PORTFOLIO: RESIDENTIAL

THE AMBASSADORS RESIDENCE: CRAFT & TRADITION

As seen in INTERIOR DESIGN magazine
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As seen in GAP CASA magazine

When the Italian Embassy planned to remodel the outdated kitchen in their Washington, D.C. estate, and desired only the best in Italian design, they turned to Italy’s leader in innovation—Arclinea. The resulting kitchen redesign in the historic "Tudor-style" residence (built 1927), known as "Villa Firenze," is a place in which Italian tradition and innovative design are fully realized down to the smallest of details.

Plans were instigated by the Italian Embassy's desire to make the kitchen a special showcase. The selection of Arclinea was natural, due to the company's uncompromising commitment to creative technology and uncompromising quality. The choice of Arclinea's Italia kitchen concept, designed by architect Antonio Citterio, was equally deliberate as the very name given at its conceptual stage symbolizes what was intended to be expressed and demonstrated to each of the Villa's countless guests.

The residence, personal home to Ambassador Mr. Giovanni Castellaneta and wife Lilla, is the location for regular diplomatic and State dinners. The resulting 750-SF custom Arclinea kitchen is equally at home with industrial needs and domestic ones: A kitchen within a kitchen. The remodeled kitchen features functional and rational work zones that expand to meet the requirements of chefs and wait staff catering to the needs of hundreds, but which can successfully contract for domestic intimacy and family gathering.

A number of unique design and technical details contribute value to the project, including a record-setting 21-foot long single-piece stainless steel worktop by Scholtès. Additional features include
		Welded cooktops and sinks perfectly built in, with integrated anti-drip work areas and sliding chopping boards
		An “indoor miniature greenhouse” for growth & use of herbs in cooking and decorating the plate
		A “warming top” to stage and hold plates until they have been distributed by wait staff
		High-performance cooking appliances, including steam & convection ovens, hob units, and a built-in coffee machine that delivers on the Italian tradition
		Professional dishwashing stations and service areas
		Under-counter refrigeration drawers, seamlessly integrated into the furnishing elements
		A kitchen dedicated to individual family members inside the larger kitchen, anchored by Arclinea’s slatted wooden bar top for eating and socializing

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Photo Credit: John Horner