This Bright and Bold Kitchen in Berlin Is a Master Class in Originality

Dec 23, 2023

By Melissa Grustat

Photography by Anne Deppe

The creative duo from Jäll & Tofta is fearless when it comes to incorporating bold colors and unusual materials in their designs, and the kitchen in their Berlin apartment is no exception. Unlike most of their projects, this work wasn't commissioned by a client and instead it was for the firm's own founders—Sina Gwosdzik and Jakob Dannenfeldt. Designing one's own kitchen brings different challenges but Sina and Jakob agreed from the beginning that in addition to an exciting mix of colors and materials, lots of storage space was at the top of their wish list.

Sina and Jakob know a thing or two about designing custom kitchens—it's one reason why they have been recognized as among the most important designers in Germany at the moment. Designing their own kitchen, however, was a different challenge in part because they were intimately familiar with the almost overwhelming wealth of choices they had as they drew on their vast knowledge of colors and materials. They also had no clients they had to satisfy or specifications they had to accommodate, as is usually the case with commissioned work, giving them even more artistic freedom. According to Sina the project had an easiness "because each of us already knew our favorite materials around which the design would be built."

To integrate the built-in elements into the room, the kitchen cabinets, drawers, and open shelf were all designed with rounded corners.

In addition to exploring unusual colors and materials, the main goal was to create a functional kitchen with sufficient storage space. But since the space was not particularly large and the placement of cabinets was further limited by two doors and a large window, the designers had to come up with some smart solutions, such as a corner bench with integrated storage space and attractive wall cabinets with mirror fronts that make the room appear larger. The off-white walls and the gray floor also provide a lightness to the room while ensuring that the focus remains on the colorful elements—it becomes "a stage for the fixtures." The mirrored cabinet doors prove that mirrors have a place in kitchens too. Whether in the form of cabinet fronts, a backsplash, or simply hanging one on a wall, mirrors will make even small kitchens brighter and appear larger.

The wall units provide plenty of storage space while also visually enlarging the room thanks to their mirrored fronts.

The green box above the kitchen's oven is, in fact, an unusual and stylish hood. The light on the shelf is from Hay. Oven by Neff; gas cooktop by Smeg; hood by Bosch; refrigerator-freezer combination by Liebherr; sink by Blanco; faucet fixture by Grohe, and the tea kettle is by Alessi.

Unlike the cabinet fronts, the refrigerator panels were not painted and instead reveal the natural grain of ash.

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The custom corner bench can accommodate the whole family, as well as a guest or two. The table was built with vintage legs and a top from Smile Plastics and the chairs are from Kartell. The pendant light is from Gubi, the table lamp on the windowsill is from Fontana Arte.