march-2013

Spice up your spaces
profile The cast-iron AGA cooker is a
AGA Total Control kitchen classic. Invented in 1922
by Gustav Dalen, the Swedish
Nobel Prize-winning physicist, it is renowned for its
longevity: many are still in operation after more than 50
years of use. Constructed in England’s Coalbrookdale
foundry since the
1940s, the AGA
range now welcomes
a new generation of
the legendary heatstorage
cooker – the
award-winning AGA
Total Control.
design
Pennie Taylor on what’s cool for kitchens this spring
A few years ago, a group of friends in Poland were bemoaning how boring their walls were. It struck
them that there could be more exciting things to do with them than simply hanging up predictable
posters and paintings. And so the Pixers concept was born.
Now there’s an online shop and a catalogue featuring a whopping 20 million images which can
be customised as easy-to-install wall décor. Murals, decals, stickers and film can be applied at
home as permanent, or temporary, interior decorations. The striking vinyl mural (above), entitled
Chillis, measures 300x200cm, costs €190 and adds a splash of colour to spice up a run-of-themill
kitchen. “Our goal is to transform lifeless, boring spaces into vibrant celebrations of the
individual,” says Magdalena Zieba of Pixers. “Options are limited only by imagination.”
Select colours to match a motif, or personalise images with photos, names or words. Murals can
be bespoke and, if desired, Pixers’ designers will get in touch to discuss requirements. pixersize.com
What’s new? The classic Aga relied on a constantly
burning source to heat the ovens and hotplates. The
new Total Control version comes with a touch-screen
panel that allows the user to choose which part of the
cooker is on. Heat can be sent to each oven and
hotplate independently and, for the first time, the
AGA comes with an on/off switch.
Chip off the old block? AGA Total Control boasts the
same cast-iron lineage and timeless good looks as its
forebears, and offers the cooking performance that has
made the brand synonymous with culinary excellence.
There are three ovens plus two hotplates. And now,
the latest technology has been harnessed to allow
responsive programming.
FLY TO brussels from 50 destinations. brusselsairlines.com
La Cucina Italiana
Specialising in kitchen utensils and dining
accessories, Italian family firm Alessi has
been in existence for almost a century,
and is known for its cool, creative take on
worktop staples. Working with designers
such as Philippe Starck, Richard Sapper
and architect Zaha Hadid, Alessi has
produced some of the most covetable
domestic objects of recent times, from
singing kettles to leggy lemon squeezers.
Humour is always a feature of the
company’s products, as illustrated by
this cheerful Banana Band spice holder
(below). Designed by Stefano Giovannoni,
whose work is held in the collections of
the Centre George Pompidou in Paris and
New York’s MoMA, the set costs €49.
alessi.com
A 21st-century AGA? This is cutting-edge cooking.
Chefs can operate the AGA Total Control with the heat
radiating throughout, or direct heat to specific areas.
It comes in three-door or five-door models, in a choice
of 11 colours – such as the luscious aubergine (left).
The AGA iTotal Control also allows control of the cooker
by smartphone, tablet computer, or via the web.
Is it eco-sustainable? AGA has worked hard to reduce
the energy consumption of its cookers. New models are
made out of 70% recycled materials and are 90%
recyclable and AGAs can also carry on working for
decades. Thanks to its revolutionary off switch, this
is the greenest AGA yet.
AGA Total Control, from €13,500. agaliving.com
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