Best designer kitchens 2016: the Wallpaper* edit

last updated 10 October 2022

Example of a kitchen brand creating clean lines at the cutting edge of counter culture

(Image credit: Filippo Piantandia)

Rossana
Kitchen: ’K-IN’
Designer: Massimo Castagna
Key features: sliding counter tops for increased functionality, fossil wood and stone finishes

‘Joint’ fruit bowl, €580, by Durame. ‘Pan 999’ silver cup, €230, by Tobia Scarpa, for San Lorenzo. ‘Foodwear’ casserole, €90; handle, €19, both by Rodolfo Dordoni, for Knindustrie

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Belgian architect and designer Vincent Van Duysen’s debut kitchen

Dada
Kitchen: 'VVD'
Designer: Vincent Van Duysen
Key features: architectural look, recessed handles, wide-opening doors

Belgian architect and designer Vincent Van Duysen’s debut kitchen is a play of contrasts. Natural stone, such as ceppo, meets walnut (both pictured) or bleached oak, brushed steel or pewter lacquer, among other finishes. The worktop depth varies depending on the unit, interrupting the usual linearity, as seen here beneath the Gaggenau ‘VR 414’ electric grill. Details include Van Duysen’s take on recessed handles, with an aluminium contour to improve grip and doors that open 180 degrees for easy access. Van Duysen’s design also allows the user to contrast solids and voids, with the option to replace closed units with open-ended drawers or under-top trolleys.

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Valcucine
Kitchen: 'Riciclantica'
Designer: Gabriele Centazzo
Key features: super-slim doors, high-performance and heat-resistant materials

For a sleek finish, this kitchen features super-light and slim unit doors, at 2mm thick, as well as perfectly flat joints without screws or hole caps. Pictured are worktops in grey laminate, and doors and side panels in red lacquered aluminium. The kitchen’s aluminium framework is water-, steam- and heat-resistant, while door and side panel options include heat-resistant anodised aluminium and glass.

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Giorgetti
Kitchen: 'GK.01'
Key features: linear geometric forms, carved wooden door details, sliding countertops

Italian furniture manufacturer Giorgetti’s first kitchen offers finishes including Pietra Grey marble and Peltrox steel (foreground), while sculpted wood doors feature a pyramid design (seen in grey ash in the background), from an idea by cabinet maker Luciano Molinari. Discreet touches include an extractor that pops up (or down) behind the hob and doors that tuck away once opened.

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Cesar
Kitchen: 'Maxima 2.2' / 'Wall Waiter' (shelving)
Designers: Gian Vittorio Plazzogna / Garcia Cumini
Key features: over 80 finishes, and various opening methods and door shapes

‘Dong’ caddies; from €376, by Shigeo Mashiro, for Sfera. ‘S.pot’ teapot, €120, by Maddalena Selvini. ‘Pitcher M’ silver jug, €204, by Shigeo Mashiro, for Sfera. Board, price on request, by Erik Wester. ‘Sula’ carafe, €55, by Pietro Bastia, for Incipit Lab. ‘Tokyo’ pitcher, €25, by Mist-O, for Ichendorf, from Corrado Corradi. Cake stand, from £470, by Grace Souky

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Poggenpohl
Kitchen: '+Stage'
Key features: units come with a standard depth, four possible heights, a wide choice of fronts in all available colours and slide-in hinged (pocket) doors

Top row: ‘Alexandria’ bowl, €170, by Jaime Hayon; ‘Routine’ water glass, €45; wine glass, €39, both by Matteo Cibic, all for Paola C. Decanter, €24, by Studio David Lehmann. Bottom row: bowl, €56; plate, €58, by Rina Menardi. Pepper mill, €98, by Othmar Prenner, for Dinge & Ursachen. ‘La Cupola’ coffee maker, €46, by Aldo Rossi, for Alessi. ‘Brokina’ jug, €170, by Cristian Visentin, for Paola C

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Boffi
Kitchen: 'Boffi_Code'
Designer: Piero Lissoni
Key features: standard Boffi kitchen systems can be customised and tailor-made to suit individual demands

‘Tynn’ tumblers, prototypes, by Piero Lissoni, for Kartell. ‘Magasin’ stone plate, €255, by Carlo Clopath, for Zoom by Mobimex. Knife, €290, by Othmar Prenner, for Dinge & Ursachen. ‘Magasin’ container, €490; tray, €345, both by Carlo Clopath, for Zoom by Mobimex. ‘Joe Colombo’ glasses, £16 each, by Lyngby Porcelain. ‘Tilt’ pepper mill, prototype, by Erik Wester. ‘Sea Level’ dish, price on request, by Danzo Studio. ‘AB/C’ tumblers, £22 for two, by Axel and Charlotte Brüel, for Lyngby Porcelain

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Modulnova
Kitchen model: 'Blade'
Designer: Andrea Bassanello
Key features: large customisable floor-to-ceiling doors without plinths and handles and super-resistant metallic, epoxy finishes

Mug, ¥6,000 ($56); plate, ¥2,400 ($22); spoon, ¥2,800 ($26), all by Kikof. ‘Ridge’ vase, prototype, by Daisuke Kitagawa. ‘Oasi’ pan, €156, by Serafino Zani. ‘Quattroquarti’ fruit bowl, €385, by Durame

Interiors: Maria Sobrino

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.