What’s Cookin’? Snaidero’s Kube Kitchen

For more than 60 years Snaidero has been designing functional and fashionable kitchens that proudly bear the motto “Made In Italy.” In 2008, their Kube Collection won the historic Good Design Award from the Athenaeum of Chicago—and for good reason. Kube stresses four things: shape, simplicity, utility, and material. The work areas, counters, base units, and cabinets all optimize the cube, making lines clean, straight, and parallel.

The cubic shape is further enhanced by Kube’s simple design, which is meant to streamline the kitchen. This then contributes to the collection’s third goal of functionality: Kube should put all things within reach so that the kitchen becomes a site of professionalism at work. And finally, Kube uses the best materials to achieve the best overall quality. Kube is available in four finishes: wood, matte lacquer, high gloss lacquer, and high gloss metallized lacquer. While the elm finish makes Kube a wonderful partner to Danish mid-century design, the lacquer finishes truly widen the stylistic opportunities of this fine kitchen. From matte apple green (waxy as the fruit) to high gloss racing red (shiny as a speed boat) to metallized graphite grey (leaden as a No. 2 pencil), Kube’s colors take it from Manhattan’s upper east side to Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood. Worktops too change the overall look of Kube. Pair a white gloss finish with Carrara marble for an elegant look or a matte yellow with black laminate for a dramatic statement or a glossy deep blue with stainless steel for a calm mood. Of course, orange is the one color that actually intensifies the desire to eat (check your color theory)—and Kube acknowledges this with its choice of autumn orange and coral red.

All these options may make Kube seem purely designed with aesthetic desire in mind, but this is not so. Kube’s multi-functional practicality makes it a cook’s dream. Kube, in fact, has thought of everything. From deep drawers with adjustable dividers to corner units with pullout racks, doors that slide and doors that lift, slanted hoods and custom-sized strip lighting, Kube anticipates every possible kitchen storage need and culinary task. Nothing is superfluous with Kube.