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The Hub's New Rub: Boston gives "contemporary" a second chance.

It's as if a memo went out to the architecture world, giving Boston a thumbs-up...."We've seen a real shift going on," Arclinea Boston president Philip Guarino says of the brand's first U.S. foray, adding that it's taken little more than simply exposing the product to find a receptive market.

What surprises are concealed behind the facades of the Boston area's charming old houses? In one home in the Chestnut Hill section of Massachusetts, it's a stunningly contemporary European kitchen..."I love the warmth of an old house and the clean lines of contemporary interiors," says one of the owners.

"One intention of the design was to have as little separation as possible," says the homeowner...(who turned to) Mercedes Farrando, senior project manager for Arclinea Boston, for the kitchen design.

...Farrando saw immediately that the homeowner's affinity for contemporary style was matched by a zeal for cooking, exemplified by the professional-style range the owner had chosen. "The range became the big statement; it defined the direction of the design," says Farrando, who placed the stainless steel appliance between two windows. She then built out from that focal point, adding sleek countertops with cabinet drawers underneath, and a center island paralleling the range wall. "I love keeping everything under the counter. It creates a feeling of lightness," says Farrando, who religiously keeps exterior walls free of upper cabinets...

Storage throughout the kitchen is accommodated in contemporary wood undercounter cabinet drawers—Arclinea's signature look. "Storage, storage, storage, that's all I hear about during the planning phase," says Farrando, laughing. "With the efficiency of these drawers, I'll talk to the clients a year or more after the project is done, and there's always one drawer still empty."

For the Chestnut Hill homeowners, the kitchen exactly met their needs, allowing multiple hands to work when the college kids are home, but also providing the performance they need on a daily basis, "Cooking is my form of relaxation," says one owner. "And this kitchen is a nice place to be at the end of the workday."

Arclinea kitchens are distinguished by exquisite materials, innovative design, and creative technology, with an overall emphasis on ergonomics, cutting-edge design, and ease of use. Architectural designers make the most of minimal colors and materials, keeping the space static and calming, while incorporating innovation around every well-planned turn. Convivium is Arclinea's most popular kitchen model, showcasing a functional island with attached seating area. New this year, with the flick of a switch, the Convivium's attached table elevates or lowers smoothly to accommodate a variety of uses, from dining to food preparation to presentation.

When Philip Guarino signed the lease for an apartment on Appleton Street in the South End three years ago, he was lured by its proximity to the Arclinea showroom—then under construction—that he owns in Park Square.

However, the 36-year-old had to overcome a major turnoff: The two bedroom unit’s 1980s-era kitchen….Guarino approached his landlord, Kimie Gilbertson, with a proposition.  “Would you be interested in doing the kitchen”” he asked.  “I’ll sell it to you at cost.”
….His primary goal was to make the small space more functional.

Here’s how Philip Guarino did it….
		The upper cabinets are horizontal, with doors that hinge upward. They are covered with frosted glass to convey lightness. Because the upper cabinets don’t loom deeply over the countertop, the work surface is more accessible and airy.
		He replaced the bottom cabinets with deep drawers, where there is no wasted space because they pull out for full viewing and access.
		The cabinets are a white laminate with an aluminum edge, a less expensive but very sleek option.
		The recessed handles make the kitchen feel even more spacious because there are no knobs and it looks uncluttered.
		The corner cabinet was replaced with a unit that folds outward mechanically, bringing its wares with it.
		One of the drawers has a giant cutlery tray that sits on top of storage space.
		He replaced the standard size dishwasher with an 18-inch Miele, covered in the same laminate as the cabinets. (This gave him more storage space, as well as a lower electric bill.)
		He added under-mount lighting to brighten the counters, made of Brazilian granite called Bianca Romano.

For many developers, Arclinea kitchens, which include cabinetry designed to maximize storage while taking up limited space, fit the design ideals they were trying to encourage. Meichi Peng, senior designer and manager with ADD Inc., which worked on 360 Newbury, says Arclinea offers the "clean, contemporary lines" that fit with the rest of that project. The availability of Arclinea's St. James Street showroom, where buyers can choose accessories and styles, is another plus.

Allison Easton and Gary Anderson like to call this their "Mercedes" kitchen. Easton, an actuary, and Anderson, an architect and urban planner, had met with a few other kitchen designers before they finally clicked with Mercedes Farrando, senior project manager at Arclinea in Boston. "We went into Arclinea and loved it," Easton says. "We just started talking with Mercedes and creating the solution." Anderson says, "Mercedes had a very direct and sensible way of picking up on the clues that I was trying to expand upon in the house, and express it in a very functional and unfussy sort of way that complements our lifestyles."

"We've always lived with a kitchen that was functional at best, but now that we're high-rolling, taste-making style editors, we crave modernity—clean lines, stainless steel, visual drama. Hence we turned to the folks at Arclinea Boston (10 St. James Ave, 617-357-9777), that delicious Italian design firm. They pointed us in the direction of their swanky Convivium kitchen model, with its attached table that rises and lowers with a flick of a button; wonderful, contemporary lines; and cool-cat profile. Makes us want to whip up cherries Jubilee and veal Oscar every night."

"Grand scale functionality is melded into a modest kitchen....Designed on two axes, the kitchen features clearly delineated cooking and clean-up areas that are packed with an array of modern conveniences....The sense of openness is further enhanced with a clean, streamlined aesthetic."

Kitchen & Bath of the Year Awards, Honorable Mention

For Boston retailers Liz Bates of Montage and Philip Guarino of Arclinea, Milan’s furniture fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, provided just what Boston’s young professionals who drive the home-design products and concepts business seem to crave—practical yet luxurious Italian designs….

Circling the steel countertops of Arclinea’s Convivium collection designed by architect Antonio Citterio, Guarino showed how, with one click of a switch, the end table on the kitchen island can be lowered to chop onions or raised to meet guests holding wine glasses and nibbling on cheese.

For people who live in tiny apartments on Beacon Hill or the South End, the three-part set can be reduced to custom size or expanded up to 25 feet. The kitchen can serve as a divider in apartments where people eat, watch television, and party in the same room. More importantly, Guarino said, “It provides a kitchen that is the center of the home and opens up into the living space naturally.”

“Arclinea, an Italian kitchen-design firm, has several layouts based on the economical movements of professional chefs….Among its recommendations: Utensils and pots should be stored where they are used, instead of randomly around the kitchen; waist-high drawers are preferable to cabinets; warming and cooling drawers should be placed within reach of produce and bread. The firm also recommends putting the oven at waist-level, instead of at the knees.

“Mercedes Farrando, an in-house architect with Arclinea in Boston, says her main goal is to take kitchen activity out of the corners. ‘It’s about changing the flow of the space,’ Ms. Farrando says. ‘Everyone’s used to looking at the walls—I love centering work around the island.’”

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