The important aspect of our design is the easy change between closed and open modules (nothing needs to be hidden, but can if necessary) as a contrast to ordinary kitchen constructions where an open cabinet isn’t nice to show.
The architecture of our design appears much more honest and conclusive than the traditional way of putting cabinets on adjustable foots, having to hide those with a separate blind again.
We kind of want to “answer” to the natural structure of the stone with different material and colour variations for our doors and drawer fronts.
This combination makes the kitchen more lively and human as opposed to the sleek but plain look of the contemporary closed kitchen.
Our simple yet durable construction measures up to the high quality of the material. It seems to us that this combines the affordable and also timeless kitchen, which considers a use for more than one generation.
Even when fashion changes our system can easily adapt to contemporary styles.

Rail is a modular kitchen railing system which is mounted in between the top and the lower kitchen storage compartments. It helps the user to dry and store silverware, plates, and other kitchen utensils simultaneously, saving space and time.
At first developed for the Indian sub-continent, it is just as long-living as cheap in production.
The system so far consists of three panels, measuring 30 × 30 cm each, which are all made of 1 mm thick stainless steel. In the producing process, we thought about not having any leftover material after the cutting. Following this principle, the whole peace can be made of a single sheet of metal, which only needs to be cut, folded and welded. The objects are very flat and close to the walls, so the kitchen working space is not being reduced.
The dishes in the dish module are getting dried by the surrounding air. Caused by an angle in the flap (or: flapable panel), the plates are getting pushed in the notches on the backside of the module by their own weight only. The leftover water is getting cought in the water drawer beneath it, which – whenever neccessary – can be removed and rinsed. While not in use, the module can be flapped tight to the wall not to take away any space.
Every module can be removed from the rail in a
single movement. They can easily be “flapped out” to the front.
All modules are – thanks to their corrosion-save finish and thier solid materials – dishwasher safe and can be cleaned easily whenever neccessary.
Due to the modular setup of rail01, the system can be adapted to any individual needs. The modules are shifteable and can be installed at any desired place ot rhe rail.
Further modules can be added afterwards. An expanded assortment expands the possibilities.
Long live the simplicity!

The project Kitchen Shelf was a result of a workshop in India/Pune in collaboration with Mepla Studios and University of Arts and Design Karlsruhe.
You can use the top and the bottom of the shelf.
The boxes are made out of different materials. It depends on what you want to store inside.
Baskets for the onions, glass and porcelain for your dry herbs.
Different colours of the rings and the porcelain help you to remember what´s inside.

Reviews:

“The stand out project from Masala Kitchen for us is and was Kitchen Shelf by Pia Matthes, a delightful magnetic shelf approach to kitchen storage that despite its Indian origins is without question something that has global potential.”
(smow)

Arts Thread BLOG

Foto © Matthias Gieselmann

Masala handles are the result of a project in cooperation with Mepla Studios, an Indian kitchen manufacturer based in Pune. We wanted to offer a product that could help create a corporate identity. A big sheet metal processing industry is located in Pune, which led to the idea of using given conditions, developing door and drawer handles out of pressed metal sheet. Our approach was to have the production technique clearly visible. We designed a handle which is located on the upper edge of a door. The handle begins behind the door’s surface and continues beyond its edge. The cover of the drawer has a milled out handle on the inside of its lower edge. Our bent metal handle therefore can be used for opening the drawer as well as the door beneath it.

With a special focus on requirements of the Indian market we decided to create a modular system which fits in different Indian kitchens.It consists of two frames (one fixed with a distance above the other) and different modules that hang in the frame.Due to telescope joints the width of the frames can be adjusted individually, so it suits in the diffe- rent gaps underneath the granite platforms.We constructed and shaped the kitchen that matches many different needs.

FLEXIBILITY
Telescope joints – flexible width

COMFORT
Hanging system – floor can be cleaned easily DYNAMIC Closed Boxes as well as playful gaps
Individual constellation of boxes and modules according to the needs

UNITY
Consistent form language Hangers form the handles