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In Europe, the kitchens are considered furniture. Italy and Germany are leaders in kitchen design. For about 10 years starting in the 90’s, simple and modern designs were popular, but from 2010, a mixture of modern and traditional designs gained popularity.
In recent exhibitions in Germany and Italy, kitchen designs have been traditional neo-classic, or vintage, with a hint of modernity. Warmer designs are starting to be selected more than cool sharp designs. Material selection has also changed; using rusty metals, solid wood that shows the wood grain, cracking knots, or unpeeled logs, are all dramatic changes in trend.
In the 2012 Eurocucina, an international Milano kitchen exhibition, classic kitchens garnered attention. Many had open shelves, molded doors, added colors or motifs, and handles or pulls. At the same time, eco-conscious kitchens using eco materials that decompose easily have also evolved. In contrast, at the 2013 Living Kitchen, (the international kitchen exhibition in Koln, Germany), a casual kitchen using either high-quality melamine or high-pressured laminated wood was presented. Wood, tile or check-printed smoky color designs were often seen using advanced printing techinic.

Recently, open style and island-style kitchens have become common, and more important part of a home’s interior. To create a kitchen that is not only beautiful as furniture but also functional, the layout and relationship with the dining room is very important. To meet the demands of homeowners’ various lifestyles, it is necessary to plan the kitchen together with the dining room.
With an open style kitchen, the communication between the dining room is easy but the untidiness of the cooking space is visible. Thus, it is effective to plan a space suitable for showing, and a place where messiness can be hidden by creating a wall in front of the cook top to hide the cooking procedure, creating a pantry to store goods, or using doors to shut the kitchen when needed. When creating wall-mounted storage in between the kitchen and the dining room, keeping some space open is functional as a space to serve and to decorate.
When planning the dining room, it is important to consider that the room will function as both a formal and family dining space. It is best to create a space next to the kitchen counter for family dining in addition having a formal dining space. Even in a space that is limited, a comfortable dining room can be created by placing a console, laying a rug, or repositioning the sofa. It is important to image the scene and view from the kitchen when selecting dining furniture. Confirming the seating comfort and the balance of design with the sofa (especially the design of the table and chair’s legs) should be considered.

The R residence is located in a residential area 10 minutes from Ring street which surrounds the old town of Vienna. It is on the top floor of a 5-story apartment with white walls, and was built in the early 20th century.
The owner inherited this apartment from her great-grandfather. She originally lived on the 4th floor but wanted a large space full of light and silence. She asked Michael Neuman and Bettina Krauk, architects from the architect group of Vienna, synn arhitekten to renovate the 5th floor, which was originally an attic. They took down part of the south side roof and created a new 106 m² space with a light-weight steel frame and added a roof-top terrace, where the town of Vienna can be overlooked. The newly created 5th floor is connected with the original 4th floor with a staircase created in the center.
With a ceiling window and glass walls on the south and east, the 5th floor is bright, especially where the living room, dining room, kitchen and workspace are planned. Simple and modern, brown and beige colored rugs and furniture was selected. On the other hand, the 4th floor was kept classical, utilizing the building’s original design; private spaces like the bedroom and bathroom were planned here. The art displayed in the R residence is a feature of the home and also serves as an element that connects the new and old areas of the apartment.

The F residence where the owner couple and their son and dog live stands in a residential area 10 minutes southwest from the old town of Vienna. They moved to this 260m² room of the apartment which was previously used as an office, 8 years ago. To make the best of the classical original design, they did not change the design much, nor did they ask the help of a designer, and instead designed the room by themselves. As the space was relatively easy to renovate, they took down the walls that were not structural and created a kitchen; they also renewed the wall paint and the doors.
The dining room became a beautiful space with a contrast of bluish- green walls, a white ceiling and doors, and oak flooring. The matte texture of the wall contrasts well with the mounted mirror and art. They kept the living room all white to enjoy the contrast of the colors and materials of the sofa, rug and cushions. The couple themselves painted the children’s room pink. They succeeded in creating various images by using different colors.
What adds charm to the colorful space is the original design like the casing and the crown molding. The door and the window frames, which the couple like the most, were newly created based on an original design. The couple succeeded in balancing classical elements together with a new design.

Steyr,170km west of Vienna, Austria, is a beautiful town full of buildings from the middle ages with orange roofs that contrast well with the greenery of the trees.
Architect Gernot Hertl of Steyr won the competition to renovate the 5-story department store that stands at the edge of the old town. He added 4 additional floors, still utilizing the original building and considering the scenery. He also created his own house and office in the building.
From Hertl’s 160 m² residence situated at the west side of the building, the town of Steyr can be overlooked. To enjoy the scenery from the window, he kept the interior simple and minimal. On the west side, a living room and dining room were created next to the terrace; private spaces like bedroom and children’s rooms were created on the south side. The bathroom and Toilet were created on the north side and placed in a U-shape to create openings in each room. Centering around the kitchen and walk in closet, a circular movement was created.
The living room and dining room have concrete ceilings, white painted walls, black framed windows, and epoxy painted concrete floors. A monotone gradation is created by using different texture finishes. The kitchen is black in contrast to the white living room and dining room. By making the kitchen black, the view of the outside from the kitchen is more clear. Also by using only black colors, the quiet atmosphere of the bathroom was created. The thick bathroom counter and bathtub made the space not only simple but full of contrast.