The reference area: rectangular kitchen approx. 8 m2 (2.5 x 3.2 m), window on the short side, access door on the long side. Standard ceiling height 2.70m. Possibility of full height columns on both sides.
Imagine walking into the kitchen and seeing nothing. Or rather, to see only what matters. No handles sticking out, no colors competing with each other, no objects out of place. Japandi is not a minimal style in the bad sense of the term, it is a precise philosophy: every centimeter must earn its place.
This project uses fully smooth roll-over pressure opening doors in light, horizontally grained oak laminate. The top is in Dekton Rem, an extremely solid quartz that imitates gray stone with very fine veins. Above the top, a solid oak wall shelf holds the few items you choose to keep in front of you: a teapot, two cups, a small plant. The palette is almost monochrome: creamy white for the upper doors, natural oak for the lower ones, stone gray for the top and walls. The natural light from the window does the rest.
Layout and distribution
L-shaped layout with a mini-peninsula built into the short side. The wall units have been completely eliminated: in their place, two full-height columns at the bottom containing the oven, refrigerator and entire cabinetry. This frees up the sidewalls and gives the space room to breathe.
Materials and finishes
| Lower doors | Light oak laminate, horizontal grain, matte finish |
| Upper doors | Cream matt white lacquer (RAL 9001) |
| Work plan | Dekton Rem 12mm, bordo a filo lucido |
| Back | Pearl gray Venetian stucco, handmade |
| Parquet | Concrete porcelain width 60×60 cm, sand color |
| Handles | None, electric tipping system |
| Lighting | Warm LED strip integrated under the shelf (2700K) |
Recommended furniture and brands
| entry level | IKEA METOD with Voxtorp/Axstad fronts, custom oak veneer |
| Middle class | Lube Cucine — Mod. Clover, custom configuration |
| Premium | Boffi — Minimal line, everything made to measure |
| Column | Scavolini Liberamente, tower unit height 240 cm |
| Work plan | Cosentino Dekton Rem — through authorized agent |
| Oak shelf | Local artisan or custom made (Etsy Italy) |
Recommended devices
| Oven | Electrolux EOB9S31WX — pyrolysis, 71L, brushed stainless steel — approx. €699 |
| Hob | BORA Basic BIU — induction with built-in exhaust — approx. €1,490 |
| Refrigerator | Smeg FAB28 cream white — 270L, A++ — approx. €1,099 |
| Sink | Franke Maris MRG 611 — gray granite, sink unit — approx. €480 |
| Dishwasher | Bosch SMV4EVX14E — fully integrated, 60 cm — approx. €749 |
Estimated cost of the project
The entry range includes IKEA as a base with replacement fronts and top. The high end is the bespoke kitchens with reference brands.
What works and what doesn’t
It works great
- It eliminates visual clutter and makes the kitchen look bigger
- Full-height columns provide a lot of containment without taking up space
Attention
- Light wood will stain if not protected with specific oils
- Not the right style for those who like surfaces full of visible objects
There is a type of cuisine that never stops making you feel good. The one where the colors are deep, the surfaces have texture and you can almost smell something cooking on the fire. Modern Mediterranean takes this ancestral feeling and brings it to the present: no kitsch ceramics, no excessive decorations. Only saturated colors used smartly, materials that age well and very strong personality.
This project plays on a very mature sage green for the lower doors, paired with an off-white finish with a lime effect for the upper ones. The top is in Calacatta Viola marble, with purple veins that reflect the green and warm the entire palette. The back is in dark green handmade majolica 10×10 cm, laid in a row. The result is a kitchen that looks like it’s always been there, but never looks old.
Layout and distribution
Linear distribution on the long side, with a built-in oven/fridge column on the short side opposite the window. The window side is left free for a small folding breakfast table, which disappears when not needed. Wall units are reduced: only three units centered on the wall, with a glass bottom edge to lighten the composition.
Materials and finishes
| Lower doors | Lacquered matt sage (RAL 6021), satin finish |
| Upper doors | White chalk lacquered with lime effect, matte finish |
| Work plan | Calacatta Viola marble, 3cm, bullnose profile edge |
| Back | Handmade majolica 10×10 cm, green bottle, white joints |
| Parquet | Natural terracotta 20×20 cm, treated with beeswax |
| Handles | Aged brass, rod shape, center distance 128mm |
| Lighting | Pendant lights in white ceramic (Sicily), orange LED filament |
Recommended furniture and brands
| entry level | Berloni — B50 series, colors customizable to order |
| Middle class | Veneta Cucine — Mont. Carrera, matte lacquer to order |
| Premium | deVOL Kitchens (UK) — Mixer in sage green, made to order |
| Glass wall units | Bespoke Glassmaker or Bespoke Calligar |
| Table cloth | String furniture — oak/white wall system — approx. €680 |
Recommended devices
| Oven | Smeg SF6401PVNE — vintage petrol green, 60 cm, pyrolysis — approx. €1,299 |
| Hob | ILVE Gas 4 burner stainless steel — approx €890 |
| Refrigerator | Smeg FAB28 mint green or cream — 270L — approx. €1,199 |
| Sink | Villeroy & Boch Subway Style 60 — ceramica bianca — approx. €620 |
| Dishwasher | AEG FSE74517P – built-in, 60cm – approx €599 |
Estimated cost of the project
Real marble makes a significant impact. The entry range includes a quartz top with a marble effect (Silestone or similar). The high end includes authentic marble and handmade majolica.
What works and what doesn’t
It works great
- It creates a unique atmosphere, light years away from catalog kitchens
- Terracotta and majolica improve with time, every scratch says something
Attention
- Marble will stain if not sealed and must be treated annually
- It’s a very identity style: you hardly change your mind halfway through
If the first two projects seem too “gentle” to you, this is for you. Industrial Minimal doesn’t try to please everyone. Use hard materials, deep colors, dry lines. It is the kitchen of those who know exactly what they want and don’t feel the need to explain it.
The project uses laminate doors in matte charcoal gray with micro-textured, dark gray colored concrete treated with matte epoxy resin. The handles are matt black steel bars across the width of the door. Over the top, a single sheet of satin stainless steel acts as a back, with invisible wire bonding. The lighting is a black LED piece with adjustable projectors. No plants, no decorative items on the shelf. Maybe a volcanic stone cutting board and a steel mocha. The rest disappear.
Layout and distribution
Corner layout with fridge/oven column on the short side. The long side accommodates the entire cooking and washing area in a classic ergonomic series: fridge, sink, hob. Wall units are absent: in their place a wall-mounted iron bookcase with charred wood shelves (yakisugi). The ceiling houses a full-length LED track.
Materials and finishes
| Come on | Matte Anthracite micro-textured laminate (Egger U961 or similar) |
| Work plan | Dark gray colored cement, matte epoxy resin, 5cm |
| Back | Satin stainless steel, single sheet to order, 3mm |
| Library | Black matte painted iron, burnt wood yakisugi shelves |
| Parquet | Raw concrete porcelain effect 90×90 cm, anthracite |
| Handles | Black matt steel bar, door length, central fitting |
| Lighting | 2700K dimmable floodlights, matte black LED track, dimmable |
Recommended furniture and brands
| entry level | IKEA METOD Axstad dark gray fronts, handles replaced |
| Middle class | Miton Cucine – Way series, anthracite matt lacquer to order |
| Premium | Bulthaup b3 — complete system in anodized aluminum |
| Iron bookcase | Tailored by your local blacksmith or Devina and Carlisle (online) |
| Ripiani scrub | Local artisans or Shou Sugi Ban Italia (to order) |
Recommended devices
| Oven | Siemens HB674GBS1 — black, 71L, pyrolysis — approx €949 |
| Hob | De Dietrich DPI7696XP — induction, 4 zones, black glass — approx. €1,290 |
| Refrigerator | Liebherr CBNbdd 5753 — nero opaco, 360L, NoFrost — approx. €1,899 |
| Sink | Franke Box BXX 210/110-27 — satin stainless steel, under sink — approx. €580 |
| Dishwasher | Bosch SMV8YCX03E — da incasso totale, 60 cm, zeolite — approx. €1,290 |
Estimated cost of the project
The concrete top is made by specialized craftsmen and costs €2,000-€4,500. The steel back plate ranges from €600 to €1,800 to order.
What works and what doesn’t
It works great
- It’s the style that photographs best of all, perfect for social media
- Hard materials are almost indestructible, not afraid of scratches or heat
Attention
- Poorly treated concrete can absorb odors and oil stains
- It’s a cold style if it doesn’t balance with the warmth of the fabric (carpet, linen)
Which would you choose?
Three kitchens, eight square meters, three completely different worlds. What they have in common is that all three really work: they are not abstract styling exercises, but solutions designed for real spaces with real problems.
The right question is not “which is more beautiful”. It’s “who says who I am best”. Because you use a kitchen every day, you see it every morning, you spend the best moments at home there. It must be yours, not from a catalog.
