Essence Of The American Walnut
As part of our FRØPT Stories, this time We visit the home of the creative duo in the heart of the green Warsaw neighborhood called Saska Kepa. The atmosphere of an old building and resignation from excess create an intimate but welcoming atmosphere. When planning their interior, the couple focused on essentialism, Japanese aesthetics, and carefully selected design. The owner of the apartment, Paweł, reveals that the main assumption of the project is coherence supported by a holistic view.
It is a home where there is no place for accidents. Here you want to slow down and enjoy every minute.
The kitchen is located in the dayroom and opens onto the living room, which flows smoothly through an old wooden door to the dining room. Due to the location of the kitchen, the owners wanted it to not be dominated by cabinets. Thanks to this solution, the kitchen is a coherent element of the whole apartment, both in terms of form and aesthetics. The base of the kitchen consists of custom cabinet frames made to order by a carpenter, and the key role in the design is played by two open shelves on the wall, built with our panels to size.
In the apartment, the couple focused on simplicity and care for good-quality materials. In the kitchen, this is visible by a natural veneer chosen for the fronts that perfectly harmonise with a vibrating granite countertop. They chose the classic American Walnut with a distinct grain from the Norwegian Wood collection as a finish on the fronts. In order to highlight the minimalist line of the built-in kitchen, they didn’t implement handles into most drawers or cabinets but installed them only onto those of household appliances. Three oblong handles, made by an external manufacturer of American Walnut, perfectly match the FRØPT fronts.
The kitchen is complemented by a Norwegian Wood Shelving Unit in the same colour as the fronts. The shelf closes the kitchen area and allows them to display their favourite objects. The table in the dining room, also made of American walnut, was specially made by a carpenter according to a design made by the apartment owners.
The warmth and character of the American Walnut wood used in the interior corresponds well with the whiteness of the walls, allowing for visual coherence and clarity. The space is not disturbed by unnecessary objects, which creates a cozy atmosphere.
In their kitchen conversation, Pawel, the owner, told us, among others, about how they managed to maintain a balance between several elements of the house and his definition of a curated kitchen.
What was the most important part of designing the interior of your home, and how did your vision affect the final results?
Together with my wife, we planned to create a space to feel good and free. We didn’t want to overdo the number of items, but rather limit ourselves in terms of furniture and objects. The small space wasn’t a cause, but rather we wished to avoid being overwhelmed. If I had to search for one word, it would be essentialism. We wanted to take care of essentials at home, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t allow our individualism.
What is your definition of the curated kitchen?
Freedom and intuition are certainly decisive determinants here. I am supposed to feel good in the kitchen because I am not overwhelmed, forced, or tired. And intuition combined with freedom means this subconscious process of harmoniously reaching for what is currently needed, without overthinking or effort.
Your new apartment is located in the heart of the green district Saska Kepa, an exceptionally quiet place on the map of Warsaw. What does the concept of home mean to you?
I am, or at least like to think of myself as, an active kind of man. Sports, walking the dog, and other daily activities take me out of the house. But they wouldn’t all feel the same if I didn’t have a space to always come back to, play the vinyl album of Isles by Bicep, and relax with a glass of wine.
What are your rituals related to the dayroom containing the kitchen and living room?
I enjoy cooking but I don’t really like sharing culinary chores. So at this point it’s just a space for me. Opening up to the lounge gives me the opportunity to stay in touch with others or simply allows me to do my favourite multitasking, i.e. cooking while watching an NBA game.
What do you like most about FRØPT?
Design, innovative solutions, and the ordering process itself. Online shopping is the best thing that could happen to me in my life. And if that also means taking care of my interior in an optimal way, it is just a dream option for me. For the cabinets made by a carpenter, we chose Pure fronts and American Walnut veneer panels in the configurator. This balances well with the rest of the apartment.
