On the small and picturesque island of Als in Denmark people are not afraid to challenge the status quo or improve existing standards. Several local companies hold world patents for innovative products and the people here are historically accustomed to change. For master painter Jorgen Petersen and his wife, Helle Petersen, an interior refurbishment of the family kitchen ended up being a milestone in kitchen innovation.
“Our kitchen was as old as the house itself,” Helle Petersen explains, “everything was worn down and the kitchen table was too low for us. So, we basically had to tear everything in the kitchen down and start all over. Which is what we did! ”
Moving décor in the kitchen
Based on personal recommendations from friends and from Petersen’s professional network, the Danish specialist contractor, Sonderborg Kitchen, was singled out, and then things quickly took off.
“The house is a mere 125 m² so we were very focused on getting the most out of the little space we have. We knew that Sonderborg Kitchen was linked with quality and solutions that were a bit more advanced than your average table and shelf system,” says Helle Petersen.
The result was a smoothly designed kitchen with quality tables, shelves, and a kitchen range with a hidden extractor hood above. However, a 2m² cooking island in the middle of the room made the Petersen’s kitchen stand out. LINAK Baselift™ units hidden inside the island’s base probably made it the first adjustable kitchen in a private home in Denmark.
“It is fantastic – we are so pleased with it,” Helle Petersen replies with a broad smile, “We both love to cook – Jorgen, for instance, likes to make sausages, and we often make our own bread too. With the adjustable island, we can optimise the table height, which makes it far less strenuous spending hours in the kitchen.”
Get more space with minimal effort
The adjustable table island in the middle of Petersen’s kitchen allows the family to set work heights between 87 cm and 97 cm, which is more than sufficient for most Scandinavians.
As the Baselift units are discreetly placed in the very bottom of the island, the cabinets under the table are also elevated, making shelves and utensils inside easier to reach. A pop-up outlet box in the middle of the table and a hidden 380V socket means there is space to operate even large kitchen aids.
“Having all these features, the height adjustment and the full cabinet space underneath available, makes cooking such a pleasure and much more fun. We are definitely more likely to cook now, and more so than in the old kitchen," Helle Petersen says as she lowers the table top to cut a few slices of freshly baked rye bread for lunch.
Facts:
The adjustable kitchen was installed in the Petersen family home in Nordborg during the summer of 2015. It was a pioneer project powered by LINAK and delivered by the Danish contractor, Sonderborg Kitchen.
