While in kitchen design, the trend is rather towards swelling, À Hauteur d’homme (Hh) is betting that less can be enough, or even better. This Montreal design workshop specializing in the design of custom furniture is launching its first three small, even very small, kitchens.
The Mini, the Cube and the Expo are three kitchen models designed for small spaces. In a small space, you can find the essentials: the sink, appliances and storage for dishes. In its most compact form, the kitchen fits into an island measuring just over 24 x 32 x 36 inches.
“The idea is to show what a small kitchen looks like and to demonstrate that it can be beautiful, it costs less and it can meet all the needs we have,” says Louis-Philippe Pratte, industrial designer and founder of À Hauteur d’homme. In 2022, he published The Y Method – Thinking and Living Deconsumption, an essay in which he called for reduction and invited designers to make it attractive.
Thus, this project is part of his reflection. “Saying that we have to reduce is one thing, but we have to propose something to be consistent with our discourse,” says the person who takes part in the Déconstruct series, with Christine Beaulieu, offered in the Véro.tv section of HERE Tou.tv Extra.
His proposal is this: first the Mini, a very small kitchen designed for small spaces such as cabins, studios and hotel rooms. Places where people cook little and most often, simple dishes. In the island that constitutes it, a refrigerator, a hob, a sink and storage are grouped together. Optimized as possible, the module is chic and refined. It is placed both against the wall and in the center of the room.
More user-friendly, the Cube is larger. In addition to the components included in the Mini, there is a small freezer, a dishwasher, an oven, a pantry, a trash can and more storage. “The idea is to demonstrate that everything is there,” underlines the designer. The walls being clear, the design possibilities are multiple. Shallow cabinets can be added to the wall, or a large fridge in an alcove.
Finally, the Expo is the most complete model and also the one that most closely resembles a traditional kitchen. Leaning against the wall, with cabinets, this kitchen uses depth as a hidden card to offer more storage than it seems. You can add a module including an integrated coffee table or a bench seat.
Faced with the often unoriginal and generic kitchens offered in condos, Louis-Philippe Pratte hopes to show real estate developers that there are other types of layouts possible for small spaces. According to him, this model is comparable, in terms of storage, to an average condo laboratory kitchen.
Achieving this result required months of development for the designer and his team.
For this range of kitchens, À Hauteur d’homme moves away from the custom design which constitutes the essence of its work. It will be possible for customers to make some slight modifications, but overall, the modules are sold as is. Even the appliances were chosen based on their aesthetics and durability.
The three models are offered in different wood species: white and natural oak, cherry, maple, black walnut. The Mini and Cube are also available with a white or black lacquer finish.
“For someone who doesn’t have the budget to make a custom kitchen, it opens other doors, with a price that is known in advance,” explains the designer. There are no surprises like in tailor-made. »
Louis-Philippe Pratte is aware that the product will not please everyone. Many of his clients request large kitchens, with lots of storage. He nevertheless believes that the idea can be attractive to many.
He says he wanted to make these small kitchens as accessible as possible, but points out that it is a high-end product, manufactured one at a time. The Mini, Cube and Expo start at $9,995, $19,995 and $29,995 respectively (countertops, appliances and installation not included).
