we meet Andrea Federici, designer and founder of Andrea Federici Consulting, who tells us about his special bond with the kitchen, his partnership with Laminam, his innovative projects – such as the Concept Kitchen unveiled today – and his vision for the future.
Since you graduated from Polytechnic University of Milan, your professional life has never ceased to be dynamic. First as an independent designer and consultant for some of the most important architectural practices in Italy, and then as head of Andrea Federici Consulting, a firm with a strong international vocation which develops product design, exhibition and showroom design, graphic design, and photography projects, partnering with some of the most famous Italian furniture brands.
There is one constant in this array of projects and partnerships, however – the kitchen.
Why have you chosen to dedicate a large portion of your professional commitment to it, and what is it about this space which fascinates you so much?
My bond with the kitchen came about by chance, but it soon turned into a major passion. Kitchen design is an extremely complex field, which requires a systematic vision to manage the infinite configuration possibilities, both in terms of the composition – every residence has unique needs and requirements – and in terms of the combinations of materials and finishes, which often involve hundreds of different options.
This complexity is absolutely fascinating to me, and has driven me to explore the sector ever deeper, extending my focus to all areas linked to kitchen cabinetry. First and foremost I focused on the interior accessories, then on the lighting, the finishes, and the various components: from here, thanks to the enthusiasm generated by continuous feedback with new manufacturers, new materials, new challenges and so on, I decided to dedicate myself to this process of discovery with ever-more determination.
When did your partnership with Laminam begin, and what are the aspects which have led you to continue to choose it for your customers’ projects?
My partnership with Laminam began some years ago, thanks first and foremost to my relationship of mutual esteem and trust with Massimo Baroni, Sales Manager for Italy, with whom I have always shared a strategic vision and a common approach to the furniture industry.
Secondly, Laminam sets itself apart – in addition to the widely known aesthetic and technical qualities of its products – for its team of professionals who are constantly present right from the initial concept phases right through to the creation of my projects, offering continuous support to me and my customers and assisting us right through the promotion and sales phases.
For SICAM 2024, you have designed a “Laminam total look” Concept Kitchen, using the Gemini Collection including the 2 mm thick product. Can you tell us about this project?
The goal of the project on show at Sicam is to incorporate a series of potential future applications of the new Gemini material, with a thickness of just 2 mm, in a single coordinated concept. The intention is to show off innovative fabrication methods, original details, and new fabrication technologies which can inspire all Laminam users, from the built-in furniture industry to architecture and interior design.
It is one of the first prototypes to make use of “twO by Laminam”, the world’s thinnest surface: large-format porcelain slabs which are just 2 mm thick. I believe that this innovation has the ability to revolutionize the sector: on the one hand, with its material and energy savings, an aspect which is crucial in the furnishings sector today. On the other hand is the extraordinary performance which can be achieved with such a thin product, for instance curves, something which was never previously possible. Thanks to twO by Laminam, it is indeed possible to clad concave and convex surfaces with a radius of as small as 3 meters, overcoming the two-dimensional limits of ceramics.
For some of the curved sections of the Concept Kitchen, I also chose to use Keyboard, a modular (333×200 mm) decorative element composed of very thin strips placed side by side to lend dynamism to the entire design.
But we didn’t stop there: using the Gemini collection, we also developed some accessories such as the cutlery rack, the spice organizer box, the interior of the drawers, and other components, with the goal of creating a kitchen which is totally coordinated and in keeping with the total look concept.
Gemini Acero: this is the color you chose for your Concept Kitchen. It is an unusual and bold choice, considering that Acero is one of the brightest and most intense colors in the Gemini collection. What was behind this decision?
Designing a “concept”, in other words an object not destined for mass production, inevitably involves a strong experimental component. This means not necessarily moving in the same direction as the consolidated trends, but rather trying to go beyond them in order to introduce innovative, cutting-edge content.
It is not just a case of exploring new forms, but also, as often happens in the world of fashion, of experimenting with colors. In this context, Gemini Acero represents a perfect balance between anticipating a potential future trend, and the need to give the Laminam Concept Kitchen a strong and distinctive personality which is able to highlight the extraordinary properties of the product.
For you, the kitchen of the future should …?
… Inevitably be transformed.
We live in an era of radical change, which profoundly influences our day-to-day habits. Today, we carry out numerous activities simultaneously, and use spaces in a versatile manner for multiple purposes. The domestic spaces of the future will need to evolve, becoming less functionally specific in order to become flexible, multi-faceted spaces, thus overcoming the rigidity of traditional models. My idea of the future is a kitchen able to hybridize with the home’s architecture, incorporating structures such as dividing partitions and doors, and able to camouflage the technology as required in order to simply transform into interior architecture.
After many years of work in the world of architecture and design, what still keeps your passion for your work alive?
The world of design is fascinating precisely because it is free of defined boundaries: one day you find yourself designing furniture for mass production, the next you are working on limited-edition artisan lamps. One moment you are working with solid materials such as wood, steel, and concrete, and the next you are exploring the transparency of glass and plastic.
The same applies to colors: in one phase, your palette may be composed of neutral, desaturated colors, and a short time later you discover new shades, opening up your view to pastels and bold contrasts.
What constantly feeds my passion for this job is the possibility to give concrete shape to ideas which are born as simple thoughts. It is a passion which continuously renews itself, thanks to the freedom to adapt my vision to the changing world, the market, and new trends.
