One kitchen a week, part 4: essential and elegant

by Giulia | Mar 14, 2018 | KITCHEN, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

A contemporary and essential kitchen, which minimal lines define an elegant interior total white.

THE PROJECT

The most elegant contemporary interiors are characterized by simplicity, created with opaque surfaces often white.

It’s the case of this kitchen, which essential setting does not give up contrasting elements such as the central cutting board and the snack bar on the right.

Placed at the angle, it has a visual and conceptual asymmetry that creates different visual solutions: on one side the full-height door holds containing shelves and drawers in a continuous visual surface. The recess oven occupies the lateral part in communication with the countertop that uses the internal corner.

The main side is instead occupied by the horizontal subdivision between the upper wall units and the lower containing volumes. The linear lighting, hidden in the edge of wall units, creates a feeling of emptiness able to give lighten to the room’s perception.

In particular, the upper wall units are made up of fixed-width doors with an extremely elegant profile, spaced from each other by a visual line obtained with a small slot. The lower part instead consists of two drawers with recessed handles symmetrically mirrored to the central door. This takes up the width od the warm-coloured wooden cutting board which creates an essential and extremely elegant contrast in the choice. On the right wall, ending the kitchen project, a wooden support takes origin whose abutment reaches the floor. It is precisely the latter that gives greater dynamism to the room by inserting a chromatic element in contrast with the surrounding neutrality. It also recalls the finishes of the fixtures chosen for French-door on the side.

SHAPES, COLOURS AND MATERIALS

The elegance of this project lies precisely in the choice of essential stylistic lines: privileging straight lines to curved and dynamic shapes, the resulting visual composition is extremely simplified. Essentiality has therefore become the key-word to design furniture, which renounce exposed handles in favour of recessed edge. These are visible through the play od shadows created by the use of different depths.

In an extremely contemporary project like this one, Corian is the obvious choice fot the kitchen countertop, which allows to hide edges, returning the idea of a very clean and elegant continuous surface.

The Corian countertop also continues on the back surface of the hob and sink, creating an interesting material alternation with the white lacobel. For the remaining surfaces, a textured matt lacquered MDF was chosen.

Compare this project with other kitchens: contemporary pop kitchen, fresh, gritty and lively kitchen and contemporary hi-tech kitchen.

← One kitchen a week, part 3: contemporary hi-tech A kitchen entirely steel covered →

One kitchen a week, part 3: contemporary hi-tech

by Giulia | Mar 7, 2018 | KITCHEN, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

A contemporary hi-tech kitchen whose aesthetic line is very dynamic thanks to the choice of metallic materials, to the play of reflections and opacity, but at the same time, it has warm and soft colours.

The contemporary design of the appliances increasingly accustoms us to metal surfaces, glossy finishes and technological elements with an aerospace-inspired design. Often inserting these elements in our kitchens means having to deal with the resulting visual impact. In response, on the one hand, we can see industrial-style kitchens, strongly focused on the total harmony of the furnishing with metals and reflective surfaces. On the other side, we can find increasingly contemporary interiors trying to mix the style of the different components by exploiting the chromatic and material contrasts. These two currents do not necessarily represent the opposite of the other. In fact, it is possible to uniform the elements in a style that is so contemporary, but which also manages to reflect the elegance and domesticity of the rooms.

THE PORJECT

This kitchen with a hi-tech scent is an excellent example: the customer’s taste responds to the trend of mocha colour, with its warm and soft tones. Taking advantage from the alternation of more or less warm colours and glossy surfaces combined with the opaquer ones, an elegant and at the same time dynamic interior has been achieved. Starting from the separating element of the living area, which is equipped to host storage doors supporting the living room on one side, and recessed ovens and others storage units from the inside. The result is a deconstructed kitchen, which does not give up to the functionality of a compact kitchen, but which takes advantage of the visual opening of the open space. The passage of this partition is underlined by a led strip whose linearity refers to the most dynamic and technological interiors. The central island with its mocha-coloured upholstery holds the induction hobs and free surfaces used for preparing meals. An extremely functional element is the cylinder that houses the electrical service outlets, which can be activated by pushing. A recessed element whose extraction technology is extremely simple. It is also capable of transforming an often visually cumbersome component into a design element. The lower part of the island acts as storage point while in the upper part, a cylindrical design fan is suspended from the backlit false ceiling. The latter can give greater dynamism to the kitchen. The two corner components of the remaining part respond in the same way with the upper wall units organized with doors and containing volumes in the lower part. The different height of the upper wall units creates dynamism also recalled in the chromatic choice.

COLOURS AND MATERIALS

The technological setting of this hi-tech kitchen is also visible in the choice of materials with excellent technical performance. In fact, the mocha-coloured dekton was chosen for the kitchen countertop, incorporating the island’s one. In addition to a significant aesthetic value, which summarizes elegance and modernity, it enjoys excellent technical performance, such as perfect resistance to high temperatures and hardness. It therefore lends itself to be an excellent material in its field while giving a strong stylistic imprint. The back shelf of the countertop alternates the mocha-coloured dekton with a glossy lacobel with a neutral hue. The alternation of opaque to glossy surfaces is possible using textured lacquered MDF which is turn coated, where necessary, by lacobel.

Compare this hi-tech kitchen with the previous ones: contemporary pop kitchen and fresh, gritty and lively kitchen.

← One kitchen a week, part 2: fresh, gritty and lively One kitchen a week, part 4: essential and elegant →

One kitchen a week, part 2: fresh, gritty and lively

by Giulia | Feb 28, 2018 | KITCHEN, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

A lively kitchen with a gritty character and a touch of freshness between games of bright reflections and alternation of full and empty spaces.

THE PROJECT

Added in the context of the always dynamic Milan, the kitchen is reckonable for its lively and fresh imprint, with both a gritty and elegant soul. A kitchen with a thousand resources, capable of keeping attention in all its parts. Starting from the wall units, which alternate empty and full volumes in which a game of transparencies is played on several levels. The shelves visually lighten the volume in the kitchen in both ends: in the area adjacent to the window, from which natural light radiates, and in the inner corner between the two sides of the room. This last one, also takes advantage of what could considered a critical point for comfort and functionality. Instead, arranged in asymmetrical geometric volumes on both sides of the extractor fan, there are the opal glass wall units able to give a touch of fresh colour and dynamism from which the contests can be glimpsed. The central wall unit hiding the extractor fan and the lower containing volumes are instead reckonable for their extremely elegant simple lines. The fitted sinks are arranged on the corner, taking advantage of the attachment point of the snack bar. This is equipped to accommodate up to 4 sitting using both sides. The gritty setting is also visible in the choice of details, such as the hidden tap able to allow the opening of the back window. As always, functionality is a fundamental requirement, which is also visible in the door alongside the large design refrigerator. This houses inside functional shelves with different heights and six drawers with a wooden finish. THE MATERIAL CHOICE The games of brightness and reflections able to restore the idea of restoring the idea of liveliness and freshness are obtained especially thanks to the choice of materials. In particular, a quartz granulate topping was use for the countertop. It is able to capture and mirror the light, recalling the cream tones on the kitchen. While for the remaining elements it is the glossy lacobel that gives elegance and contemporaneity.

Compare this kitchen with the contemporary pop’s one.

← One kitchen a week: contemporary pop One kitchen a week, part 3: contemporary hi-tech →

One kitchen a week: contemporary pop

by Giulia | Feb 21, 2018 | KITCHEN, PRIVATE APARTMENT, STYLE TIPS

The first of four kitchens we want to present you is part of an interior that we can define as “contemporary pop”.

THE RENOVATION

The renovation of the kitchen area develops around the element of golden curved false ceiling, strongly desired by the client. The design challenge consists of thinking at a room that could fit at best this existing element with a strongly stylistic character. This ceiling is reckonable both for the chromatic choice and for the shaped profile, in addition to the strong dynamism underlined by the lighting following the shape. The closing wall and its entry door have been deleted in favour of an open-space. What remains is a load-bearing pillar, also gold-painted, to which an island worktop with lower containing volumes, cooking hob and drawers. The ovens are arranged in the full-height elements on the left side of the French door opening towards the kitchen’s interior. In doing so, they are almost hidden. The real development of the kitchen follows the course of the back wall which in turn is made of two different types. On one side, the full-height doors that house both the built-in refrigerator and storage shelves for food and drinks are placed directly facing the living area. The depth of the full-height element acts as a support for the living room lightened by service shelves. The red backdrop also recalls, giving further chromatism, some wall units in the living room and the choice of some furnishing elements such as vases. The second type, visually lighter, occupies the kitchen’s part adjacent the French door. It consists of a countertop with a built-in sink and suspended wall units with internal shelves. The lower part holds the washing machine compartment.

SHAPES AND MATERIALS

Even the chromatic and material choice reflects the desire of giving incisiveness to the room, through the use of plastic laminate in two different shades of gray. A contemporary pop interior animated both in shapes and colours, in which the attention to the design of each components is easily visible. To further enrich the kitchen, the extractor fan as an element of design, and the suspended light that recalls the material choice. The dining table harmonizes the ceiling’s shapes, attached to the adjacent cooking island.

← Wood as an element to experiment with One kitchen a week, part 2: fresh, gritty and lively →

A traditional villa surrounded by the citrus groves of Sicily

by Giulia | Jun 10, 2017 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

On the island of lemons and oranges with their intense aroma, a traditional-style villa leaves room for modern classic furnishing with light and fresh tones.

THE CONTEXT

Surrounded by a citrus grove with intense scents and colours, Villa San Tommaso fits in perfect harmony with nature. Offering every kind of comfort, from the swimming pool to the jacuzzi, it looks from the outside as a rural construction in perfect symbiosis with the local tradition. It is exactly in this perspective that the interventions are inserted, trying to keep the true traditional scent intact, but adding a modern touch. The private residence spreads on two levels is also rented during the summer season by a high-level English rental company. A corner of paradise where the architectural structure fits in perfect harmony with nature. Like in most rural residences, the interior of the villa is characterized by dark wood interiors and light walls, with traditional terracotta floors that increase its authenticity in value. For this reason, the insertion of modern furniture has to relate with the already strongly existing elements. Do not make the scene heavier but instead try to lighten it, adding a touch of brightness and clarity. The design proposal mainly involved the kitchen, providing some furniture in the living room, but also touched the rooms on the upper floor.

LIVING ROOM

The essential and contemporary kitchen delicately inserts itself providing brightness and elegance. In fact, it consists of a corner structure that embrace the large window on the outside with which it relates to the surrounding. Below this, there are container drawers and storage units with recessed handles that simplify the shapes. The kitchen countertop carries on the corner on both sides becoming almost a real exposition element. At the adjacent wall, the suspended wall units are made up of door of the same width whose bevels create visual light lines. The back of the countertop in glossy lacobel gives further freshness and brightness. The large double-door design refrigerator is built into a customed design structure that also holds doors with internal shelves. The oak snack bar embraces the central pillar of the kitchen, giving a natural and contemporary touch. In the wall opposite the window, a full-height structure alternates doors with symmetrical drawers to accommodate dishes and pots but also food and drinks. At the centre of this, a recessed shelf whose back in glossy lacobel fits in style to the rest of the kitchen. The two recessed ovens with a practical height are symmetrically placed with respect to the latter. In the living room the traditional furnishing in treated dark wood are certainly the undisputed protagonists. However, there is no lack of rustic-chic design elements such as suspended lights. The furniture of the main room are designed in continuity with the traditional ones already present in the villa. This is the case, for example, of the bottom showcase illuminated along the side profiles. Certainly, to attract attention is the ancient stone crusher placed in the centre of the room.

traditional villa Sicily kitchen front view

traditional villa Sicily kitchen lateral view

BEDROOM

The bedrooms resume characteristics in common with the living room, such as the use of terracotta tiles which relates well to the wooden beams od the ceiling. The latter reflect the existing furniture in dark colours and polishing, reflecting the elegant rustic style of the traditional villa. The white walls create a striking contrast providing greater brightness and freshness to the environment. Even in this case, the designed elements have to necessarily relate to a highly visible stylistic settlement. Reason why, the headboards of the beds in the respective rooms change from each case to better relate to the context. In most cases they are also backlit to give further dynamism and brightness. They respond to a classic modern style with white wood strips combined with the bedside table, or essential contemporary style that enhances the height of the room.