgelig

THE DINING AREA

In front of the fireplace there is a large heat-treated oak table with warm veins and a simple and linear aesthetic structure (which we also find in this creation), with a light base in anthracite painted iron. Surrounded by lovely mustard-colored armchairs, it is able to liven up the environment and ready to accommodate up to 12 diners. To emphasize the warmth and intimacy of this environment, three pendant lamps mark a visual rhythm with their diffused and soft light. The new lampshade in a pure opal white amplifies the general brightness of the environment.

table lights in the living area
detail of the armchairs
drapery detail

Details of the mustard eco-leather armchairs and double venetian blinds with gray “drop” decoration downwards.

THE KITCHEN

The kitchen changes position compared to the original plan and is an extension of the living area, facing the dining table with an equipped worktop, which can also act as a support surface. The floors, recovered from the originals in Rosso Verona marble, very distinctive and decisive, blend well with the terracotta floor. To stand out and at the same time make the marble more sober and elegant, the furnishings of the entire kitchen, as well as that of the entire tavern, are in a light gray with cold tones. The handles are invisible for the wall units, shaped to measure for the tall unit in the center while, as regards the base of the wall units, reinforced with an aluminum profile matching the color of the lacquering.

lateral kitchen
handles details
handles details
kitchen snack

The kitchen with its colors and the details of the different handles.

THE RELAXATION LIVING ROOM

In the same finish as the kitchen, to maintain stylistic continuity, the TV cabinet in the relaxation lounge has also been lacquered, which is positioned in the most intimate and hidden part of the tavern. Reupholstered with a bright orange fabric, the sofa features cushions and backrests with refined pandance textures. The living room can be glimpsed at the entrance to the tavern, on the left, through glass shelves that cross the space to arrive, shaped, at the supporting column, painted anthracite like the legs of the dining table.

living room relax
textile details
zona relax
tv cabinet

THE FURNISHINGS OF THE TAVERN AT THE CONCLUSION

Furnishing the tavern means knowing how to convey sensations such as the sense of warmth, well-being and intimacy. It is important to develop the main elements in stylistic harmony with each other and in line with the rest of the apartment. If a tavern is dated and is left as such for too long, it risks losing its charm and becoming a second home cellar, in which stored unused objects.

tavern entrance

A wooden bedroom with warm natural tonalities. Functional passages and connected rooms.

A wooden bedroom with warm natural tonalities. Functional passages and connected rooms.

by | Jan 19, 2022 | LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

A large wooden room in natural tones picks up on the architectural elements of the attic sleeping area, also housing a walk-in wardrobe in the back structure. Adjacent to the bedroom, a textured glass sliding door leads to the large master bathroom, which also communicates with the study.

Curnis animation walk-in wardrobe door openings

The wooden master bedroom with a cosy atmosphere

The architectural context of this sleeping area responds to a well-defined character. On the floor is a parquet floor with a rustic look, with marked knots and grains and a light polish that emphasises its softness. The ceiling, on the other hand, is enriched by wooden beams in warm amber tones with a central ridge. On the sides, elegant draperies embrace the window with large windows, filtering natural light in favour of an intimate and cosy ambience.

A combination of rustic and elegant elements, also echoed in the choice of the wrought iron bed frame, which is matched by important golden velvets. Picking up on the material choice of the architectural envelope, the structure behind the bed conceals the bilateral access to the walk-in wardrobe.

In fact, the doors and covering panels of the structure are concealed by a geometric composition that marks the visual rhythm of the wall.
In the centre of this is an open compartment with an ochre lacobel bottom and base which, illuminated by a recessed LED strip in the upper part, is enriched with a golden hue.

dettaglio vano giorno lacobel ocra illuminazione LED superiore velluti letto
camera da letto in legno vista frontale retroletto attrezzato cabina armadio vista laterale destra
camera da- etto in legno vista frontale retroletto attrezzato cabina armadio vista laterale sinistra

A walk-in wardrobe created in the space behind the bed

In order to optimise space, having a large double bedroom, the solution that best meets functionality is to equip the back of the bed with a wooden structure that also serves as access to the walk-in wardrobe. This, as already realised in this classic villa, exploits the longitudinal layout to alternate hanging tubes, folding shelves and linen drawers.

The conformation of the walk-in wardrobe and its bilateral access define its user flow and usability. Also in this micro-environment, the material choice of the individual components plays a fundamental role in defining the overall aesthetic impact. In particular, the shoulders and vertical elements in general are characterised by matt white lacquering, while the horizontality is emphasised with wooden shelves and drawer fronts.

camera-da-letto-in-legno cabina armadio retroletto apertura ante
cabina armadio retroletto legno e bianco
cabina armadio retroletto legno e bianco fronte
cabina armadio spalle laccato bianco ripiani fronte cassetti legno aperti
cabina -armadio spalle laccato bianco ripiani fronte cassetti legno

The communicating bathroom in natural tones

A sliding glass door leads from the wooden room to the bathroom, whose wooden furniture echoes the material choice of the entire bedroom area.
This is characterised by the presence of large push-open drawers surmounted by a white lacobel top with a ceramic countertop washbasin. The wall-mounted stainless steel tapware is framed by a white lacobel plate that echoes the bathroom vanity top.

A large mirror with integrated lighting amplifies the perception of space, giving additional brightness to the room. The use of LED strips is also taken up in this room, emphasising the material transition between the tile covering and the wall.
The bathroom becomes a communicating room between the bedroom and the study, exploiting the double side access. The latter is accessed from the bedroom side by means of a textured glass sliding door in wood effect, from the study side by means of a hinged door of the same aesthetic line.

mobile bagno comunicante cassettoni legno piano lacobel bianco
mobile bagno apertura cassetti fronte legno
mobile bagno comunicante cassettoni piano lacobel bianco lavabo appoggio specchio con illuminazione
dettaglio lavabo appoggio rubinettera inox a parete specchio con illuminazione
dettaglio maniglia porta scorrevole texturizzata legno vetro bagno comunicante

A wooden room with a natural feel uses the functionality of a walk-in wardrobe behind the bed to optimise space. The choice of natural materials and soft lighting, with a hint of Hygge, creates a relaxing and hospitable environment. To further explore the theme of the wooden sleeping area, here are two other realisations in which the natural material par excellence becomes the protagonist: Comfort among the peaks and a Shabby Chic studio apartment.

HYGGE : THE DANISH WAY TO HAPPINESS

HYGGE : THE DANISH WAY TO HAPPINESS

by | Nov 15, 2021 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

To have Hygge at home it is necessary to give it that sense of warmth, well-being and intimacy that perhaps it lacks. It is well established that living better in the home environment not only makes us feel better but makes us appreciate our daily life more till making us more happy.

intimate Hygge Living room

a warm and welcoming Hygge living room.

WHAT IS HYGGE?

A survey has identified in the Danish people the happiest in the world and in the Hygge its recipe for happiness, which is why it is so fashionable and more and more people try to steal its secrets to obtain a better psychophysical well-being. However, giving a meaning to the Danish term Hygge is not easy, it is linked more to an atmosphere and an experience than something tangible. It is the feeling of being at home, protected from the world and safe, conversing about the big or small things in life with friends or enjoying a cup of hot chocolate alone in total relaxation. Due to their specific social-cultural-economic conditions, the Danes spend 71% of their free time at home, which is why Interior Design is essential to experience the Hiemmehygge, or the Homemade Hygge. But what are the keys to success for having a more Higgelig home?

modern Hygge living room
Vintage Hygge living room

two Higgelig living rooms, one more modern and the second more vintage.

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THE HYGGELIG HOME?

LIGHTS

The lights are fundamental in the Hyggelig house, soft and “alive” like those of candles, many and everywhere, together with excellent artificial lighting.
In fact, the Danes have a real obsession with lamps, they choose and strategically place them inside the house.
They prefer design lamps, such as the PH lamp by Henningsten or the Panton VP Globe by Verner Panton capable of diffusing a soft light which is however reflected by the structure of the lamp using in combination with bulbs with low and warm voltages, on 1800 K.

moodboard Hygge style

Moodboard of the Hygge style, from the lights, to the furnishings and colors.

HYGGEKROG

In the Hygge headquarters, that is our home, a Hyggekrog could be the strategic point dedicated to pure relaxation, the area of a room where you like to snuggle under a blanket holding a book and a cup of tea.
It can be near a light source, like a window, or next to a warm place, like a wood-burning fireplace.
This love for confined spaces or real “dens” has been with us since we were children but has an ancestral origin. Sitting in a Hyggekrog makes us feel safe away from any potential threats, allowing us to relax.

dedicated Hyggekrog in wood
Hyggekrog obtained from the side windows.
minimal Hyggekrog

Three different Hyggekrogs: one specially designed to the side of the light source and two instead obtained as window / glazing work, one richer and the other more minimal

FIRE

A fireplace or a wood stove are just as Hyggelig, as well as being a source of warmth and comfort, the sinuous movement of the burning logs relaxes the view and the area around the fireplace becomes convivial, a place to spend time with loved ones and accentuate the intimacy of home life.
In the large living room of this contemporary-style villa, the sofas look out at an angle to a side wood-burning fireplace that warms the room without becoming the protagonist of the scene.

Moder Hygge Living room
Intimate fireplace corner
Details fireplace and cushions

The corner coexists on the side of the fireplace and some finishing details and accessories.

MATERIALS

The main material is wood, in floors, furniture and even in small household items.
Wood makes us feel closer to nature and this is exactly what we want to bring into the house.
In fact, there is also a green corner or just leaves, nuts, twigs, anything that makes us feel in the midst of nature.

Hygge green veranda

The smell of wood and its being a soft and lively material makes it simple and natural, just like the concept of Hygge itself.
Here a mountain apartment entirely covered with a splendid heat-treated and natural brushed larch.

living room in larch wood
corridor with high wooden paneling
cozy bedroom

Tall wooden boiserie are accompanied by a modern fireplace and other wooden elements such as the kitchen table and the backrests and bedside tables in the sleeping area.

BOOKS

If you think about relaxation and intimacy, you also think about the pleasure of reading, if the house is Hygge there will be shelves full of voluminous books. All books are in fact Hyggelige, but the classics written by authors such as Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë or Charles Dickens must occupy a special place among the shelves.

In this modern Milanese kitchen we could define this space dedicated to cookbooks very Higgelig, folders overlap each other but remain available to experience a different form of relaxation, the peace and gratification of well cooking.
If Hygge were a person, its could be a cook, who approaches life by understanding the value of a good meal in pleasant company.

Kitchen and books Higgelig

Books crowd this small corner dedicated to good food.

THINK OF TOUCH

As initially specified, Hygge is an experience that involves all our senses, including touch. In fact, the materials that inspire positive sensations when touched are also very important, a soft wool or even a hot ceramic cup.

Small colorful accessories, such as the famous Kähler vases, cups, blankets and pillows must not be missing.

Home with ceramics and green
pillows and blankets Hygge

Here are houses with blankets, soft pillows and ceramics./p>

THE BEST PERIOD TO PRACTICE THE HYGGE

The best time of the year to enjoy Hygge is about to begin: when the first cold arrives, winter is coming and the days are getting shorter, you feel the need to stay at home more.
This is the right time to prepare your “Home Sweet Home” to be warm and welcoming in the coldest season of the year.

What to do after having furnished it? A nice supply of warm sweaters and socks to put on and a nice playlist of songs to listen to while lying on the sofa.

Furthermore, a nice selection of films ready to be seen or a photo album to bring back old and pleasant memories cannot be missing. And above all… lots of sweets, a nice glass of wine, herbal teas and hot chocolates to be enjoyed in peace near your own home.

Enjoy Hygge everyone!!

Hygge book and tea

A bespoke wardrobe in the attic: sloping doors and large bookcases

A bespoke wardrobe in the attic: sloping doors and large bookcases

by | Nov 11, 2021 | LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT

To make the most of the sloping ceiling of this attic, a large custom-made wardrobe is mixed between a functional element and a large bookcase. A hybrid furniture, usable internally for the seasonable wardrobe change, but linear in aesthetics to create a suggestive and small reading hall for our little client Francesco.

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling bookcase in front of sloping doors

Equip an attic with sloped ceiling with a custom-made wardrobe

The attic is the project environment with great aesthetic potential but with strong architectural design constraints.
The presence of a sloping roof creates different usability areas imposed by the different internal heights of the room.
In this case, the architectural conformation of the attic, with a narrow and long plan with access to the center of the ridge, ideally divides the room into two different environments.
In one of these two the large custom-made wardrobe stands, able to exploit even the lowest corner of the attic with a bookcase in the niche.

To ensure that the sloping cut doors are not obstructed in the opening direction by the attic ceiling, it is necessary to provide single doors with fastening on the longer side. This also allows an internal division with shelves marked by single and not double modules as in a traditional wardrobe.
The backs of the bookcase are shaped in the same way in order to respect the inclination of the ceiling and optimize the overall dimensions.

To explore the theme of rooms with sloping ceilings, here are these two attics: one in a contemporary style with antique elements and the other in a modern style. To these is also added this mezzanine equipped with wardrobe and bookcase for a functional study area.

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling front bookcase
detail handles white aluminum profile wardrobe
interior hanger wardrobe custom attic season change
inside wardrobe change of house linen season
bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling side bookcase
internal shelves bilaminate wardrobe made to measure attic change of season

A reading corner for our most demanding small customers

Francesco is our little client with very clear needs. If mom Laura is kindly allowed to use the inside wardrobe for the seasonable wardrobe change and household linen, the niche-bookcase must be able to accommodate books and dinosaurs divided by specific themes and colors.
The shaped shoulders accommodate fixed shelves at different heights, creating a lively but elegant visual rhythm.

Even the fresh and elegant tone of the white bilaminate creates a luminous reading area in which a delicate Scandinavian design coffee table finds space.
To take advantage of the depth of the wardrobe, a second bookcase is grafted onto the side shoulder, also visually closing the furniture with a characterizing detail. The same solution was also adapted in this cerulean blue kitchen in modern style.
In this case, the shelves are positioned at a greater height so that they can also accommodate more bulky folders and books.
The reading corner is thus embraced by the multifunctional furniture that from a simple wardrobe serving an attic it also becomes a custom-made bookcase.

reading corner bookcase in niche shelves fixed height
bookcase detail with fixed door and white bilaminate shelves
detail of white bilaminate bookcase shelves
attic bookcase with fixed shelves
bookcase detail in front of the wardrobe
detail handles white aluminum profile cabinet front