Petra Kitchen

Gianluca Tondi, owner of TM Italia Cucine, designed the Petra Kitchen presented at the Abitare il Tempo trade fair. Petra is a new type of custom kitchen that conceals the working components when not in use. A remote control opens the travertine top to reveal the cooktop and downdraft ventilation. The faucet and oven are also mechanized to raise and lower.

TM Italia Cucine calls their home automation system (domotics) “TM_touch’n’go”. With the touch of a button you can open the kitchen and view the monitor, “TM_Vison,” for watching television or use the Internet connection for searching the web.

The monitor is show raised on the left end in the first two photos. The tall cabinets are also sleek and have no decorative hardware housing dishes and the refrigerator.
I would love to have seen this in person.

October 12, 2008

Low-Relief CaesarStone

CaesarStone has developed a sandblasting method for applying detailed stenciling to its quartz-engineered stone. The technique creates an extremely low-relief, tactile motif, playing polished against matte surfaces.

The sandblasting technique, made possible by CaesarStone’s immense strength, uses specialised machinery where dry abrasive sand is blasted at the material at high pressure allowing it to etch the surface. Decorative patterns can be applied to an entire slab, as a boarder or feature panel. Highly effective, this stunning textured surface is ideal for vertical surfaces, feature walls, counters tops, furniture or partitions in both commercial and residential design.

The textured sandblasted surface does require a little more care when cleaning; however it retains CaesarStone’s scratch and water resistant qualities.

October 8, 2008

Showtime House: Dexter Kitchen

showtime concept design | KitchAnn Style

Metropolitan Home magazine and Showtime Network teamed up to turn a New York townhouse into a modernist masterpiece creating different rooms inspired by 6 of the network’s shows -Californication, Dexter, The L Word, The Tudors and Weeds, plus the soon-to-be-launched United States of Tara.

Johnny Grey Studios designed the Dexter kitchen inspired by the character’s South Florida lifestyle reflecting Miami’s Art Deco architecture and tropical setting.

Grey chose to depart from the typical predictable kitchen. His blog discusses his desire to get away from the typical work triangle and create a space that will appeal to the visitors’ senses.

Immediately upon seeing the kitchen you can’t help but notice the curved walnut countertops. I am reminded of the display Grey designed a few years ago for the Electrolux booth at KBIS. It’s very disappointing there are not more pictures of the kitchen available. I was able to find many photos of the Dexter Dining Room.

Grey used many natural materials including Aspen, Walnut, Blogged Oak, Zebra grain Maple, Bloodwood and Teak Tiles. He used Caesarstone on the countertops, windows and bookcases to give a nod to Miami’s modern architecture. Paints were also inspired by Miami and ranged from ocean blues to spicey hues.

Metropolitan Home’s Showtime House is located at 23 Gramercy Park South and will be open to the public for tours until October 26, 2008. Proceeds from the tour ticket sales will benefit Nemcova’s non-profit organization, Happy Hearts Fund. For more information about tickets and tours at the showhouse, visit www.methome.com/showtime.

September 25, 2008

Could This Be In Your Future Countertop?

It’s easy to see why everybody is so exited about Microsoft Surface, the technology and user experience are just amazing, image the possibilities.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP5y7yp06n0]

If you are traveling, you can see Microsoft Surface Virtual Concierge 30-inch tables in the lobbies of five Sheraton Hotel: Boston, New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco. Applications include CityTips with attractions, eateries, shopping, maps, and transportation; a digital jukebox; and SheratonSnapshots, a library of photos of Sheraton resorts.

If you threw a party with the Surface DJ everybody would definitely be in the Kitchen. In fact, it may be impossible to get people to go home. Watch the Video and you’ll want one too.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNb9MSn2ZB4]