Furniture with a Minimalist Approach for Multifunctional Solutions

Furniture with a Minimalist Approach for Multifunctional Solutions

In a valley rich in history, architectural and artistic presence, surrounded by the greenery of nature, a young family has discovered the perfect solution to optimize the spaces. Through innovative design, the focus has been on the living area, utilizing minimal and multifunctional furniture to create an open, bright, and versatile environment.

kitchen entrance and multifunctional stairs

THE MINIMAL KITCHEN

Integrated into a fitted wall, the kitchen embodies the essence of minimal. With a palette of light colors and the use of natural materials, it provides everything needed without burdening the space. The laminated natural oak wood countertop recalls the external wooded environment and accommodates a modern black granite sink and a induction hob.

The choice of matte white MDF for the kitchen base and refrigerator column, along with ceiling tiles, contributes to maintaining a clean and luminous aesthetic. The light and variegated gray ceramic floor complete the welcoming atmosphere, ensuring ease of maintenance and cleaning, harmonizing with the materials and colors of the house. 

minimal kitchen
details kitchen top
details kitchen top

THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL SIDE STAIRCASE

A light staircase in front of the kitchen serves a dual purpose. Besides connecting the living area to the sleeping area, it has been designed with a structure of modular equipped wood and metal, making it both aesthetic and functional.

It houses shaped drawers that provide additional storage space, avoiding the wall unit to the kitchen for maintaining a light and minimal appearance while providing all the necessary storage space in an unexpected location.

Here’s another example of a staircase solution equipped with drawers.

lateral stairs with drawers
drawers from the top
details drawers
shaped drawes

THE WELL-EQUIPPED LIVING AREA

The living area is designed with careful attention to internal flows related to space utilization. A laminated oak wood dining table, coordinated with the kitchen countertop, accommodates 4 to 6 diners and is positioned in a passageway between the kitchen and the living room. It is convenient and non-intrusive.

Upon entering the living area, the eye is drawn to a free-standing sofa against the wall with a slim high shelf in white lacquered sheet metal, contributing to maintaining a sense of openness and lightness. The frontal TV cabinet, acting as a partition between the kitchen and the living room and supporting the staircase, is an example of well-thought-out storage and organization element. Shaped on the steps, it contains well-studied doors and shelves, utilizing every available centimeter. A true demonstration of how minimalism can be functional. 

kitchen living room dining table
minimal living room
Tv cabinet open and close
lighted cabinet
lightweight sheet metal shelf

MINIMAL MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNISHINGS

In conclusion, the entire apartment is an example of how multifunctional furnishings with a minimalistic spirit can optimize spaces without weighing them down. The most storage-intensive elements are integrated into the staircase support, while the upper part, thanks to glass handrails, rises transparent and luminous.

Everything around this central monolith of furnishings is essential, allowing to enjoy an airy, bright, tidy, and aesthetically satisfying environment. Living in a compact space does not imply sacrificing comfort and style.

Here’s another example of a minimal multifunctional apartment.

Corner kitchen with peninsula: shades of grey and wood

Corner kitchen with peninsula: shades of grey and wood

A corner kitchen with peninsula takes centre stage in an open-space obtained from the renovation of a flat. Different shades of grey marry the wood of the snack top and wall units, which is also echoed in the detail of the shelves compartment communicating with the living area.

corner kitchen with peninsula animation small opening

Conformation of a corner kitchen with peninsula: between snack top and double-sided use

Before the renovation, the kitchen followed a corner shape within a confined room.
A separate room with side access, adjacent to the main door.
By knocking down two of the partition walls, it was possible to create an open space with the advantage of generating a brighter and visually larger room.

By following the existing electrical and plumbing arrangements and making only a few changes to the systems, the new kitchen has thus taken shape, expanding its development to embrace the living area.
Starting from the original corner shape, it then added a peninsula part that houses a hob and snack corner for a functional and youthful kitchen.

Corner kitchen with peninsula open drawers snack top
Corner kitchen with peninsula closed drawers snack top
Corner kitchen with peninsula shades of grey oak wood open compartment

Column ovens, built-in refrigerator and pantry column are located along the side wall, from which the peninsula with double-sided access then develops.
Adjacent to the ovens is the lower base unit, which also embraces the adjacent wall with a window and ends in the entrance storage wall. Next to it are the built-in dishwasher and the doors with fitted sink and pull-out corner.
The narrow 30 cm wide door on the other side is nothing more than a front pull-out for storing spices and condiments.
The upper wall unit with lighting underneath acts as a visual closing element providing additional storage space.
Completing the oven column is a storage drawer and door with a push-open top.

The larder unit with its large depth is accessible from the living area, making it more practical and functional.
The peninsula is structured in the same way with double access, with drawers of different heights on the kitchen side and doors with small glass shelves on the living area side.
The open compartment facing the living area is instead arranged centrally.

internal composition of under-oven drawers
removable inner composition front spices
interior composition door shelves
extractable internal composition front spice detail
Corner kitchen with peninsula oak grey tones
double-sided opening peninsula pantry 01
double-sided opening peninsula pantry 02

Materials, finishes and colours: between shades of grey and light wood

Elegance and freshness are expressed through a colour palette of neutral tones of grey, anthracite for the kitchen top and ice for doors and shells, combined with oak-effect inserts to convey a sense of naturalness.
Different shades emphasise the volumetric development of this corner kitchen with peninsula through a series of combinations and joints.

The top in Lapitec Anthracite with Lithos finish gives a uniform yet textured appearance, which is matched by the undermount sink in Stilgranit Blanco
Also in dark anthracite tones is the essential structure of the snack top.
The latter features an oak-effect laminate top with a warm and cosy feel, which is also used for the wall unit with drop-down opening and the open compartment in the peninsula.

A refined detail is the overlapping of the snack top with respect to the worktop, which creates a visual detachment and also acts as a supporting element for the top itself.
Completing the colour choice are the appliances and accessories. The ovens and gas hob in black ceramic glass echo the Falmec island hood and mixer tap.
Different materials united by the same total black aesthetic line.

Added to these is a delicate hanging lamp positioned above the snack top that provides functional lighting while respecting its minimalist aesthetic impact.
Minimalist visual lines with 45° shaped door and drawer grooves complete the whole.

Corner kitchen with peninsula in shades of grey lacquered doors oak wood top anthracite
materials and colours Lapitec top anthracite grey undermount sink
materials and colours Lapitec anthracite grey top
materials and colours open compartment wood oak effect 02
materials and colours open compartment wood oak effect 02
materials and colours gas glass ceramic hob black
materials and colours glass-ceramic ovens black

A corner kitchen with peninsula is recognisable by its elegant and youthful aesthetics through refined attention to detail. Functionality and openness become the keywords for a renovation that turns the aesthetics of the house upside down.  See more kitchens in light grey: a contemporary-style basement and a contemporary attic with glimpses of the past.

When a white kitchen with an island becomes a functional element of a youthful two-room apartment

When a white kitchen with an island becomes a functional element of a youthful two-room apartment

In the centre of Milan, a youthful flat is spread over two levels, welcoming a white kitchen with a functional island in the centre. On the upper floor, the elegance of total white is accompanied by a niche wardrobe with mirrored doors that amplify the perception of the sleeping area. Practical elements with linear and elegant aesthetics that define the look of the entire flat. Let’s discover together this realisation designed by architect Stefano Belotti!

Opening doors white kitchen with island

A white central island dominates the kitchen area

Upon entering the flat, with its small but practical dimensions, the view is projected onto the kitchen, the layout of which makes full use of the available height with storage compartments. Acting as a visual filter, but at the same time as a functional element for the cooking area, is the central island that echoes the white aesthetics of the kitchen.

The worktop, in matt white Corian, becomes not only a work surface, but also a convenient snack top for aperitifs and quick meals.
In this respect, the folding mechanism that allows the (future) service stools to be concealed plays a key role.
The front closure panels, in fact, rotate sideways to then be incorporated into the main structure and almost completely disappear.

white kitchen with island oven combination column
white kitchen with island wall units integrated lighting
detail Corian worktop integrated basin aluminium mixer
aluminium chain Corian top
white kitchen with combined oven island hidden door laundry area

The volume of the island consists of front-extension doors with internal drawers of different heights.
A solution that has now become predominant in the recently concluded edition of the Salone del Mobile, as well as clearly recognisable in previous editions.
The main advantage is certainly the more elegant and minimal aesthetics, in which horizontal cuts resulting from the division into drawers are eliminated in favour of a single door.

detail of internal drawers in white lacquered kitchen with island

From the wall unit to the laundry corner: functionality marries total white aesthetics

The adjoining wall unit is made up of multi-level volumetric plays.
The service columns, incorporating the built-in refrigerator on one side and the combi-oven to its right, are accompanied by compartments with hinged doors that extend across the entire upper part of the kitchen.
On the same depth level, matt lacquered doors with a dishwasher in the central area and internal shelves in the surrounding compartments.
The central area, on the other hand, is characterised by a break-out with worktop and sink, upper wall units with vertical partitioning and built-in lighting with a smaller depth.

To ensure the best functional configuration, the side wall to the kitchen and the central island accommodates a white lacquered door that covers the entire height of the room.
This conceals inside the laundry area with a washing machine and tumble dryer with columns accompanied by practical shelves for cleaning products.

The linear aesthetics are emphasised both in the choice of lighting, pendant above the white central island and LED strip lighting in the back wall of the kitchen, and also in the joining chain between the Corian top and doors below.
The material detachment through an aluminium profile becomes the horizontal reading element both for the back wall, joining the two side ends, and embracing the central island with kitchenette.

white kitchen with laundry corner island
White kitchen with island pull-out front drawer doors

A wardrobe with mirrored doors embellishes the sleeping area

On the upper floor, accessible via a white painted spiral staircase, a wardrobe with six mirror-covered doors dominates.
The rhythmic vertical division is interrupted by a single horizontal cut at the top, creating an interesting geometric subdivision in the overall aesthetics. The choice of mirrored doors on the one hand amplifies the brightness and perception of the room and at the same time enhances the overall aesthetics.

The division into six doors is reflected internally in a symmetrical composition with double central compartments accompanied by two single compartments at the ends.
Compartments with hanging tubes are favoured, but there are also internal drawers and adjustable shelves for better organisation of clothing.

If for the lower level the kitchen with central island favours a uniform white aesthetic, the sleeping area, on the other hand, marries contrasting aesthetics.
The bright exterior of the mirrored doors is in fact contrasted by the elegance of a matt black whole on which the elegant chrome hanging tubes can be seen.

mirrored door wardrobe
wardrobe mirror doors dark laminate interior drawers
Niche wardrobe with dark interior mirror doors
detail mirror cabinet doors interior lighting
two-room mirror-door wardrobe
detail of mirrored wardrobe doors in niche

The choice of a total white kitchen is always a contemporary and elegant solution. Its simplicity makes it easily adaptable to the surrounding context, whether it has a retro feel, as in this example, or contemporary pop, as in this realisation. It can also be combined with natural wood elements, such as chopping boards and snack tops, thus adding a hint of warmth, here’s an example! Or exploit plays of opacity and shine through different materials, making the room look fresh and bright, perfect for seaside homes!

THE FURNISHING OF A TAVERN IN A CONTEMPORARY STYLE

THE FURNISHING OF A TAVERN IN A CONTEMPORARY STYLE

The interior design of the taverns with the passage of time requires small retouchers to return to their original beauty and allow the owners to rediscover that desire to fully living the space. Here the case of a tavern adapted in a contemporary style.

Modern wooden table tavern

THE TAVERN

The tavern is a home environment that risks not to being exploited to the fullest, especially if it is used as a second living area. However, what makes it different from the traditional living area is an intrinsic intimacy that makes it the most welcoming place in the whole house. How many people immediately think of the tavern when they have to organize a dinner with friends? Or when they want to enjoy a bit of tranquility, how many of them are isolating themselves in the company of a good book in their relaxing corner? Precisely for this reason the tavern can be elected as the most convivial and intimate place in the house, although its furniture must always be functional and in line with the other environments.

Kitchen tavern table lights

the living area connects to the kitchen, an equipped floor divides them.

FIREPLACE

As already mentioned in the article dedicated to Hygge, a fireplace or a wood stove are elements that can best convey warmth and intimacy; usually the fulcrum of the environment in which they are located are the perfect places to spend time chatting with loved ones and a hot tea or a good glass of wine in your hands. In the case of this renovated tavern in a contemporary style, a large fireplace becomes the focal point of the entire living area. It also acts as a connecting element between the living area of the apartment, located on the ground floor, and the exit to the courtyard. The terracotta floor take up the choice of keeps the materials of the rest of the house. This also covers the raised base, becoming both a seat and a support surface according to the different depths. A large cushion makes it even more comfortable to use, welcoming a comfortable reading corner.

fireplace e higgelig

THE DINING AREA

In front of the fireplace there is a large heat-treated oak table with warm veins and a simple and linear aesthetic structure (which we also find in this creation), with a light base in anthracite painted iron. Surrounded by lovely mustard-colored armchairs, it is able to liven up the environment and ready to accommodate up to 12 diners. To emphasize the warmth and intimacy of this environment, three pendant lamps mark a visual rhythm with their diffused and soft light. The new lampshade in a pure opal white amplifies the general brightness of the environment.

table lights in the living area
detail of the armchairs
drapery detail

Details of the mustard eco-leather armchairs and double venetian blinds with gray “drop” decoration downwards.

THE KITCHEN

The kitchen changes position compared to the original plan and is an extension of the living area, facing the dining table with an equipped worktop, which can also act as a support surface. The floors, recovered from the originals in Rosso Verona marble, very distinctive and decisive, blend well with the terracotta floor. To stand out and at the same time make the marble more sober and elegant, the furnishings of the entire kitchen, as well as that of the entire tavern, are in a light gray with cold tones. The handles are invisible for the wall units, shaped to measure for the tall unit in the center while, as regards the base of the wall units, reinforced with an aluminum profile matching the color of the lacquering.

lateral kitchen
handles details
handles details
kitchen snack

The kitchen with its colors and the details of the different handles.

THE RELAXATION LIVING ROOM

In the same finish as the kitchen, to maintain stylistic continuity, the TV cabinet in the relaxation lounge has also been lacquered, which is positioned in the most intimate and hidden part of the tavern. Reupholstered with a bright orange fabric, the sofa features cushions and backrests with refined pandance textures. The living room can be glimpsed at the entrance to the tavern, on the left, through glass shelves that cross the space to arrive, shaped, at the supporting column, painted anthracite like the legs of the dining table.

living room relax
textile details
zona relax
tv cabinet

THE FURNISHINGS OF THE TAVERN AT THE CONCLUSION

Furnishing the tavern means knowing how to convey sensations such as the sense of warmth, well-being and intimacy. It is important to develop the main elements in stylistic harmony with each other and in line with the rest of the apartment. If a tavern is dated and is left as such for too long, it risks losing its charm and becoming a second home cellar, in which stored unused objects.

tavern entrance

A bespoke wardrobe in the attic: sloping doors and large bookcases

A bespoke wardrobe in the attic: sloping doors and large bookcases

To make the most of the sloping ceiling of this attic, a large custom-made wardrobe is mixed between a functional element and a large bookcase. A hybrid furniture, usable internally for the seasonable wardrobe change, but linear in aesthetics to create a suggestive and small reading hall for our little client Francesco.

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling bookcase in front of sloping doors

Equip an attic with sloped ceiling with a custom-made wardrobe

The attic is the project environment with great aesthetic potential but with strong architectural design constraints.
The presence of a sloping roof creates different usability areas imposed by the different internal heights of the room.
In this case, the architectural conformation of the attic, with a narrow and long plan with access to the center of the ridge, ideally divides the room into two different environments.
In one of these two the large custom-made wardrobe stands, able to exploit even the lowest corner of the attic with a bookcase in the niche.

To ensure that the sloping cut doors are not obstructed in the opening direction by the attic ceiling, it is necessary to provide single doors with fastening on the longer side. This also allows an internal division with shelves marked by single and not double modules as in a traditional wardrobe.
The backs of the bookcase are shaped in the same way in order to respect the inclination of the ceiling and optimize the overall dimensions.

To explore the theme of rooms with sloping ceilings, here are these two attics: one in a contemporary style with antique elements and the other in a modern style. To these is also added this mezzanine equipped with wardrobe and bookcase for a functional study area.

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling front bookcase
detail handles white aluminum profile wardrobe
interior hanger wardrobe custom attic season change
inside wardrobe change of house linen season
bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling side bookcase
internal shelves bilaminate wardrobe made to measure attic change of season

A reading corner for our most demanding small customers

Francesco is our little client with very clear needs. If mom Laura is kindly allowed to use the inside wardrobe for the seasonable wardrobe change and household linen, the niche-bookcase must be able to accommodate books and dinosaurs divided by specific themes and colors.
The shaped shoulders accommodate fixed shelves at different heights, creating a lively but elegant visual rhythm.

Even the fresh and elegant tone of the white bilaminate creates a luminous reading area in which a delicate Scandinavian design coffee table finds space.
To take advantage of the depth of the wardrobe, a second bookcase is grafted onto the side shoulder, also visually closing the furniture with a characterizing detail. The same solution was also adapted in this cerulean blue kitchen in modern style.
In this case, the shelves are positioned at a greater height so that they can also accommodate more bulky folders and books.
The reading corner is thus embraced by the multifunctional furniture that from a simple wardrobe serving an attic it also becomes a custom-made bookcase.

reading corner bookcase in niche shelves fixed height
bookcase detail with fixed door and white bilaminate shelves
detail of white bilaminate bookcase shelves
attic bookcase with fixed shelves
bookcase detail in front of the wardrobe
detail handles white aluminum profile cabinet front