From time to time I’m asked, “where’s all the stuff,” “people don’t live like that?  They are referring to photos I show them of Studio Santalla’s work, where items are out of sight, but definitely there. As such, the spaces we design are fully functional.

Kitchens, bathrooms and media centers are places where items collect and clutter ensues, taking up valuable space designated, or available for other uses. So let’s dim the lights and go over a few examples.

 

 

This kitchen was designed for a household of six, plus very frequent guests. Studies show the inefficiencies of “standard” kitchen cabinetry, which has led to the use of drawers in the bottom cabinets for many of the items typically stored in upper cabinets, which were eliminated. A “garage” cabinet was placed in between the two wall ovens for all hand held appliances. The island has storage on both sides. The pantry is located beyond the door on the right. The dishwasher has a panel to match the cabinets.

 

 

 

By US standards this is a small kitchen, yet it has full size appliances plus a steam oven. Notice the lights over the cooktop. It’s the exhaust hood, which is minimal in look, but provides lighting and turns on an off by sliding the thin stainless steel shelf forward and back. To the left of the refrigerator in the photo is a pull-out pantry open to both sides and very functional.

 

 

 

This console table also covers up air conditioning grilles, hence the pattern of slots at the top and bottom of the piece. Nifty.

 

 

 

The wall panel for this media center does a number of things. The dark background color helps mitigate glare, it unifies the composition and hides the wires between the monitor and the equipment below, but probably the most important thing it incorporates is the cable connection which comes in at the lower right hand corner of the back panel.

 

 

 

Where’s the door to the butler’s pantry?

 

 

 

It’s one of the panels. It’s there when you need it. Otherwise it’s out of sight, but definitely there.

 

Mies Van der Rohe said “God is in the details.” I think of this every time we go the extra mile to make something go from good to great by taking care of items that make a big difference.