A Kitchen Design to Taste

After 15 years it was time for a change. Our client, a family household of five, wanted a new kitchen design that would create a stronger connection between the cooking area and dining room, and use unconventional materials. The kitchen appliances also needed to be updated. And while steam cookers and the like were still costly extravagances in 2006, the year the house was built, today they are standard fare in private homes.

Cooking in company

Before the redesign, the chef was facing the wall; now the ceramic hob is positioned in such a way that he or she can also look out onto the six-seater dining table. Plus we added a bar counter just in front of the hob, making it easier for whoever is cooking to carry on a conversation with others.

The ultra-modern equipment is another source of pleasure for the chefs. The refrigerator now has a greater capacity as well as a freezer, the oven has a steam cooker as a side kick, and the extractor fan is built elegantly into the ceramic hob.

Bold not boring

Before the renovation, the kitchen in the single-family home had an ice-blue tone that could be easily confused with white to the naked eye. The worktop was made of synthetic resin and black marble. With the redesign, our client wanted to move away from a light-coloured, monotonous appearance and instead focus on using materials with a strong character that age well. They believed that materials can and should change over time. Because, after all, we live with our kitchen, not in it.

We were able to give the kitchen design the desired texture with a wall made of exposed concrete slabs and cupboard surfaces made of fluted walnut wood. Other cupboard surfaces and drawers have a waxed-brass finish. This type of metal oxidises, so the kitchen’s look will continue to change over time.

The client chose a white natural stone for the worktop, knowing that it requires special care and maintenance. The marble by Pibamarmi is treated via a special method. Without the so-called «Acid Shield», the material would not have been a suitable material for a kitchen worktop.

Another eye-catcher lies at the family’s feet: terrazzo! Originally, a terrazzo floor was going to be poured and then sanded, but the plans had to change because the height of the floor construction wasn't compatible with that method. While researching alternative solutions, we discovered terrazzo tiles that could be installed without joints.

Portmann + Meier AG did a wonderful job bringing DOBAS’s design visions to life. Even though the family needed to exercise patience and use a temporary kitchen setup for six weeks as a result of the logistics challenges occurring worldwide (read more about that in this still-relevant Space Story), it was more than worth the wait. We hope they continue to have inspiring conversations at the hob and spend many delicious hours at the table!