A bespoke kitchen designed as a piece of furniture: matte black cabinetry, Calacatta marble, end-grain oak and steel Crittall partitions.
F_OC is a bespoke kitchen in a private apartment where every piece – from the island and full-height columns to the glassware display case – was designed and built to custom drawings.
The project won the National Award for best furniture design (jury: architects from Italy, Portugal, Ukraine and Brazil). This is where the "kitchen as furniture" approach was taken to its fullest conclusion.
Matte black cabinetry, a marble island and end-grain oak coexist in an open space separated by Crittall steel partitions and brick – where the precision of the joinery matters more than any decoration.
Black cabinetry, marble island and end-grain oak bar; the steel partition frames the view of the exposed brick wall beyond.
The task was not to "fit out a kitchen" but to design it as a unified object: precise joints, concealed appliances, carefully considered proportions on every door front.
Matte black can easily make a kitchen feel heavy and flat. The challenge was to warm it with marble, end-grain oak and light – and to open a closed kitchen into the living area without losing a sense of privacy.
The kitchen is built on the contrast of matte black and pale marble, warmed by wood and brick. Four decisions carry the whole project.
Full-height matte columns with integrated profile handles and built-in appliances – a calm, unbroken plane.
Calacatta island with waterfall edges and an end-grain oak bar – a warm counterpoint to the black.
Crittall partitions separate the kitchen without closing it off; brick adds texture and depth.
A lit glass box for stemware and wine – functional storage that doubles as a showpiece.
A kitchen is furniture. And furniture starts with a drawing.
Iuri Colomiet, project designer
The marble island with waterfall edges and a flush-mounted hob is the focal point of the entire composition. The raised end-grain oak bar serves as both a dining surface and a work counter.
Integrated hob, in-worktop power outlet, concealed niche lighting – every element was drawn to the millimetre before a single cut was made.
Crittall steel partitions frame the kitchen and connect it to the living area and the exposed brick wall.
The kitchen is not enclosed by a solid wall but separated by a grid of Crittall steel glazing bars. The glass defines the zone boundary while preserving light, depth and the view of the brick.
The corner glass display box with interior lighting is a standalone object: stemware and wine storage becomes a display visible from both the kitchen and the living room.
Kitchen floor plan: layout, built-in appliances and dimensions to the millimetre.
Island and column elevations: joinery details, materials (Calacatta Oro Veneto, end-grain oak), Hettich hardware and Alustil profile.