Photography by and courtesy of Studio Oink.
The briefing: to create a “wide and open layout with a calming atmosphere”—oh, and a lot of built-in storage.
Working with the developer at first proved fraught for the designers: “Every custom-made solution from our side was a problem and ‘impossible’ in the beginning,” reports Korzeczek.
A sunny, centrally located room was selected to be the new kitchen and dining area. Early in the process, when the room’s existing ceiling moldings couldn’t be saved, the owners sketched the circles themselves and had them created by plasterwork specialist Juergen Liebe.
Studio Oink selected maple for the cabinetry—”because it has a quiet graining”—and sealed it with a white-pigmented wood wax.
Note that the cooktop and sink mirror each other: “We tried to calm down the overall picture by choosing the same sizes and proportions for each, 60 by 60 centimeters,” says Korzeczek.
The sink and faucet are both by Blanco (see 10 Easy Pieces: Architects’ Go-To Modern Kitchen Faucets), and, in lieu of a dish rack, the family takes the minimalist approach and uses a towel.
The black-and-white photograph is by Francis Alÿs.
“We asked Lea and Matthias to design kitchen storage that was at once invisible, pleasing, and capacious,” say the owners.
A Japanese Hinoki Bath Stool from Remodelista favorite Analogue Life is perched alongside cabinets used for pantry supplies and small appliances.
An “extra-warm artificial light” cloaks the side cabinet in what looks like sunlight.
The wall behind the range and sink has an invisible backsplash It s painted with what the owners describe as a robust wipeable paint that rises for approximately three feet and matches the limewash Our painter Sven Bath...
...did such an amazing job that you can t see the transition As for lime paint in the kitchen they report we used it throughout the apartment and it s been great we ve had no issues with fingerprints
The drawers are made of solid maple.
The white electrical outlets are by Berker (for other good-looking options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Problem-Solving Electrical Outlet Covers).
French doors open to a balcony.
The family’s existing table and a set of bentwood chairs “provide a nice contrast to the simple, geometric kitchen,” says Korzeczek.