Kitchen Design
Curves Wind Through a Natural Wood Kitchen
A Danish apartment’s anything-but-boxy floor plan results in an inspiring kitchen that optimizes every inch
When the owners of this apartment in Copenhagen, Denmark, turned to Peter Wedell-Wedellsborg to design their new kitchen, he jumped at the opportunity. His beautifully crafted wood kitchen has an organic flow that resonates with the home’s distinctive layout.
The layout of the apartment, in which rooms cascade diagonally rather than follow a more standard grid arrangement, drove the final layout of the kitchen, which is right next to the stairwell.
“We brought the organic flow of the apartment’s layout into the design of the kitchen. This is a typical city apartment, and before the start of the project, it had different styles and materials, which were a little old school and did not really fit the way you live today. There was no bathtub either. So we tore walls down and broke them apart to create a modern kitchen,” the architect says.
“We brought the organic flow of the apartment’s layout into the design of the kitchen. This is a typical city apartment, and before the start of the project, it had different styles and materials, which were a little old school and did not really fit the way you live today. There was no bathtub either. So we tore walls down and broke them apart to create a modern kitchen,” the architect says.
It was important for Wedell-Wedellsborg to use light, natural materials to give the kitchen a more modern feel. This led to the choice of ash for the kitchen surfaces.
Wedell-Wedellsborg is not only a trained architect, but he is also an experienced carpenter with a passion for such projects. He therefore designed a hexagonal table for the kitchen-dining area. “With a hexagonal dining table, you don’t sit directly opposite each other like with a square or round table, and it is organic and edged at the same time,” he says.
Wedell-Wedellsborg is not only a trained architect, but he is also an experienced carpenter with a passion for such projects. He therefore designed a hexagonal table for the kitchen-dining area. “With a hexagonal dining table, you don’t sit directly opposite each other like with a square or round table, and it is organic and edged at the same time,” he says.
The unadorned design means, among other things, that the cabinets open with a push on the surface, while the drawers have slim built-in grips.
“I have chosen a strict, consistent style and combined it with organic shapes. For example, manufactured doors were chosen to give stiffness and thus a feeling of larger surfaces,” Wedell-Wedellsborg says.
“I have chosen a strict, consistent style and combined it with organic shapes. For example, manufactured doors were chosen to give stiffness and thus a feeling of larger surfaces,” Wedell-Wedellsborg says.
The kitchen features many clever details, and every nook, corner and niche has a purpose. “All the irregular surfaces and nooks have been utilized. Only what is absolutely necessary is left. This way the design is consistent and functional and will last over time,”he says.
An example of such a design detail is the retractable exhaust fan. An ash panel hides the fan when it is not pulled out and in use.
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An example of such a design detail is the retractable exhaust fan. An ash panel hides the fan when it is not pulled out and in use.
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Wedell-Wedellsborg tried to maximize every bit of the kitchen’s work and storage space. “There is not much space in this kitchen, so the sink, for example, has been pulled farther towards the windows to get a more spacious cooking area,” he says.
“That is one of the advantages of kitchens designed by architects — you can exploit all the niches and small irregular surfaces, whereas a standard kitchen does not provide the same options.”
“That is one of the advantages of kitchens designed by architects — you can exploit all the niches and small irregular surfaces, whereas a standard kitchen does not provide the same options.”
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Islands Brygge area of Copenhagen, Denmark
Architect: Peter Wedell-Wedellsborg of Reform
The clients wanted a kitchen that looked organic, and this is exactly what they got. “Sometimes clients come to me with a clear idea of the design in mind, though they are unable to completely translate it into words. This is also part of the work of an architect,” Wedell-Wedellsborg says. “The process is always a dialogue in which you try to fully understand the client’s dreams and wishes, so it’s important to ask the right questions to get the right answers.”
At the same time, he notes that developing ideas with an architect is a two-way street. “You have to be aware that if you choose an architect-designed project, you must be open to cooperation and dialogue with the designers and architects. It’s about getting all the good ideas implemented, regardless of whether they came from the client or the architects,” he says.