Kitchen Helpers

Seven little ladies are giving this 1946 'Kookall' range quite the up-close inspection. I confess to some confusion, though, regarding some of their comments; the pair standing on the oven door exclaim about the convenience of the 'waist-high broiler', while the one kneeling on the floor is impressed by 'plenty of toe room.' Here's my question: If you're approximately 14 inches tall, how would such ergonomic advantages translate to these petite users?

I'm being rhetorical, of course. Have a fine weekend, dear readers.

A New Wash [Re]Cycle

Eralp Akyol is a designer working in Istanbul, giving a second life to all kinds of items by combining them into furniture and fittings that have a new purpose. I'd call Rondo a pedestal sink. Its foundation is an immaculately refurbished 1950s washing machine; a mirror-chromed basin has been set into its top, and a faucet and mirror complete the transformation. The white legs gripping the red tank is the detail that catches my eye. eralpakyol.com

Verdant Vignette

Looking out the window, I'd guess it's about a 50/50 split between fall and summer foliage, now. This kitchen, a sweet visual riff on green, is an appropriate echo of the season. A couple emerald accents pop out from the palette of faded tones, chromatic reminders of sunnier days. Bleached wood surfaces are an earthy, neutral element. I especially like how the brass screen cabinet doors add a sheer layer of gold to the composition, like the light of an autumn sunset.

Tap Twice

Here's another spin on a dual faucet; this Ventura model is more transitional in style than the previously featured Twin design. The lower spigot delivers water for clean-up—via hands-free operation, no less. The tall, arcing outlet is controlled by levers; it supplies water for drinking and cooking. oras.com

A Form of Flattery

The functioning form of the Stitch Stool, created by Adam Goodrum, demonstrates there's more than one way to fold a chair. The piece is a boon for spatially-challenged kitchens; when collapsed, it could tuck discreetly behind a door or into a broom closet [it's made of light-weight aluminum]. I'd venture the stool owes a small design debt to Gerrit Rietveld's Red Blue Chair, but its creative tectonics are quite completely its own. cappellini.it

From the Top Down

In the decades following WW2, there seemed to be a fascination with—what to call it?—poking around the range. Sometimes this involved transformer-like burners; another highly interactive design literally turned the oven inside out. Monarch's contribution to this modern proclivity was the so-called surface oven, accessed through a door on the top of the stove. Obviously and thankfully, it didn't have a broiling element.

Producer of the Monarch brand, the Malleable Iron Range Company was established in 1902 and manufactured stoves that spanned the eras of coal, wood, gas and, eventually, electricity. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1985. Its vacant facilities in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin fell victim to arson [irony, here] in 1990.

Chockablock Chopping Block

Flip open the top of this ye-olde-style kitchen island and you might be surprised at its modern, multi-tasking details. The lid is deep enough to hold a roll of paper towels; knives and assorted cook's tools have their own secured compartments. The pull-out cutting board is a serviceable annex to both the wooden work surface and the marble pastry slab in the interior. I think this is a great concept, and would be quite wonderful if rendered as a contemporary design. maggimassimo.it