A cerulean blue modern kitchen

A cerulean blue modern kitchen

The cerulean blue hue defines the stylistic firm of this modern kitchen, set on dark wood tones with brass finishes. The care of detail gives shape to an extremely elegant project, modern in aesthetics and contemporary in settings.

Modulor modern kitchen with dark tones_01

The on-view composition

An interior that becomes furniture. The design of this kitchen diverges from the traditional vision of the closed room to become an open space composed of different volumes.
The main block is a visual union of the low volume in ribbed wood set between wall units with a vertical subdivision and full-height columns.

The common thread that contain the perception of the environment is the brass base, taken from the light and linear handles.
The island block with rounded shapes and overhang countertop, elegantly conforms to the main volume, despite a stylistic change in the design forms.

Indeed, it is this difference between the straight and geometric shapes of the back unit and the rounding of the profile in the central island that defines the stylistic imprint of this kitchen.

The traditional closing shoulder is replaced by a recessed library that visually lightens the perception of the kitchen characterizing the furniture. A full-height bookcase compartment that alternates shelves in a well-balanced geometric composition.

recessed bookcase side abutment
bookcase abutment division sleeping area
Modulor modern kitchen with dark tones_02

Functionality and aesthetics in symbiosis

Not only the general volumetric setting, but also the internal organization demonstrates a perfect relationship between functionality and aesthetics.

As a demonstration of this, the central island is equipped with rounded corner doors in order to make the best use of each available corners.
Shaped white shelves stand out among the dark tones and blue doors of this modern kitchen, showing all their functionality. The choice of appliances is also avant-garde, as for example the induction hob with attached extractor hood that reduces the functional components to the essential in favor of visual essentiality without sacrificing the practicality.

Modular kitchen island ribbed wood
open door with shaped shelves

Colors and materials

Cerulean blue matt lacquered MDF, dark ribbed wood and brass are the protagonists of this modern kitchen in which dark tones are chosen for their elegance.

A rigorous environment that is being fascinated by contemporary functionality.

The chosen shade of blue, extremely modern, is enriched with a warm appearance especially when combined with the dark-dyed ribbed.

It is precisely the materiality in the latter’s finish that enriches the main volumes of the kitchen with movement and rhythm.

The brass of skirting boards and handles, underlines the design lines with a precious character that gives refinement to the project.

Modulor materialboard
Modulor modern kitchen with dark tones front view
Modulor materials finishes

Advice

The choice of colors and materials often defines the character of an interior. We are often intimidated by intense colors and dark tones, especially if imagined on large surfaces. The final impact can instead reserve great surprises, and give a touch of freshness and modernity.
Here is another example, in this case a dark gray kitchen with oak inserts.

An Emperador Marble kitchen

An Emperador Marble kitchen

A monolithic kitchen, entirely covered in marble, shows all its elegance in a project that emphasizes such a precious and distinctive material. Walls and surfaces, in Emperador marble, are recognized for their very dense and varied white and beige streaks on a warm gray / brown background. Such a sophisticated design line can only be accompanied by modern and innovative mechanisms.

THE PROJECT

The renderings provided by Tanya Kutzmina, a cosmopolitan Russian designer we had the pleasure of working with, immediately show the intrinsic characteristics of the project. The concept of the master kitchen, part of an open space, encloses high walls and monolithic surfaces in an ambivalent environment, inert at first glance but able to transform itself into an equipped and representative kitchen for the guests of the house when needed. Two types of marble alternate in this large space. On the one hand, Emperador dark marble, which symbolically defines the functional parts of the kitchen, becoming a scenographic setting for “acting”. On the other, Emperador light marble, clear and bright, which amplifies the perception of the environment by reflecting the light of the large windows and embodies the essence of everyday life. Living and acting therefore become the reading keys not only of the stylistic composition of the rooms, but also define the way to relate to them.

marble kitchen render 01
marble kitchen render 02
kitchen island  sliding mechanism
Emperador marble kitchen render 02

THE COMPOSITION

The structure of the marble kitchen is an island and the central monolith opens with a drag mechanism that becomes a snack corner. Opening, it also shows a cooking area with three different types of fires: induction – teppanyaki – grill. On the internal front there are drawers entirely covered in the same marble and equipped with cutlery holders, crockery holders and potholders. Above it stands a splendid custom-made hood in stainless steel, as large as the island, equipped with filters and LED lights. All made with laser cuts and remote engine preparation. The dark marble of the island spreads into the floor and flows into the back wall. An ingenious book system opens the central doors folding up into two side compartments and revealing a broken interior that houses a sink, a dishwasher, baskets inside the doors, an oven column and exposed shelves with underlying LED lighting. The stainless steel top and back give a touch of modernity between the eternal elegance of the Emperador dark marble with which the surrounding surfaces are covered. On both sides, two large and spacious refrigerators enclose the central block of the kitchen. The covering of the Emperador light doors continues along the entire adjacent wall, hiding an access door to the second service kitchen. At the center of the room, a huge table stands for several diners in dark Emperador with bases made to measure in stainless steel and marble. These counterbalance both visually and physically the grand plan.

 
Emperador marble kitchen Moscow
island render Moscow project
island project Moscow 02
Emperador marble kitchen Moscow
island render Moscow project
island project Moscow 02

THE REALIZATION

Creating this kitchen was a new, arduous and stimulating experience. We accepted the challenge by finding solutions to the various executive problems that immediately arose. Among these, the union of two materials, wood and marble, so different in finishes, weights and typological characteristics. Obtaining the dynamism of the kitchen, with mechanisms suitable for the fluid movement of the parts and the arrangements on site for their perfect functioning with different materials and systems, required a lot of attention and an active collaboration with Tanya in Moscow, who followed the construction site. The marble, which was provided to us by Marmi Galli, a company with which we have been collaborating for long time, was used in 2 distinct thicknesses: 20 mm with 45° cuts to cover all the structures, and 5 mm thick screened for the application on the retractable doors to guarantee the functioning of the mechanisms with respect to the weight. We have taken great care of the quality of the mechanisms and the guides, both manual and motorized, especially for the doors of the shelf and the island snack top. We leave this video of Tanya the task of accompanying you in the living area and guiding you to the kitchen. Seeing it accomplished is a great emotion for us and awards our commitment.

The Moscow marble kitchen project fits perfectly into the series of single-material projects we have made. Among them, a kitchen entirely covered in steel.

 

High altitude renovation of a traditional two-room apartment

High altitude renovation of a traditional two-room apartment

In the context of Bergamo mountains, a small two-room apartment renovated to improve its functionality, whose contemporary style well balances with traditional furnishing.

THE CONTEXT THE INTERVENTION KITCHEN AND LIVING AREA BATHROOM THE MATERIAL AND CHROMATIC CHOICE

THE CONTEXT

Style never goes on vacation! Or yes maybe, and in this case, it goes on mountain! Lodges and small wooden apartments always have their charm, bringing a sense of hospitality with their warm and natural colours. Inspired from the surrounding landscapes, the interiors are often characterised by the abundance of wood, used both in furniture and in the finishes of floors and ceilings. A perfect example is this two-room apartment in Lizzola, designed in the eighties style which the entire village has maintained the strong stylistic mark. In fact, is exactly in that period that the small residential area experienced its best time. The main roads were swarmed by tourists and surroundings’ valleys inhabitants who reached the area for an out-of-town weekend or entire weeks of vacation. An undisputed choice between the mountains’ resort. Set up as the typical “mountain house” the Lizzola’s two-room apartment needed a renovation, in order to make it contemporary in style and at the same time more functionally, without deleting the traditional imprint which is characterized by and makes it welcoming and typical.  

THE INTERVENTION

The design choice has been that of preserve the stylistic element and the furnishing which best represent the atmosphere of the two-room apartment. Concerning the new elements designed, the deliberately choice is a slightly invasive solution that can fit harmoniously into the existing context. From this perspective, the cherry-wooden garret was preserved from its original environment, even taking the main role in the stylistic definition of the room. As a consequence, the cherry wood parquet has stolen the stylistic characteristic of the ceiling, adjusted to the renovation of electrical and heating system. The renovation involved the entire apartment, going to specially attend the kitchen and bathroom interiors.

KITCHEN AND LIVING AREA

Reduced in size, the kitchen of the two-room apartment in mountains, has an essential but extremely functional setting. Being a residence designed for shorter stays the kitchen occupies a small part of the environment, without giving its contemporaneity and practicality away. There’s no lack of necessary appliances: starting from the small-seized induction hob, passing through the combined oven with microwave and refrigerator with freezer compartment. The extraction fan is instead the kitchen cabinets’ excess, used as a pantry for food and dishes. Concerning the dining table, the wooden chairs with traditional and soft profiles fit well into the room, reason why it’s been preserved. On the other hand, a support surface was combined with folding leg has been supplied in order to provide an additional support space and, at the same time, to become extremely practical for close and move the furniture. Functionality is the main element considered to the living room design, allowing to take the best advantage from the sofa-beds there and to customize and rearrange the space as needed. The original suspension lamps now become protagonists of the dining room by introducing a chromatic contrast with the black outer finish of the cap. The living room furniture with its contemporary style houses the free-standing TV and becomes a containing element both for kitchen, by its proximity, and for other objects of the entire apartment.

BATHROOM

The bathroom intervention has also provided its expansion, thus managing to house all the container elements inside and equip it with a washing machine compartment. It is probably in this room that the contemporary style is most visible, starting from the extremely elegant and clear in the stylistic lines of the glass shower, moving to the semi-recessed sink with an oval shape and rounded profiles and ending with the choice of the covering tiles for the shower interior with its bright and fresh colours, which remain in perfect harmony with the surrounding neutral tones. The cabinet with large storage drawers also includes the possibility of a built-in washing-machine. The plywood top refers itself to those of the kitchen and table, becoming a stylistic element in continuity with all rooms.  

THE MATERIAL AND CHROMATIC CHOICE

As already seen, it is certainly the plywood that defines the material mark of the whole two-room apartment. An economic material, also young and dynamic, but at the same time that can be easily fit into traditional interiors. Its main feature is its structure, which is visible in the edge of the tops, becoming the stylistic signature of the project, emphasizing the geometric lines of furniture with a recognizable touch. The balance between the orange tones of cherry wood and the white of plywood creates internal divisions able to give rhythm at the room. The internal subdivisions underlined by the change of flooring, which from the most intimate and comfortable rooms of bedroom and living room are changed into uniform surfaces with gray stoneware for better practicality. Being more wear-resistant and easier to clean, the stoneware has in fact been chosen for the kitchen and bathroom where they elegantly relate to the white of contemporary style. In conclusion, a renovation that takes origin from the traditional setting of the two-room apartment, without turning its featured upside-down but instead adding contemporary elements that give freshness.

A kitchen entirely steel covered

A kitchen entirely steel covered

A kitchen completely covered in steel but with a soul to discover.

STRUCTURE

Sometimes when in front of our eyes there is a piece of furniture entirely covered with a material, it is assumed that that external material is the only one used in its composition, it is not easy to thought that behind that facade there may be a skeleton of a different material that creates its structure and defines its entity. Here we want to show you how we have created a kitchen completely covered in stainless steel destined to a client in Boston.

CONSTRUCTION STEP

First point, the internal modular structure: in the central part, the elements of  sink, dishwasher, hob and all our storage elements. In the upper part the wall units and on the side the columns hosting other storage elements and appliances, such as ovens and a refrigerator. For some elements, a back is not necessary, as in the case of the refrigerating column, because the element will be perfectly inserted inside and it will have access to the electrical outlets on the walls.

kitchen steel assembly step 01
front view lab phase

Then the bases, the rear elements and the doors are made. The whole structure is made of wood and, once assembled, with precise millimeter drawings, all the covers of the various elements are made of very thin stainless steel sheets. these will completely cover, without weighing down, our skeleton. Here are some pictures of the kitchen ready to be dismantled and shipped overseas. On each steel element is visible a protective film in order to preserve its surface from scratches and accidental impacts.

 
stell kitchen with protective film
assembly test lab phase

And here are the latest images of our kitchen assembled on site, in a general view and in a more specific detailed one, which highlights how, in the upper part, our structure perfectly follows the exposed beams of the ceiling. The recessed handles that characterize the entire kitchen are also clearly visible.

steel kitchen on place
covering details

CONCLUSIONS

To conclude, never take anything for granted! Behind every realization there is a great job that concerns multiple aspects. From the management of impeccably precise executive measures, to the creation of complex structures that support and enhance the materials used in the final result.

One kitchen a week, part 4: essential and elegant

One kitchen a week, part 4: essential and elegant

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

prospective essential elegant kitchen

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.

 
open wall units matt lacquered MDF
essential elegant kitchen ovens
wood cutting board essential kitchen
Corian sink essential kitchen
frontal view essential elegant kitchen