At Interieur Kortrijk, a trio hailing from the eastern Belgian province presented their very first collaboration: a kitchen that, despite the grandeur of its conceptual origins, is reassuringly utilitarian. Interior builder Koen Roux, designer Michaël Verheyden and architect Bart America looked to the highly functional yet rudimentary service kitchen of Neuschwanstein Castle in order to create a model that’s simply built to last – and function.
Neuschwanstein Castle, now a popular Bavarian tourist destination, was completed in the late 19th century. The brainchild of the extravagant recluse King Ludwig II, it’s Romanesque and ornate, but its kitchen, meant only for the use of his servants, was not designed to please aesthetically.
The kitchen is a poignant example of the ‘form follows function’ principle
It was exactly this contrast in aesthetics which attracted the creators: Roux, Verheyden and America. ‘Most luxury kitchens are too sophisticated and sleek’, Verheyden explains. ‘We wanted to react against that.’
The trio’s kitchen is luxurious as well, though not in the sense to which we have become accustomed. ‘I realise that times have changed’, admits Verheyden, ‘and that a lot of people no longer cook at home all that much. But some people still enjoy it. Those are the people we created this robust kitchen for.’
Elm wood cabinets are topped with hygienic stainless steel, and gris d’Ardennes, a hard natural stone, is used for the sink
Roux, a fourth-generation furniture-making company that Verheyden collaborates with frequently for his wooden furniture and stone objects, lent its craftsmanship and expertise to this unique project, without reverting to a design that’s overly romantic, traditional or old-fashioned. Just like the King Ludwig II’s service kitchen, the design is a poignant example of the ‘form follows function’ principle, where logic and convenience rule.
The kitchen’s materials were chosen based on functionality, and local availability – as was the case with the castle kitchens, which helps to retain a simplicity of manufacture. Elm wood cabinets are topped with hygienic stainless steel; gris des’Ardennes, a hard natural stone is used for the sink. The Neuschwanstein kitchen paved the way, says America. ‘Proven methods do not always need to be reinterpreted, and patina and quality can go hand in hand perfectly.’
The robust kitchen is designed for those that enjoy cooking at home
Materials were chosen based on their functionality, and on their local availability
INFORMATION
Biennale Interieur is open until 22 November. For more information, visit the Biennale Interieur website, the Roux website, Michaël Verheyden’s website and Bart America’s website
-
Yannick Alléno takes over Monsieur Dior: ‘What would Christian Dior do if he were to create a restaurant today?’At 30 Montaigne in Paris, the world’s most Michelin-starred chef reimagines French gastronomy as Christian Dior himself might have dreamt it
-
Oscar Ouyang’s imaginative knitwear makes him a London Fashion Week name to watchThe Guangdong-born designer, who recently graduated from Central Saint Martins, will hold his first runway show at LFW tomorrow. As part of our Uprising column, Wallpaper* gets a preview of the collection
-
The new Nothing Ear (3) are fine-sounding earbuds with added audio functionalityNothing’s latest upgrade brings the Super Mic to its earbud range, enhancing call quality and creating a handy voice memo taker
-
This São Paulo apartment was designed for content creators, and it’s certainly camera readyA renovation of this penthouse saw the kitchen relocated to the heart of the home to suit the purposes of a couple who run a culinary YouTube channel
-
The Stuff That Surrounds, episode three: Inside the home of architect Glenn SestigIn The Stuff That Surrounds, Wallpaper* explores a life through objects. This episode, we’re invited inside an architectural gem – just what you'd expect from one of the most distinctive voices in the field today
-
Get back to basics with these low-fi and long-lived kitchen toolsFed up with the perennial pairing and needy notifications from too many smart devices? Discard digital and go all-analogue with our essential selection of battery-free kitchen tools and accessories
-
Febal Casa’s ‘Onda’ kitchen island and sideboard with Zaha Hadid Architects ripple with possibilityArchitectural fluidity and manufacturing excellence meet in a next-wave furniture collection
-
Guiding lights: Maarten De Ceulaer stacks stones into sculptural lampsDebuting at Brussels’ Collectible design fair in March 2025, Maarten De Ceulaer's Cairn Lights balance craftsmanship and connection to the natural world
-
Vincent Van Duysen ‘inspired by modernism’ for Molteni & C’s outdoor furniture debutMolteni & C goes alfresco with two new collections and reissued classics, bringing its signature elegance to the great outdoors
-
First look inside Centurion New York by Yabu PushelbergCenturion New York is an expansive new space for American Express’ ‘black card’ members. Its interior designers Yabu Pushelberg give us a tour
-
Is this the most beautiful office in the world?Parisian creative agency Art Recherche Industrie’s new HQ translates a 19th-century landmark into a chic open-plan office worth leaving home for
