At eba, we regularly work with clients, but also with interior designers. Collaborating with interior designers gives us the chance to share ideas and help them meet their clients’ needs.
For this article, we had the pleasure of interviewing Prisque Salvi from Tout Simplement Déco about his latest kitchen project, done in partnership with eba.
The kitchen: the heart of the home
"In my opinion, a well-thought out and well-made interior brings an essential peace of mind to the people living in it. The kitchen is often the heart of the home and the strategic point at which functionality and aesthetics need to be brought together. It's always a pleasure to help new clients in that creation," explains Prisque Salvi.
For this most recent kitchen project with eba, the challenge was to find solutions that made maximum use of the space. "A successful kitchen should be functional whilst being beautiful and, above all, easy to live in. It should be a pleasure to cook and enjoy a coffee there, day in and day out. For this project, my client wanted to create a chic space that was simple and functional. That's why I turned to eba."
Maximising space in a narrow kitchen
The installation of this kitchen - narrow, along two opposite sides - meant we could dedicate one side to food prep and the other to electrical appliances. The side dedicated to appliances is built into a stud wall that we created to redesign the layout of the room. Adding the false wall in the middle of the room, with space on either side, created a separate kitchen area that still felt open and spacious.
"The owners wanted an XL fridge as well as wine cooler units and two ovens. That might seem ambitious for a small kitchen, but the modular units from eba meant we could execute their requests exactly. With the help of eba we were also able to add in food storage above. In another effort to make the most of the space, we advised our clients to install the plinth drawer units from eba, which are particularly practical for making the most of the space all the way down to the floor.”
A galley kitchen doesn’t have to be difficult to design. Thanks to our experience and a few tricks of the trade that we’ve picked up along the way, here at eba we’re well-versed in creating chic, functional kitchens in these kinds of spaces.
"A narrow kitchen needs to be fluid to function. We can play with the space by building both closed and open units. This brings life to the space, showing off decorative items and freeing up visual space. Of course, you mustn't forget to play with lighting. Whether it's natural or artificial, with a system of LED lights, for example, lighting is a key part of a project."
A small kitchen with plenty of charm
In order not to overwhelm an already limited space, interior designers will advise opting for minimalist lines and warm tones.
"To make the project fluid, we chose smooth, handle-less unit fronts to elongate the space. The Earth Walnut finish contrasts with the Broken White Granite worktop and the clay tile wall panel. This contrast visually enlargens the kitchen space."
Another essential element of a successful small kitchen is the use of light. In the Parisian house where this kitchen was installed, the ground floor benefits from large French doors which bathe the rooms in natural light.
"The natural light coming in from the small courtyard via the French doors floods the kitchen with warmth and highlights the unit fronts and wall panels. It was obvious for us to keep this relationship with the garden and to capitalise on this natural light by choosing warm, light materials," explains Prisque Salvi.
A fully-utilised space, thanks to eba
At eba, we make use of all of our know-how and expertise to get the most out of each unique space that we work on.
"eba enabled us to make the kitchen that we had imagined for our clients. Thanks to their plinth drawer and modular units, storage was maximised. Even the top cupboards that hide the extraction hood include the maximum amount of storage.
Our experience with eba has been creative. The whole team listened to our wishes and demands; quality discussions were had. The fitting was a breeze even in this narrow space, which is no mean feat. My client is delighted."
If you would also like to use our expertise for your kitchen project, get in touch.
