Kitchen Closeup | Exploring Stockholm-based Designers Kitchens by Paul

Stockholm-based designers, Kitchens by Paul pride themselves on crafting bespoke kitchens that reveal their unparalleled attention to the finer elements in every project.

As the heart and hub, the kitchen often holds an integral place in the family home. Used as a space for special occasions, entertaining or simply cooking a family meal, functionality, without sacrificing on elegance and aesthetics, is essential to ensuring a timeless and refined kitchen space.

Join us as we tour an inspiring, Stockholm-based project by Designer Paul Badran of Kitchens by Paul to take a closer look at the design decisions and details that define this practical yet luxurious, family kitchen.

Produced in partnership with Abey.

At their very core Kitchens by Paul are a company which value local, artisanal craftsmanship, custom finishes, high-quality materials and considered details. These are all elements which elevate their sought-after designs, including their most recent project located in Nacka, a 20-minute drive from Stockholm’s city centre.

The family of four outlined a brief that included their passion for cooking and entertaining and the importance of a space that functioned as a ‘central pulse’ to the rest of the home. While functionality and everyday use were pivotal, they also requested a layout that would be ideal for entertaining larger groups for more formal events too. The family, including the two children that live here, were keen to craft a gathering place to welcome friends and family alike into an inviting and warm, yet sophisticated space where they could all come together over a meal or drink. “We wanted to create a space, timeless in design, durable but not too dominant. The kitchen has amazing views and we didn’t want the kitchen to overpower that,” Paul explains.

Spatially, the kitchen comprises of three main forms. The main L-shape joinery features a Dekton Agra stone worktop and built-in sink complete with Gessi tapware, dual ovens and cabinetry in smoked oak. An oversized kitchen island in the same materials provides further space for preparation, while a bespoke vitrine featuring smoked glass showcases the owner’s collection of beautiful glassware.

The design itself cleverly balances historical references with contemporary which imbues a sense of integrity and visual intrigue. Delivering the perfect mix between classic and modern, the aesthetics convey with a strong feeling of grandeur by referencing a bygone era. While a dark and rich material palette creates an opulent feel, the use of natural materials and earthy tones softens the contrasting stone surfaces. The tactile, timber-lined kitchen island provides visual depth and a focal point. Carefully considered details throughout this kitchen work like functional ornaments, which together, build a sublime fusion between the modern palette, natural finishes and Scandinavian sensibility.

Special attention paid to the hardware detailing offers a final touch of old-world glamour. The kitchen tapware and mixer play a key role in setting the design tone of the space, so it made perfect sense that Kitchens by Paul chose to include Abey’s Italian made Gessi products when it came to considering kitchen technicalities.

The Gessi tapware complements the space perfectly by offering a strong architectural paring between the moody palette and palatial stone. “We love Gessi’s products for their uniquely modern, yet timeless designs. This particular finish in black metal married perfectly with the rest of the kitchen,” Paul says.

The Italian company Gessi, established in 1992 by Umberto Gessi, began as a small atelier with a pioneering vision for craftsmanship and innovation. From high-quality functionality to minimalist, classic forms; Gessi is the embodiment of luxury and an obvious choice for Kitchens by Paul in every project they undertake.

Cultivating a unique balance between innovation, form and function; this is a kitchen where refined heritage meets a contemporary redesign. However, it’s the hand-picked curation of final elements and bespoke details which solidify this space as a winning combination.