True to form
Contemporary kitchens are embracing natural materials and forms, foregoing gimmicks in favour of style and warmth
Contemporary kitchen designs are embracing natural materials and forms, and highlighting fine craftsmanship – their state-of-the-art functionality foregoing gimmicks in favour of style and warmth.
Whilst we embrace the nuanced, comforting iterations of minimalism that are emerging from Japanese and Scandinavian traditions, there has been a call to accentuate this artisanal quality with Italian innovations that spring from desire and imagination.
This year’s EuroCucina at Milan’s Salone del Mobile highlighted this focus by revealing calibrated surfaces, made from fine materials and boasting increasingly cutting-edge technology such as internal fittings, hinges and sliding systems.
In addition, the contemporary kitchens revealed a sophisticated geometry as well as enclosed surfaces that included entire living systems, portable workstations, portable ‘rooms’, and a focus on moving away from traditional cabinetry.
Surface trends included oxidised pine and liquid bronze metal, as well as colours that blend with the new architecture of the kitchens – including dry hues of steel alternates and palettes ranging from warm grey to brown, with pops of old rose and Terranova red.
The Ceragino kitchen by Japan-based company Sanwa blends renowned traditional craftsmanship with Italian ceramic artistry. Amplifying its highly-coveted model is a new finish with a rust matt effect, which is obtained through a special treatment that gives the surface a realistic appearance, reminiscent of oxidised metal. The technical characteristics of Ceragino remain unchanged: the 45-degree cut on the edges of the tiles, realised with a particular technique typical of Japanese craftsmanship, makes it possible to obtain a smooth, continuous surface, for a clean design imbued with lots of character.
Designed by Fabrizio Crisà, Lullaby is the new ceiling hood by Elica that was designed to showcase its materiality and lighting qualities. It’s proposed as a large 120-centimetre shelf in natural oak wood with aged effect, suspended in the air, hiding the extractor system that’s located above. The visible part, facing the cooktop, is dedicated to air extraction through the three-metre edges of the large light panel with 30-watt LEDs.
Light is the main element of Lullaby. Its even and well-calibrated diffusion creates depth and mood because the intensity can be adjusted, and the correct tone of white can be chosen.
This dedication to the beauty of natural materials is also reflected in the exceptional design of Boffi’s K collection by Norbert Wangen. A new spin on the idea of the ‘kitchen cube’, it challenges the idea of the compact kitchen. Available in different sizes – K5, K6, K7 and K2.2 – the kitchen enhances the dining experience, from creation to completion, in one social space; an elegant and rational response to the requirements of open-plan, multi-purpose living spaces.
Each kitchen is characterised by a complete block with a sliding stainless steel or wood top; when opened laterally or along the back, it reveals an elegant table that can be used either as a snack bar or dining area. The block contains a hob and individually welded sinks with stainless steel fittings. The rectangular structure encloses an oven (or ovens), refrigerator, dishwasher, cupboard and drawer space. The K5 kitchen (the largest of the three) has an open cooking area with a fixed stainless steel top and a sliding part in solid elm wood, while the K6 kitchen has a more compact design. It is characterised by a fully integrated hob and a sliding worktop along the backside that creates a comfortable large dining table. The K7 kitchen follows the form of the original K2, with a wider depth that guarantees more work space and greater usability for different operational functions.
And, of course, we can expect nothing less than a futuristic vision from the design leaders at Pininfarina. At Salone the company held the world premiere of Vision, an innovative kitchen designed for Snaidero.
The distinctive hallmarks of Vision are the interaction between volumes and surfaces, the lightness conveyed by the unique design of the base units for islands and peninsulas, and the craftsmen-developed stratified and shaped solid ash wood. Door surfaces are treated with a new metalescent lacquer, which delivers a special and elegant impact. This finish was created to reproduce the visual effect of metallic surfaces, while ensuring the tactile warmth of a lacquered finish. It also allows metals to be ‘bent’ into a wide variety of three-dimensional forms.