The floating bench and c3 table complement the concept of the kitchen as a living space – in a truly stylish and supportive way.

You’re probably sitting down while you’re reading this. Not surprising, really. After all, that’s the most comfortable way to read. Sitting is also the best position for thinking, eating and holding the most interesting of conversations. And you can relax wonderfully without missing out on what’s going on around you – the mind is placed in a sort of “stand-by” mode.  So there are a whole host of reasons why bulthaup would want to focus in more detail on the subject of seating.

The starting point for our ideas was the kitchen, as it has been since the start of the 20^th century. In those days, this room was the undisputed epicenter of the home. It was here that the latest rumors were talked about or spread, where people laughed, cried, cooked and where had the perfect solution for accommodating the agents of such vibrant activity-the bench.

The bench encourages communication. This end-to-end horizontal object is more adept at inviting people to take a seat than any other piece of furniture. Space is evenly distributed, there’s no backrest to restrict your comfort. And if a few more guests turn up, then you simply squash up more closely together. The communication-encouraging effect has been proven.

Bulthaup also sees the kitchen as a living space; a place where the separation of the cooking and living has been done away with. So it made perfect sense to revive the bench, and to do so with the typical, clear use of form and the possibilities that only bulthaup b3 can offer. As a result, the bench now looks like it’s floating. Freed from the floor, it takes on an optical lightness that benefits the room and sections it horizontally. The filigree, veneered furniture avails itself of the functional wall’s rigidity. The cross-section of the materials used measures no more than 16 millimeters. And despite this, the bench can withstand even heavy loads.

They are available in various widths as single benches, or can be attached to the wall as a long bench. This makes even unusual solutions possible, such as the ones that used to be commonplace in places known as Zirmstuben (wooden-paneled bar-style rooms) in Austria. The bench stretches over the entire length of the wall, making it clear that it is more than just a piece of furniture to sit on while eating, but also a place where communication can take place.

In combination with the right table, whose use of form also matches the bulthaup b3 concept, the kitchen living space is thus reinterpreted as a meeting point in a truly contemporary way. The table rests solidly on the floor, cutting filigree, lightweight and contemporary figure. Even in their three available sizes, the cross-sections of the tables do not exceed 16 millimeters.

To complete the room-facing side of the table, bulthaup’s designers came up with a finely-proportioned, almost identical, floor-standing bench. Its back rest reaches right downwards, highlighting the object’s elegance. Several of these floor-standing benches in the short version, measuring just 108 cm in length, positioned with a small space between them, have proven to be extremely practical at long tables, since guests can stand up easily whenever they wish.

Oak, maple-Swiss pear- everything is possible

For the veneers, customers have an embarrassment of choice, since numerous types of wood, including oak, maple, cherry and special veneers such as Swiss pear, are all part of available range.

Benches and tables are integrated perfectly into bulthaup b3 in terms of aesthetics and form, providing additional scope for continuing the system beyond the kitchen –right into the living space, the entrance area, the living room, the corridor and so on.