Neolith by TheSize has been specified by Italian architects and design collaboration, Colombo Experience for the interior fit out of Sonia’s Factory; TV chef Sonia Peronaci’s new HQ. Neolith adds a luxurious look and feel to the kitchens and renovated space which pay homage to traditional Italian design.
Located in Milan, this multi-functional site acts as a base for Sonia Peronaci’s operations allowing the well-known TV chef, writer and influential food blogger to run cookery classes, develop new products and services, and utilise the space for events and filming. To help build her profile with an international market, Sonia Peronaci worked with the network of young design consultants from Colombo Experience. The result offers a good balance of residential elegance and craftsmanship to combine the worlds of food, sustainability, architecture and interior design.
“This space was conceived as a large kitchen, an office, a co-working area, an ideas incubator, an events area, and an art gallery for artisans and artists,” says Stefano Colombo, Colombo Experience’s CEO. “So, the key was to ensure that the space had the flexibility to be reconfigured to suit different audience requirements from students through to businesses hosting their own events. It needed to be multi-disciplinary, innovative and convivial while linking back to traditional Italian design.”
In the main kitchen, the designers set out to create a monolith that was an integral part of the floor to represent an element of continuity with the past; acknowledging the artisan workshop that was previously in the building. Neolith Calacatta and Calacatta Gold, with its delicate marble-like design, creates a real focal point of the large monolith work island.
The elegant design of Calacatta Gold gives the space a luxurious feel and a high-end finish that’s perfect for TV and photography; while the bold grey veins with subtle hints of gold brings added light to the environment. The sophisticated design continues through the building for a harmonious space as Neolith flows from kitchen worktops through to the flooring and renovated washrooms.
“It was essential that the décor did not detract from the cookery workshops led by Sonia Peronaci and would allow people to concentrate on the course content,” continues Colombo. “The designers, therefore, opted for an interior that offers the familiarity of an Italian residential environment by using dove grey and hazelnut tones, while warm lighting gives the kitchen areas a homely feel rather than technical, which is so often associated with cookery schools.”
“However, it’s not just about aesthetics, Neolith was chosen for its inherent structural quality. The technological characteristics of this material, in particular its durability, were ideal for the purpose of the kitchen which needs to withstand high footfall of students through to film crews.“
The designers used modern building techniques throughout the project with sustainability at the heart. It features a low environmental impact LED lighting system and three vertical gardens with ‘living’ greenery; while Neolith offers a sustainable alternative to natural marble.
Neolith
Colombo Experience
Sonia Peronaci
A new post by Joe Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, September 2017.