Outside the box
One out-of-the-box idea comes from young Danish company Reform, which specialises in customising Swedish furniture giant Ikea’s modular Metod kitchen to give it a high-end twist. This is a crossover of the individualisation trend, where consumers are seeking the unique and personal, and the handmade/handcraft direction so prominent in the interior design segment, and Reform addresses these twin desires by delivering a high-end look wrapped in a far more affordable price when compared to a custom kitchen.
Copenhagen-based company collaborated with internationally acclaimed Danish architects to rework the classic white kitchen with its well-known neutral atmosphere, and showcased the collections this past summer at the new northmodern fair in Copenhagen.
“The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in our home,” says Reform founder Jeppe Christensen. “But interestingly, it is often overlooked when it comes to design.” Christensen and his partner had noted the growing interest in custom-made cabinetry but realised that the cost put such items out of reach of many homeowners. The result was Reform, which commissioned Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Henning Larsen Architects and Norm Architects to create a collection of cabinet fronts and table-tops to work with Ikea boxes.
For instance, when young practice Norm Architects created its range for Reform, it created a kitchen design with a clean, raw and sophisticated identity. The handleless series uses magnetic touch latches to open cabinets, and the top and each outer edge of the cabinet is wrapped in a single material to give an overall seamless aesthetic. Available in either fibre concrete, bronzed tombac, sawn oak and smoked oak, the durable yet natural materials will patinate over time for a rich look.
BIG, the Copenhagen and New York studio led by Bjarke Ingels, has added handles made from car seat belts to the cupboards of its kitchen. “For several years we’ve been flirting with the idea of making custom-designed kitchens,” said Jakob Lange, head of design at BIG. “But in reality we often end up with custom-made kitchens that are quite expensive. That’s why the thought of making a kitchen which is exclusive in every way except price appeals a lot to us.”
Meanwhile, earlier this year, at the Milan’s contemporary furnishings fair Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Ikea designed a large-scale pop-up that included three kitchen vignettes – one each from designers Paola Navone and Matali Crasset, and a joint effort by Studio Irvine and Thomas Sandell – created to interpret its Metod modular kitchen range. The installations, part of what was dubbed ‘ Ikea Temporary’, focused on children, disabled people and the future of cooking. The company also offered visitors a look into the future with ‘Concept Kitchen 2025’. Italian designer Paola Navone focused on creating a space for socialising and interaction. “I wanted to create the big Italian kitchen where there’s lots of space, not only for passionate cooking but also for people, discussions, opinions and a little bit of drama to make things interesting,” Navone said. In her Metod reinterpretation, ingredients hang above a large central table that runs parallel to the prep area, and pots and pans are hung at random from a nearby wall.
Some contemporary designs, like the Navone vignette, are all about dramatic effect and becoming part of the conversation.