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.

Gray furniture for a masculine apartment

Gray furniture for a masculine apartment

by | Jul 8, 2022 | LIVING AREA, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

Furniture in shades of gray is spread over the two levels of this modern apartment with a masculine imprint. From the bookcase on the ground floor to the walk-in closet in the sleeping area, the furnishings are developed in an elegant and delicate way. The dark-colored wood chosen for the parquet flooring matches the slate tiles that embrace the kitchen and bathroom areas from the internal staircase.

gray masculine apartment furniture

THE LIVING AREA MEETS THE ELEGANCE OF GREY FURNITURE

In a newly built residential context, this two-level apartment stands out in which the masculine imprint is elegantly softened by the choice of monochromatic furnishings. The floors show character in the combination of smoked oak parquet and slate-effect tiles. The floor is therefore dark, which is chromatically balanced by the walls that are tinged with white and the light furnishings that lighten and brighten the environment.

livingroom gray tones furniture

The lighting of the ground floor is combined with steps on the side of the staircase, these mark a luminous rhythm and accompany the upper floor. To embrace the living area, a full-height bookcase combines anthracite gray backs with light gray shelves in the same shade as the surrounding furniture. The anthracite gray that we find here in the lacquered shoulders can be replaced by black iron, as for example in this apartment with the same masculine soul.

bookshelf in dark gray masculine furniture
step marker
shelves detail

Neutral tones thus become the protagonists of a story that narrates elegance and freshness. Here are some other examples of furnishings in neutral colors. The sofa is a darker gray and moved by velvety fabric, which is positioned laterally at the entrance and hides a lateral extension to allow maximum comfort. Behind it, the stair handrail in anthracite gray painted metal matches the vertical shoulders of the bookcase positioned right in front.

sofa and stairs
velvet sofa detail

THE RECOVERED KITCHEN

The bioethanol fireplace, housed in an open plasterboard structure, acts as a fusion element between the living area and the kitchen. This, recovered from the previous house, is characterized by powder and wood tones and is combined with a rustic table with light aluminum chairs. The wood of the kitchen and of the table, which are a lighter tone than the floor of the living area, recall it on a material level and create continuity between the two areas.

kitchen powder and wood

THE BATHROOMS IN ANTHRACITE GRAY

Accessing the service bathroom, full-height matt white bilaminate cabinets act as a storage room organized into shelves, hangers and drawers. This light-colored anteroom creates a nice contrast and a clear break with the bathroom characterized by dark tones.

white anteroom
details anteroom

In fact, the anthracite tiles rise on the sides remaining at a height of 120cm and is combined with a bathroom cabinet in the same shade with a matte black back lacquered top. Particularly the chosen sink, in transparent glass, which seems to disappear and get lost between the tiles and the top.

service bathroom
detail sink

The second master bathroom, located on the upper floor, amplifies its masculine nature by completely covering the tiles in anthracite gray up to the ceiling beam. The bathroom is very dark but the large skylight on the ceiling perfectly illuminates the room from above. Here too there is a bathroom cabinet in shades, with the top in glossy back lacquered rather than opaque, which goes well with the reflections of the Globo ceramic sink.

master bathroom black furniture
bathroom tiles

FROM THE GRAY FURNITURE ON THE LOWER FLOOR TO THE BLACK AND WHITE CONTRASTS IN THE BEDROOM: A WALK-IN WARDROBE IN THE BEDROOM

Se il piano inferiore si impreziosisce di un arredamento sui toni neutri del grigio, If the lower floor is embellished with furniture in neutral shades of gray, the sleeping area is characterized by a more subdued contrast. The recurring theme of anthracite gray is still found in the small study corner, through a desk with a metal structure and a medium gray linoleum top. Here are some other examples of Smartworking corners where the working sphere is combined with a domestic environment.

bedroom and walk-in closet masculine furniture

Behind this, a walk-in closet develops at an angle creating a limited but at the same time functional environment. Inside the walk-in closet the hangers alternate in height while in the center a central chest of drawers with upper shelves remains available for all the folded items. On the side facing the bed, a small niche remains at the service and serves as an open bedside table useful for supporting small objects.

walk-in closet masculine furniture
inside walk-in closet
details walk-in closet

SALONE DEL MOBILE 2022

SALONE DEL MOBILE 2022

by | Jun 30, 2022 | SLEEPING AREA, SPEAKING OF US, STYLE TIPS

SALONE DEL MOBILE 2022

We left last September full of expectations towards the Salone del Mobile 2022 and, after visiting it, we can say that it has amply satisfied them. The central themes of this edition were sustainability and ecological transition, it was interesting to discover how the world of serial production approached them.

INTRODUCTION

If last year Milan was ready to restart and to repopulate itself, in the latest weeks we have witnessed a real migration towards the pole of Italian Design. We were able to ascertain that Milan has not only flourished again and the machine of the Salone del Mobile has begun to march at full speed but the demand, which had remained silent in the last years of restrictions, has turned out to be hungry for novelty. The streets of the city were full of people and was a long time that we have not been on crowded subways, in noisy stands talking without fear and without masks about something that was totally linked to our work. I have to admit it was unexpected but cool.

salone fiera rho

MIXED REALITIES

Spaces and objects seem to have taken on a new meaning in these years of resilience. Our habits have changed and rooted within the home, it is as if several levels were superimposed in the home space containing all the activities that were previously external, from work to leisure. Interesting and excellent starting point was Huawei‘s immersive installation: Tomorrow Living, in which new mixed-reality living scenarios are shown. Here, intelligent technology allows us to experience the home intensely, reconnecting it with nature, optimizing consumption and space in an environment that is not only more sustainable but also more habitable. In favor of a psychophysical well-being, our home does not become our cage but a circumscribed environment in which it is possible to live in harmony, with ourselves but also with the neighborhood, creating small permanent communities.

Huawei tomorrow living

SUSTAINABILITY

From a Green perspective, on the recovery of goods and raw materials without waste or unnecessary scraps of materials, objects lose their transient essence and become long-lived. Tom Dixon in his installation Twenty, in addition to celebrating the two decades of activity, reflects on the complexity of sustainable objects, showing some ideas on which the studio is working. Among these is their symbolic project, Flamecut, a chair as an example of this design theory that survives over time, which will be able to overcome plagues, natural disasters, but above all, the passage of time unchanged.

Tom Dixon Flamecut
Tom Dixon twenty

A LIFE EXTRAORDINARY

Objects not only become long-lived but are also enriched with cognitive synapses. The new AI, that we also see in the Home Smart Automation devices, responds to our every desire and becomes a real life partner. Moooi on the wave of technology and in Partnership with LG and IDEO presents in its A Life Extraordinary at Palazzo dei Tessuti, Piro, an intelligent scent diffuser. Piro is able to dance to the rhythm of music, follow you with a motion sensor, change the color of its internal LEDs and, if deemed necessary, spray a delicate cloud of perfume in the air.

Its structure is the one of a mechanical arm used for automated productions, decontextualized, covered with a shiny and colored shell and programmed to become a sentient household object. The home itself becomes an extraordinary experience in Moooi’s Vision, including soft fabrics, upholstery that make you dream and refined and elegant objects. We thanks Marcel Wanders, the founder of the brand for his ever visionary creations.

Moooi chair and table
moooi walpaper
moooi sofa

THE TRENDS OF THE SALONE DEL MOBILE

The noble themes of this year arise from questions related to the future of living. Raw materials are constantly running out and have become, especially in recent years, a source of economic speculation. The central installation at the Salone, Design with Nature, a project developed with Mario Cucinella, aims to become a table for discussions and insights on the themes of the circular economy and reuse. The city could in fact become the reserve of the future, where to find most of the raw materials useful for construction in a virtuous ecosystem.

KITCHENS AND MATERIALS

In fact, two new areas in the pavilions were created from this cue, those related to FTK, that is the new Technologies for Kitchen, appliances capable of reducing their consumption from a home automation and intelligent point of view by raising the level of their performance. The new household appliances are multifunctional and professional, even if in the kitchen is tending to hide them from the view. We have noticed that in most of the new proposals of the oven column, doors are packaged laterally in ingenious systems with hinges and side guides that in a few centimeters house the door at rest and close themselves.

hidden kitchen

Valcucine with advanced motion sensors makes the kitchen a fluid mechanism capable of closing, opening or changing functionality with simple soft hand movements.

Valcucine Mendini
Mendini closed

Instead, the working space is highlighted and is further equipped in the rear part with modules dedicated to all the useful tools in the kitchen. From the knife holder, to the spice rack, to the cutting boards, to the paper roll, everything is tidy and accessible.

equiped rear kitchen
kitchen back
closed back kitchen

The work area is well lit and characterized by non-toxic and antibacterial materials. The main material of this Salone del Mobile is Lapitec. Green, resistant to thermal shock, scratches and is also a conductor of heat, has in fact patented the first invisible hob. The use is simple: equipped with magnetic sensors and a hidden coil, by placing a special silicone pad on the top, the touch controls are activated that allow the system to be switched on from two or four burners. Without the pad, the induction hob and its controls are inactive, safe and impossible to accidentally turn on. The top therefore remains completely free, distinguished only by a display and small engravings that emphasize the full-body nature of the material. This will not only helps in cleaning operations, but also allows the worktop to be used for other activities, from food preparation to welcoming convivial moments.

Lapitec chef

Together with Lapitec there are, again for the kitchen top, ceramic and stoneware materials, with veins printed on the surface reminiscent of trendy marbles or solid colors. The finish of the materials goes from Soft touch, velvety and soft, to rough and irregular surfaces. In fact, even the new Neolith production tends to emphasize the tactile inhomogeneity of their slabs.

Neolith texture
Marble effect top

From an aesthetic point of view, the Kitchen top is presented in two thicknesses, the very thin 12mm, which was so fashionable last year, a half size of about 6cm and a 12cm which in many cases, ingeniously, is equipped with drawers containing crockery and small kitchen items. Is also nice the play created with the voids, the undertop groove of the recessed handle (always in trend) and then the departure of the front door.

equiped top
Kitchen medium top in wood
kitchen stone drawer

The internal frames of the classic-style doors have been slightly changed in honor of modernity (here an insight into the reference style). The bands become almost three-dimensional and knobs or handles disappear in favor of hidden pushes.

kitchen modern frames
frames details

NEW COLOR PALETTE, MATERIALS AND DELICATES

We rediscover the terracotta color, elected color of the year 2021 in a more delicate shade even in the Solid tops and then taken up again in the laminate or lacquered doors. The visual connection that is thus created between different materials but united by the same shade is very nice. The Blue Klein color is striking in a very strong shade used for walls and day furniture, this fades and is found, in a more delicate powder-colored version, in the kitchen. Also for the tops we find the sage green, which with the marble Verde Alpi is back in vogue and many shades of gray.

color terracotta
color dust light blue
Color Blue Kline
Silestone proposals

Anthracite gray is also introduced in the finishes of household appliances, taking the place of glossy black in the new Smeg proposals.

smeg anthracite

RIBBED AND MILLED WOOD

With its vintage soul, very elegant and established trend, it is the ribbed wood, which we are also using a lot. So wood is back but with a different dress, in uniform strips in natural or lacquered color. We found it on the doors of the kitchens, of the day furniture, in the sleeping area and also as wall paneling.

ribbed wood
ribbed wood
ribbed wood
ribbed staircase

The raw materials are then shown with textures and intertwining, the marble is milled in subtle geometries that expand the movement of the veins. The stones, on the other hand, fit together in mosaics capable of creating excellent visual dynamism.

trame di pietra
trame di pietra
trame mosaics

Even the glass is no longer a smooth and clean extra-clear crystal but is found in its fluted form, sometimes with a mirror back.

fluted glass
fluted glass

FORMS

A Salone del Mobile that looks to the past to take inspiration, both in materials and shapes. The rounded lines are back, mainly in the stand-alone furniture and in the living area, in the kitchen the snack top or the convivial table in the living room are softened.

rounded forms
rounded furniture
rounded furniture green
rounded ribbed furniture

FINISHES

Here we decree that stainless steel has lost its charm and has been replaced with many different finishes. As we have seen in recent years, the satin brass color and rose gold are the stylistic guides of the fashion industry, which, albeit indirectly, dictates the rules and also influences the world of design. In fact, we find metal profiles with these finishes in household appliances and in taps, if we do not want stainless steel we have the possibility to exclude it from any element for a valid alternative. These include the matt black, which can also be found in the matching preformed washbasins.

finishes taps

THE LOCATIONS OF THE FUORISALONE

The Salone del Mobile is also an opportunity to discover the wonderful buildings in the city center that open their doors and become an exhibition venue. Tom Dixon presented himself at Palazzo Serbelloni, while Palazzo Bovara welcomed, as last year, Elle Decor. Within the settings that describe and define the various areas through objects of timeless design. In the house we live in, objects, lamps and furnishings are arranged without apparent temporal and functional hierarchy, becoming interchangeable based on the activity carried out within it.

Palazzo Bovara
Palazzo Bovara restaurant
Palazzo Bovara Elle Decor

At Palazzo Citterio, the Maison Dior collaborates for the first time with Philippe Starck, inviting him to reinterpret the Médaillon chair, a symbol of the Louis XVI style, dear to Christian Dior.
The result is Miss Dior, an elegant chair that emphasises the lightness of aluminium in three variants, two finishes (polished and matt) and four colours, including chrome, copper, gunmetal and gold.
Here is the link to last year’s article, in which the same chair was reinterpreted by many different designers in even bizarre designs.

Dior and Stark
Dior rose gold

At Palazzo del Senato Kohler presents a world preview of a large-scale immersive art experience, entitled Divided Layers, in collaboration with one of the greatest artists on the contemporary scene: Daniel Arsham, who also created Rock.01 for the company, a 3D printed sink.

palazzo del senato
arsham

The alternative exhibition venue was instead the vault of a former bank in Piazza Affari where Pulpo‘s exhibits seemed even more precious.

Pulpo caveaux
Pulpo caveaux

STATALE UNIVERSITY

Statale University was totally occupied by over 40 projects that aim to reflect on what design could do for a better future. Regeneration, redevelopment, recovery and rebirth through eco-sustainable and dreamy installations. In the courtyards of the university, the theme of the labyrinth is chased, such as The A-maze Garden by Lissoni Associati with Amazon, or even Labyrinth Garden by Raffaello Galiotto. In the central courtyard stands the Sideral Station telescope tower, created with Whirlpool and signed by Michele De Lucchi. This is how he explained his project: «It is a tower to look up and imagine alternative visions of tomorrow. The immersive experience inside, where emotional spaces are explored, is designed to amaze and push the visitor to continue dreaming of a tomorrow worth living “.

statale main yard
statale labyrinth
statale idra
statale aula magna

HERMES, FENDI AND LOUIS VUITTON

The large space of the Pelota was, once again this year, the exhibition site of Hermes, which presented its latest collections dedicated to Home Decor. With extreme delicacy, the totems that contain the displayed elements, also divided by color ranges, are characterized by a light structure in wood and rice paper. Always the natural paper, structured in volumes of different heights, it is an exhibition venue for ceramics, leather containers and small bamboo objects.

Hermes ceramics
hermes leather
hermes small objects
hermes ceiling structure
Spazio Pelota Hermes

Fendi Casa presents its timeless home in a splendid building in Via Monte Napoleone. References to the past, new eco-sustainable materials such as bamboo, classic and modern shapes embrace each other in a sophisticated and attention to detail production.

Fendi Bar
Fendi home
fendi home details

The Luis Vuitton Objets Nomades exhibition is geared towards creative innovation, in which famous designers imagine experimental but functional furniture. The objects in the collection are characterized by an explosion of color, the beautiful Bulbo armchair by Fernando and Humberto Campana opens the collection and, during the visit, we were also lucky enough to immortalize Patricia Urquiola with her Overlay Bowl.

object nomades
object nomades louis vuitton
patricia urquiola
object nomades

THE BOLD INSTALLATIONS BY LEE BROOM, ALCOVA AND NILUFAR DEPOT

Lee Broom in the Brera Design District presented his Divine Inspiration, a series of six ethereal lamps that arise from the exploration of monumental design associated with religious architecture. A spiritual journey that transforms environments and evokes feelings of reverence and contemplation.

lee broom
lee broom
Lee broom
lee broom

Nilufar Depot presents Innesto, three floors of rich installations and a particular and exclusive type of design, which we could also define as unique. Because it arises from personal curiosity, from contamination, the appreciation of heterogeneity and the fusion of apparently distant worlds.

nilufar depot
nilufar bed

For the third consecutive year, Alcova confirms its attention to the evolutions and developments in the world of design, to offer a stimulating cross-section of it. In each room a different exhibition in which different projects alternate established professionals with young emerging talents to explore new frontiers from the point of view of technology, materials, sustainable production, social practices and any other current direction of design.

alcova portal
alcova window
alcova textiles

Interesting and inherent to the theme of reuse were the presentation of recycled materials from disused appliances.

home appliance

THE SALONE DEL MOBILE 2022 IN CONCLUSION

Production would never be with zero environmental impact, sustainability and ecological transition are therefore difficult issues to perform but at the same time interesting challenges. In the hope that we can really create a virtuous ecosystem on reuse to limit the large waste of our society, we give you an appointment at the Salone del Mobile in 2023!

Modern style: rigorous, elegant and prestigious

Modern style: rigorous, elegant and prestigious

by | Jun 9, 2021 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

The modern style links the vision of interior design to architecture, in a relationship of mutual collaboration. Between rigorous furnishings, bright rooms and a prestigious appearance, the modern-style interiors express timeless elegance.

The modern style in history: the masters of design

To fully understand the modern style, it is useful to take a few steps back in time to its historical origins.
We are between the two World Wars in a context of renewal that involves the formal plan of architecture, but also urban planning and design.

Under the classification of Modern Movement, also known as International Style, belong the currents De Stijl, Bauhaus, Constructivism and Italian Rationalism.
The main exponents are architects of the caliber of Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies Van Der Rohe, Alvar Aalto and Walter Gropius.

Starting from a strong conception of architecture as an organic structure in relation to the external context to which it belongs, the Modern Movement also sees the house for its social use and not just as a family unit. Frank Lloyd Wright with his organic architecture gives excellent examples.
Among these, the Waterfall House, designed in its architectural conformation in strong relationship with the surrounding geological and natural context. Each element is configured both on the architectural level and on the interior design level based on a strong contamination between inside and outside. In doing this, the choice of proportions based on the human figure is fundamental.

Natural materials combined with organic shapes that favor horizontality, but also harmony and brightness become the key principles of the Modern Movement. Instead, the priority need is to achieve the best functionality of the building, which can also determine its aesthetic beauty.
In doing this, the house frees itself from the unitary vision to which it was accustomed to take on a social meaning in relation to the surrounding buildings.
The extreme example is the building that itself becomes a city, as in the case of Le Corbusier’s Unitè d’Habitation.

eileen-gray-villa-E-1027

Eileen Gray’s E-1027 House, a modern style living room with iconic piece of furniture.

TaliesinInterior_Andrew-Pielage-3
Fallingwater-2012_13_15_18_20

Left: modern style living area (Photo: Andrew Pielage, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation)
Right: Fallinwater House by Frank Lloyd Wright (Photo: courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy)

Villa-Savoye-interior-Le-Corbusier

Villa Savoye by le Corbusier. The relationship between inside and outside is expressed in bright rooms and ribbon windows

unitè-habitation-marsilla-le-corbusier
unitè-habitation-marsilla-le-corbusier_esterno

Unitè D’Habitation, Le Corbusier. The building becomes a social community by offering, in addition to the family housing units, all the services necessary for individual life.

Modern style furniture: the strong relationship with architecture

The modern-style interiors both in the course of history and in the contemporary context are based on a strong relationship with the architectural context in which they are inserted.
This is how bright environments are created. Here, the exterior constantly communicates with the interior through functional choices that also justify the aesthetics.
Therefore, windows can take on a more elongated shape and it occupy a higher position than the standard ones. This allows the entry of natural light, which will obviously be studied according to the optimal orientation of the house, but at the same time allow the inhabitants not to be seen from the outside.

The subdivision of the rooms between the sleeping and living areas is based on a logic that considers the orientation of the house and its visibility or protection from external factors.
The hearth is definitely a central point in the design of a modern style home.
A place of aggregation and socializing, it expresses hospitality and intimacy at the same time, creating a strong suggestive interior.
For this reason, in modern homes par excellence it occupies the central position with respect to the living area, becoming the fulcrum for the arrangement of the remaining rooms.

attic entrance

The living area of ​​this modern style attic with the iconic chaise longue designed by Le Corbusier

vertical living room

Modern style kitchen and living room with reflective materials and simple lines for this Modulor creation

Fine living room view

A modern living area on the bottom of which an elegant wall with a three-dimensional effect is identified

doors-modern-style-cabinets-corridor
cabinets-corridor-finishing-elegant-modern-style

The equipped corridors of this Modulor realization express their modernity in the choice of material.
Soft and textured to the touch and extremely elegant to the eye.

Modulor modern kitchen in dark tones_01

Una cucina moderna firmata Modulor con particolare attenzione alla scelta cromatica e materica

Shapes, colors and materials between past and present

The choice of materials in a modern style also comes from the contamination between inside and outside.
Great importance is given to materials capable of enhancing the brightness of environments through their reflective and brilliant surface, even better if of natural origin.

Wood knows its maximum expression both in the traditional form of the Modern Movement and in its contemporary conception.
Chosen for its malleability and natural aesthetics, it brings the exterior directly into the home interior, also molding itself into irregular shapes. Over the years, it has also known the polishing treatments and the recent painting that make it possible to obtain reflective surfaces capable of giving brightness to the environment.

Neutral tones are favored, starting with the classic white, but colored variants are also welcome especially in the current years. In this sense, it is important to underline how the contemporary trend in the modern style prefers monochromatic colors and tone-on-tone games that opt ​​for desaturated colors.
Prestigious and elegant interiors that do not, however, give up a touch of color capable of giving character to the rooms.

The design forms abandon their rigidity and linearity in favor of simple but sometimes irregular solutions. To enrich a modern style home, the icons of Modern design cannot be missing. Here then are seats with leather padding and chromed aluminum structure with slender lines.

moodboard-modern-style-Modulor-sofa-materials-leather

Materials, finishes and aesthetics of the modern style, including upholstery in warm-colored leather and chromed aluminum

modern-style-MDF-wave-wall-Modulor

The attention to detail of this wall is expressed in an elegant and monochromatic three-dimensional surface inserted in a prestigious Milanese apartment.
Inside there is a door identifiable by the handle with soft modern shapes.

moodboard-modern-style-colors-icons-design

In the modern style of recent years, the great icons of design are often inserted in environments that are more daring, not only with neutral colors but also desaturated colors with a timeless beauty

The rediscovery of modern style

In recent years the modern style has undergone a great revaluation. The soft but rigorous shapes of the design icons of the Thirties are back in vogue in a contemporary reinterpretation proposed by the main brands.

Just think of the Five To Nine dormeuse proposal, born from the Studiopepe project for Tacchini (2020) or the Camaleonda modular sofa designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia (2020). But also, the new Pacific (project by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso) and Soriana (design by Tobie and Afra Bianchin Scarpa for Cassina) both launched on the market during Digital Design Week 2021.

Soriana-Cassina-sofa-2021
Tacchini-FivetoNine-Studiopepe

Soriana, Tobia Scarpa and Afra Bianchin Scarpa, Cassina, 2021
Five to Nine, Studiopepe, Tacchini, 2020

With its rigorous and prestigious interiors, the modern style is aimed directly at personalities who love architecture and its relationship with nature. Characterized by a timeless beauty, it is aimed at rigorous characters but at the same time open to new changes.

Giving new life to furniture: adapting them after a move

Giving new life to furniture: adapting them after a move

by | May 31, 2021 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA

Facing a move means turning your life around, renovating your home and introducing new furnishing accessories.
Beginning to pack, you make a natural selection of the objects to take with you, recognizing for each their own emotional value.
Many times, this process also involves the world of furnishings, which accompany the owners in this moment of transition.
Giving new life to furniture also means renewing the context in which they are inserted, managing to adapt them in terms of aesthetics and functionality to the new environments.

Adapting furnishing to a new context

When the furnishings are custom designed, their conformation responds to the needs of the customers, perfectly matching with the architectural context in which they are inserted. In doing this, a strong link is born between the rooms in which they are inserted and the shapes, proportions and mechanisms of use of the furnishings.
This would suggest an indissoluble bond between the two components, which would break when the furniture undergoes a relocation.
It is absolutely not said!

In fact, among the potential of custom-made furniture there is a flexibility factor that allows us to give new life to furniture by making few changes.
These make it possible to transform the general imprint of the furniture in order to adapt it to the new context both in terms of aesthetics and functionality.

A perfect example are the adaptations made to these furnishing extrapolated from an apartment between classic and contemporary. Let’s discovery this apartment among transformed furniture and new additions.

The kitchen: increases the work space and storage volumes

The kitchen certainly represents the beating heart of a home.
In the case of this apartment between modern and contemporary, its conformation was born from a natural reading of the architectural context in which it was inserted.

The corner development made it possible to exploit the side part with service columns with anthracite gray lacquered MDF doors.
These are equipped with column ovens on the right, pantry with removable trays and a central compartment for the free-standing refrigerator. The front is made up of lower volumes with large drawers and service doors and upper wall units in a brilliant white Lacobel.

The new arrangement has provided additional useful space for the overall dimensions. Being able to use additional space on both sides, the most natural solution was to exploit the remaining gaps with additional volumes.
On the right, we provide a service column which houses a modern wine cellar accompanied by a door with height-adjustable internal shelves.

On the opposite end, the main problem arises when the worktop is made of natural stone, which has undergone a chromatic change over the years.
To avoid incurring a visible difference between the added part and the existing one, a wooden top was thus created. It also acts as a cutting board for preparing meals. An element that not only solves an aesthetically weak point, but also provides a functional solution.

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The living area: a new contemporary aesthetic

To equip the living area, we recovered the furniture made in 2006.
The choice of colors was already avant-garde at the time. Even in a contemporary reworking they can adapt perfectly, resulting elegant and current. The TV cabinet in glossy anthracite gray lacquered MDF alternates flap doors with service drawers, whose recessed handles give visual lightness.

In this case, giving new life to furniture means adapting them to the new context in which they are inserted, managing to exploit the flexibility of the same.
Small changes have been made, mostly considered maintenance. Re-lacquering where necessary or remaking of structural parts.

The same approach was then applied to the service hanging columns, which are made up of doors in the upper part and small drawers in the lower part. Their new position side by side allows them to welcome guests introducing them to the living area and, at the same time, create a visual divider from the more intimate dining room.

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Children’s bedrooms: new tailor-made solutions to exploit architectural voids

The sleeping area houses the two small bedrooms whose conformation alternates architectural voids with important structural elements.
A tailor-made solution was therefore designed in both rooms in order to include all the necessary furnishings without sacrificing practicality and visual freedom.

For the first bedroom it was therefore decided to take advantage of the basement that leads to the mezzanine area to equip it with a shaped wardrobe.
Since the room is intended for a child, the dimensions and heights necessary for the clothes have certainly facilitated the design. Despite having little space available, taking advantage of the inclined height of the basement, it was still possible to create a double-height wardrobe with alternating shelves with fixed hangers.
The wardrobe is accompanied by a standing alone chest of drawers which is also used as a support surface.
The large one and a half bed is inserted in a niche. The latter used in the depth to fix shelves with hidden lighting.

In the second small room, the depth of the niche is useful for a certainly wider wardrobe. Full-height doors with push opening accommodate fixed tubulars, drawers for linen and shelves for folded items to satisfy the needs of a young girl.

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The master bedroom: a wardrobe like new

The master bedroom is best equipped with a large wardrobe with sliding doors placed parallel to the bed.
Its linear aesthetic combined with spot ceiling lighting allows at the same time to hide its grandeur.
The result is a capacious and functional volume which, in the aesthetic impact of the room, tends to disappear while giving character and elegance.
Relocated from the old house, the different internal height has led to a reduction in height which has thus made it possible to better adapt to new environments.

The composition of the wardrobe comes from a natural division into three departments, corresponding to the division of the sliding doors.
On the outside, the double-height hanger houses removable glass shelves in the center. These are particularly suitable for storing folded shirts using the external sliding mechanism to reduce the internal height between the trays.
In the central compartment, the large linen drawers are accompanied by a pair of shelves for folded items and hangers in the upper part.
The left compartment instead houses a double hanger to accommodate long dresses and coats whose greater height compensates for the reduced space reserved for folded trousers and skirts.

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Giving new life to furniture does not only mean rejuvenating it and making changes to its aesthetics. The bespoke design allows you to create furnishings that are versatile and able to adapt to new environments. Restoring a balance between aesthetic conformation in relation to the room and functional needs becomes the main goal.

If you want to deepen the theme of furniture flexibility, we suggest you this article in which series furniture and tailor-made solutions help each other!