House Beautiful in the middle of New York's Rockefeller Plaza
House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year for 2010
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Launched in 1983, contemporary kitchen manufacturer Aster Cucine is a young’un in the world of European kitchen cabinetry. And sometimes it takes young people, or a young company, to want to do things a little differently and to look for inspiration in, say, youth. Which is kind of what happened at this past Eurocucina, where Aster Cucine, of the “Old Country,” showed TIMELINE, a new kitchen collection designed by U.S. design firm Workshop/apd, of the “New World.” If Workshop/apd is sounding kind of familiar, you may have heard its name in connection with Brad Pitt and Global Green USA. The firm, which has offices in Nantucket, Mass., and New York City, came up with the winning plan in the organization’s competition to design affordable sustainable housing in New Orleans. Headed by principals Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen, the firm specializes in high-end residential renovations, new home construction and commercial development.
For TIMELINE, Berman and Kotchen have drawn on a history of craftsmanship and artisanship to create a contemporary kitchen collection that is clean in look yet rich in feel. It includes a modern spin on the classic inset door and incorporates a variety of materials, many of which are evocative of those used in earlier times and lend a sense of warmth and softness to the line.
Extremely versatile, the collection offers a wealth of possibilities. And if you want that individualized touch, you can even specify cabinet doors adorned with art panels by Toronto artist Murray Duncan. For more information, contact Aster Cucine USA.—Alice Liao |
KITCHEN SPECIALISTS v. HOME IMPROVEMENT CENTERS
The majority of homeowners will only purchase one new kitchen during their lifetime. Because the kitchen is the heart of a house, it is extremely important that this room fulfills the specialized needs of the individuals who use it. Since most parents work, the kitchen is the one place where families can actually get together—it has become not only a space for nourishment but the center where family life takes place. A well-designed kitchen is considered to be the best return on your investment.
custom made kitchen cabinets
Kitchen specialists will custom design your space whereas the home improvement center wants to fill up your space. Home improvement center personnel are basically salespeople, trained to get you to buy more than you’ll need. Home improvement centers are too diversified and don’t usually carry high-end products which, in the long run, will last longer than cheaper goods—remember the adage, “You get what you pay for!” Kitchen designers will save time by narrowing selections to fit your personal style and will save you money through professional discounts. A kitchen specialist will design a plan to fit your budget—the better the plan, the easier to keep costs low. The designer is always up on the latest trends, especially energy-efficient products.
Kitchen specialists have their own work crews or employ only those that deliver customer satisfaction. Numerous home improvement centers will subcontract a job which means they have no control over the work being done in your home. Because of heavy workloads, subcontractors often sell these jobs to unknowns. Thus you’ll have to deal with strangers who are basically concerned with getting paid as opposed to giving you quality work, which could cost you more down the line.
european kitchens by Arclinea
We’ve all heard homeowner horror stories. A woman, with toddler and infant, decided to redo her kitchen. Since her husband was the sole breadwinner, they had a strict budget and went to a home improvement center. She was told that they could remodel her kitchen in three weeks. Everything was going well until the appliances arrived—none of which fit into their respective spaces. Four months and two contractors later, the job was finally completed but, due to faulty wiring, the kitchen caught fire. The home improvement salesperson never thought to include a fire extinguisher. The couple ran out of money and their kitchen is still not finished.
Problems can arise in any renovation but a kitchen specialist is prepared to deal with practical solutions. Home improvement centers are corporations and their employees are not trained to think outside the box. Because specialists are focused only on your kitchen, you can be assured that they will get the job done right the first time—giving you value that lasts for years.
Whether you are fixing a snack or creating a five-course dinner, your kitchen should be a delectable place, fragrant with savory memories, not one which leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
International Kitchen Furniture Trade Show Milan 2010.
Aster Cucine
Eurocucina is the event for new kitchen solutions, in everything from laminates to wood, metal, masonry and laquer, besides the finest furnishing accessories. Great concepts and design solutions for a domestic space that is becoming the social center and crossroads of the home, and even more, a source of pride worth putting on display for all the world to see. Kitchens and bathrooms are indeed attracting unprecedented attention in terms of financial investment. Functionally, these spaces are expanding and demanding the use of materials of superior quality and duration.
Orange Lacquered Kitchen
Once every two years Eurocucina is held in Milan (this year was from 14th-19th April), this is a key International kitchen fair for showcasing trade developments was the ideal place to launch Aster Cucine’s new collections. With an all-new exhibition space covering over 250 metres, designed to welcome even more visitors to the stand, Aster introduced its guests to the new collections one by one. The company raised the bar once again, as it organised meetings and events for architects and interior designers to show off its latest collections. Aster Cucine was delighted to explain the rationale behind its newest new pieces, detailing both the research behind their creations and the new aim to connect to people by appealing to feelings and intuition as well.
The AVENUE collection by Aster Cucine
The AVENUE collection won a highly enthusiastic reception, as a kitchen that celebrates the merging of the traditional and the modern symbolising the triumph of beauty, beauty as a lifestyle. This is a kitchen space with an ease and simplicity you are sure to fall in love with, a meeting place in the home, the place of your dream city encounters. A classic collection with the most seamlessly magical modern twists. Another key space was the area set aside for Aster’s exquisite OPERA collection, which this year was enriched with the addition of its latest OPERA HALL pieces, which are a classic take on a re-reading of the fabulous times encapsulated by the French idea of “Les Plaisirs de L’Isle Enchantèe”, with pieces rich in artistic and cultural references that date from the 1500’s to our present day. “Opera Hall” starts life in the kitchen but it is designed to enrich the experience of living in every space in the house. Timeline is both an idea and a project, the result of a special collaboration with the prestigious New York design studio. More than architecture, more than a trend, more than design, more than time itself. Timeline learns its lessons from our history, taking on board its rich experiences, yet never merely trying to re-live the past. Aster strongly believes that “each design should be born of its own time”, never making hastily put together re-stylings of versions past, but rather, offering balanced responses that pay tribute to the past while embracing the progress of the future. The CONTEMPORA collection is truly unique, with its strong design making the most of its beautifully grained Tinoe wood, going to show how easily a “bespoke” kitchen can be customised, which is one of the strengths that go to make Aster Cucine truly one of a kind. For a classic elegance there is nothing that can beat the latest version of the DOMINA collection MAKE_UP which matches the Canaletto walnut-lined Oyster wardrobe. Eurocucina was also a great place to launch our latest ATELIER, Light collection. Atelier not only takes a new approach to materials but it also uses them to highlight their inner sheen, so that bright light enriches every space. Atelier’s sleek surfaces gleam, opening up new spaces with a fresh new look. With more visitors than ever coming than from all over the world Aster Cucine was pleased to see that the careful attention paid to research and balance in its products has helped to carve out a distinctively strong brand so that ASTER Cucine collections can stand out against the others, truly making their mark on an international scenario. The greatest satisfaction of all comes from seeing that Aster Cucine is in demand in a number of international markets, which can be taken as the highest of compliment: In a world where APPEARANCE can sometimes seem like everything, often sacrificing comfort and function on the way, Aster’s answer is TO BE. The highest compliment for any company these days is simply TO BE . To Be, in its best sense, i.e. to Be Marketable not a mere question of seeming saleability. This is one final step towards both satisfying market demands and keeping our final customers happy, which, as always, is still the company’s main goal.
Miton Cucine
MITON Cucine present a new reference in the market by kitchens with strong emotional impact with a interesting price. MITON kitchens are the answer to a great demand product: our aim is to give useful tools for a projecting without any limit ideally separating the structure from the door. Free expression through 2 alternative platforms: structures with handle, structure with groove.
contemporary kitchen design.
Their lovely lair tucked tidily amid Manhattans trendy Lower East Side, this small family is enamored of entertaining. Their culinary quandary? Boxed-in by four walls, the claustrophobic kitchen made navigation near impossible. To give them some breathing room while breathing new life into their lethargic layout, the homeowners hiredLaura Husni of Urban Homes. After some considered planning, Zylewicz and Husni accomplished their objectives in spades. The designers gutted the existing room, a move that enabled them to tie the new kitchen to the living and dining areas. The result is a unified space characterized by clean lines and smooth continuity.
walnut and high-gloss lacquer kitchen cabinets
They punched up the cohesive ante even more so via their choice of three-quarter-inch-thick Caesarstone Blizzard counters, which continue along the perimeter of the cabinetry and descend to the floor. Also, the
contrasting two-toned cabinetswalnut and white high-gloss lacqueradd a distinctively retro-sequel riff that accompanies the aesthetic used throughout the rest of the home. And the minimal application of grout work in the oversized tile backsplash helps round out the seamless assembly.
The result: a chic-and-serviceable gourmets delight perfectly befitting of its fashionable Big Apple locale.
Aster Cucine cabinets
DESIGNER
Laura Husni
Urban Homes
724 11th Ave.
New York, NY 10019
212.246.7700.
Oversized tile backsplash with little
grout for a seamless clean finish, countertop
that continues alongside the cabinets to the
floor for a unified look, 3/4-inch-thick
countertops, two-toned cabinets
DIMENSIONS
15 x 8 PRODUCTS USED
Cabinetry: Aster Cucine
Flooring: Sawn oak
Countertops:
Caesarstone Blizzard
Sink(s): Blanco
Faucet(s): Blanco
Refrigerator: Liebherr
Eurocucina 2010 sets the start of the new collaboration with Aster cucine and prestigious New York design studio Workshop/apd Timeline is both an idea and a project, the result of a special collaboration with the prestigious New York design studio Workshop/apd. More than architecture, more than a trend, more than design, more than time itself. Andrew Kotchen and Matt Berman are two of the most innovative designers of their generation. Together they set out to prove that intelligent architectural concepts can be translated successfully into responsible real world projects. Matthew Berman “We don’t believe in architectural trends. We do believe in designing places that reflect their surroundings and society. We are committed to reducing the ecological impact that building has on our environment. And we want to ensure that our designs meet the social, environmental and economic needs of our clients.” Sustainable design is, in short, good design. In 2006, actor Brad Pitt and Global Green USA recognized the intelligence of building green—and Workshop/apd won the group’s competition to design a 120-occupant, eco-friendly model housing block for hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. Building broke ground in 2007 and is currently under construction. The Workshop brand has grown and extends to furniture, products, lighting, accessories, and now kitchen systems. This year, we also launched RightFrame, a technology company that automates green home design to change the face and the carbon footprint of the suburban landscape. Architecture is not static. It has political, social, economic, and cultural ramifications, and each building is different. They are part history, part art, part science, part travelogue, and part politics. Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future www.workshopapd.com/home .
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