Parisian Dress Code

BELGIAN…

based company, Obumex, prides itself on creating luxury kitchens that act as a center point in a home, establishing a design tone that champions ‘the felt’ experience with elements that work collaboratively to create a certain mood and atmosphere . The brief for this kitchen was to create a chic and softened environment – a space inspired by modern Parisian kitchen styles. The clients didn’t want to feel separated from the rest of the home by function. Stepping away from hard-edged interior design, Obumex designer, Eline Depoorter, focused on rounded elements and curved outlines, smoothing arches and door frames and fitting counters with obround shapes. The natural breccia viola marble is a completely bespoke feature in more ways than one, too. Special care and attention went in to sourcing large blocks of the stone which are all 6cm thick, with as few veins in the stone as possible. Breccia viola marble is known for its creamy white base and striking violet-grey veining, so the stone was sand-blasted to achieve lighter, more ethereal tones of cream, caramel and silvered lilac, creating a dreamy backdrop that also better diffuses the natural light.

TYPICALLY…

the contemporary Parisian kitchen is a well-ordered and luxurious room. Depoorter’s answer to this is a polished uncluttered interior complete with a seating area that suffuses the space with warmth and sophistication. Tall cabinets with detailed door frames were coated in a high-gloss paint for a refined reflective finished, while smaller cabinets were covered with the Obumex Metal Finish, an in-house bronze lacquer with a gun metal look, providing a contrast to the delicate hues of the marble and other light refracting materials.

THE SEATING…

area is a focal point. The clients have a young family, so the space needed to feel familiar and friendly with plenty of curves and free-flowing forms. Note that the marble worktop counter flows into a marble frame for a cream boucle sofa, itself partnered with a sculptural table carved from vintage wood by Ghent-based architect and designer Benoit Viaene. The bench is orientated towards the lounge and garden, providing a wider perspective, increasing spatial depth and building a sensorial connection between the living spaces. Above, white painted timber slats line the ceiling, making the space appear higher and more open. These jutting forms also enhance the architectural ‘readability’ of the room, reflecting the simple geometric lines, both straight and arched, that make up the overall composition. More than just kitchen, this is a place of permanence and comfort, designed to be breezy, easily maintained and impeccably well turned out –the perfect Parisian dress code.