A kitchen to match your waste bin…
The Vipp story begins one spring Sunday in 1931 when 17-year-old Holger Nielsen wins a car in a lottery at the local football stadium. Holger loves cars but has no driving licence, and he therefore decides to sell the car and invest in a metal lathe. This marks the beginning of Holger’s metal factory where, a few years later, he creates the product that will make him famous around the world: the Vipp pedal bin.
It all started in 1939
Since then Vipp has grown into a large family offering a wide range of products. Today, the original bin is available in five sizes and has been joined by several new bathroom and kitchen products.
The kinship in the Vipp collection is unmistakable in both the choice of materials and style. The new products are manufactured using the characteristic Vipp materials, steel and rubber, enhancing Vipp’s more than 70-year-old tradition for excellent craftsmanship and durability.
More than 70 years of experience
Vipp’s experience lies within product design focusing on solid materials, mechanics and function
Now, some 80+ years later, Vipp is launching one of its most sensational product-developments with a radical reinterpretation of the kitchen.
Since the creation of the bin in 1939, Vipp has become synonymous with quality products for the kitchen and bathroom.
“Vipp’s experience lies within product design focusing on solid materials, mechanics and function. As a consequence we have chosen to design the Vipp kitchen as a product or rather as a piece of furniture. The result is a range of kitchen modules where choices have already been made based on a thorough knowledge of materials combined with an aesthetic opinion on what constitutes good design.” – chief designer in Vipp, Morten Bo Jensen.
“Like with the Vipp bin, we bring the industrial look into the home with the new kitchen – a solid product, standing to be used day after day.” - Morten Bo Jensen.
Different sizes can be combined and formed after individual needs.
Vipp’s more than 70 years of experience within processing of steel makes stainless steel an evident choice of material in the development of the Vipp kitchen.
“Like with the Vipp bin, we bring the industrial look into the home with the new kitchen – a solid product, standing to be used day after day.” – Morten Bo Jensen.
A range of modules in different sizes can be combined and formed after individual needs. The complete Vipp kitchen concept unfolds in every detail – even fixtures, drawer pulls and inserts, as well as gas knobs are developed in respect to Vipp’s design DNA injecting a functional and visual cohesiveness into the kitchen.
The Vipps Kitchen
The Vipp kitchen is sold in Vipp Flagship Store in Copenhagen.
Rock, paper, kitchen!
It is hard to keep re-inventing the wheel and kitchen cabinets are no different – after all, it is a box, with a couple of hinges and a door. You change it too much and it will simply not function…
The top European kitchen manufacturers are facing an ongoing dilemma – year after year, to come up with something new and exciting . The kitchen industry is really a fashion-driven business, and just like the clothing designers, kitchen manufacturers are doing whatever they can to be different and to pioneer a new look, one that will set them apart and get them noticed.
One of the ways these manufactures are trying to stay original, in the last couple of years, is to use unique materials – not just wood, laminate, glass and lacquer anymore but stone, concrete, leather and even paper are showing up on the scene and we are not talking about the counter tops…
a courageous plan to use a new material derived from recycled paper, eco-friendly
. The PaperStone ® is a material made from fibers derived from recycled paper and resins not derived from petroleum.
A kitchen from Key Sbabo – the material derived from recycled, eco-friendly paper… PaperStone ® is composed of recycled paper fiber and non-petroleum-based resins. Meticulous attention has-been paid to details – even the sink is made of PaperStone ®
Kitchen design made in Tuscan
Leather doors and drawer faces, leather drawer sides...
How about an entire kitchen, made from marble and leather…? Why not…? Toncelli Cucine.
Sturdy, but light enough - not just the counters, but the entire kitchen!
Steininger Kitchen in concrete
Steininger – an entire kitchen made of ultra-thin concrete – light, strong and safe.
Recession winds are blowing in the kitchen…
We already know that the kitchen industry is not recession proof. Though most companies have held up pretty well so far, we are starting to some some cracks in the road to recovery. Some are pretty wide and deep…
The companies who seem to be effected the most, by the world recession, are a few of the largest companies. Perhaps their sheer size, makes it so much harder to adjust to though times and make the unnecessary adjustments quickly.
If you look at the 10 largest European Companies, you can see the effect of the global economy – Nobia, the largest European kitchen group (at least in 2009), already sold off Pronorm in 2010 and is now reported to pull out their Poggenpohl brand from the up coming Eurocucina…
One other German industry giant – the Alno Group, is also reported to be in rough waters. The ever so needed capital, from new Swiss investor, Mr. Max Muller is hopefully going to help the company who has reportedly have gone through several changes in middle and upper management lately and allegedly is in the middle of a pending law suit by the previous CEO over compensation.
In Italy, the recent bankruptcy of the 50+ year old Salvarani and the rumors of many brands in financial difficulties have the industry in buzz…
It will be very interesting to see what the Milan Fair and the Eurocucina show will look like next April. Rumor has it that Cosmit, who is the organizer of the show, is working very hard on convincing companies to return to the show next year.
Just not granite…
What happened to the good old granite counter top? For many years, granite was the number one choice for kitchen counter tops, but in the last 10 years, less and less of it is being used, to the point that you hardly see any granite tops, especially in European kitchen designs.
The main problem is that granite is simply ‘played out’… People are just tired of it, after using it in kitchens for so many years and it’s not just in the kitchen – you see it everywhere – on the side of city buildings, on the bank’s floor, and even in public bathrooms…
The good news is that there are many great alternatives! The fastest growing segment of the counter top business is quartz – brands like CaesarStone, Silestone (Cosentino), Zodiaq (Dupont) and many others, from around the world are gaining in popularity for years now – they feel like stone but are stronger and maintenance free.
Quartz counter top by CaesarStone
Non-granite stones, like marble are being used more, especially with the introduction of new sealers that are making them a bit more practical.
Marble counter top - Minotti Cucine
Then there are glass counters, stainless steel, ceramic and unlike in the US, in Europe you still see some solid surface counters, such as Corian.
Glass Counter top - Pedini Cucine
Corian counter top - Pedini Cucine
SplinterWorks – Functional Sculpture
Formed in 2009, by Miles Hartwell and Matt Withington and located just south of London, SplinterWorks is one of the best examples of ‘applied arts‘ I’ve seen in recent years. They have delivered projects all over the world, in the USA, UAE, Southern Ireland, Cyprus, France, Italy and even one in Australia.
SplinterWorks have a particular affinity with developing work that re-thinks how we prepare, cook and experience food. They bring the activities of the kitchenout of the grid shaped room at the back of the house and into the living areas creating works to be enjoyed socially, physically and visually.
The majority of their works are unique commissions where every element, from the intended location and practical elements, to striking a personal resonance with the commissioner, can be considered and accomplished.
cunKitchen … take your kitchen to where you live
you don‘t need much to do something right… and even less to do it wrong. paulBocuse
cunKitchen … take your kitchen to where you live
take the kitchen to where you go
onto your terrace, to your garden, alongside your swimming pool, and – last but not least – in your kitchen … or use it …for elegant front cooking, the professional demonstration kitchen and exclusive event cooking.
cunKitchen … take your kitchen to where you live
the versatile combination possibilities make cunKitchen become a mobile kitchen not bound to a static room. … whether classic gas or innovative induction technique, there are teppanYaki griddle, hob, oven, fridge and sink … … available in european hornbeam, teak, white corian®, or full stainless steel
several finishes are available for the cunKitchen
cunKitchen … a modular system … for your inviduality
joko is a family run company of industrial – handcraft manufacture in the south tyrolean alps in Italy
the versatile combination possibilities make cunKitchen become a mobile kitchen not bound to a static room
the team of Josi and franz Kosta, who have been supplying butcher blocks, cutting boards and working tables to the professional market, under the Joko brand, have brought their passion for the kitchen, to the domestic market, several years ago.
my personal top 20 European kitchen brands
After many requests and lots of diliberations I’ve decided to post my own top 20 European brands. Top 20 European kitchen companies, because I simply felt that there are too many great European kitchen brands to limit the list to just top 10.
My Top 20 is based on the following criteria’s:
- DESIGN – overall product design, esthetics and selection depth (colors, materials, design elements, etc.).
- PRODUCT INNOVATION – is this a kitchen brand that takes risks, that is on the cutting edge of technology and innovates or just a company that copies others?
- PRODUCT QUALITY – how well made is the product? Does the company ‘cuts corners’?
- SERVICE – delivery on time, delivers complete orders, ‘after sale’ service, etc.
I have chosen not to take into consideration COMPANY SIZE, as there is no real direct benefit to the buyer and I’ve already listed the 10 largest European brands.
I also did not factor VALUE because I feel that value is very individual – what one consumer sees as a great value, another may view as cheap. Webster’s definition of Value is – “a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged”. Once a kitchen brand has top design, innovation, quality and service, the price will always be higher. Surprizingly, there are a few kitchen brands on this list that have a pretty good value, as well as ranking high on all the other categories.
In the Top 20 European Kitchen 11 Italian kitchen brands, 7 German kitchen companies, one English and one French are in the above list.
So, without further a due and in alphabetical order here are my Top 20 European kitchen Brands:
- Allmilmö
- Arclinea
- Binova
- Boffi
- Bulthaup
- Dada
- Eggersman
- Häcker
- Mobalpa
- Pedini
- Poggenpohl
- Schiffini
- SieMatic
- Smallbone
- Snaidero
- Strato
- Toncelli
- Valcucine
- Varenna
- Zeyko
The Best of the Best in European Kitchen Design
- European Kitchens at the Top
- The Top Twenty European Kitchen Companies
Honorable mentions: there were a few companies that did not make it to my Top 20 European Kitchen Brands, but deserve a mention. Also in the advise of one of the readers of this blog, i’ve decided to update this post and add a few more (they deserve it!). We’ll call this section the “hors catégorie” (thanks Pierangelo):
Clive Christian – ranked high on DESIGN and if marketing was a category, will most definitely be included in the Top 20 list.
Marchi – ranked very high on DESIGN and INNOVATION.
Minotti – one of the best in creating the very unique, minimalist and clean look, that goes beyond a kitchen design. Not for everyone and is available only in selected few locations worldwide but Minotti is at the top of the DESIGN category.
LaCornue – though they are really more of an appliance company (ranges, cook tops, etc.) , they do offer cabinets and other elements that allow them to complete a kitchen. Very unique DESIGN, perhaps a trend setter in the high end appliance arena, with HIGH QUALITY products.
