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Alex Mustonen, one of the partners at New York design firm Snarkitecture, inspires a sleek selection of countertop gear

Who better to embody tabula rasa, the "blank slate" state of mind that takes over every January, than Snarkitecture, a buzzy New York design studio known for clean lines, an all-white aesthetic and conceptual installations for the likes of COS and Calvin Klein. Its latest project, in collaboration with Caesarstone, re-interprets the kitchen island with high design and function in mind.

"Snarkitecture often looks to our everyday surroundings and finds ways to reimagine the familiar to create something new, says Alex Mustonen, a partner in the firm along with Daniel Arsham and Ben Porto. "In this way, I was interested in how we could take Caesarstone – as the familiar, everyday surface of a kitchen counter top – and translate it into something unexpected and memorable."

Alex Mustonen, Daniel Arsham and of Ben Porto of Snarkitecture.

The island will be on display at the Interior Design Show in Toronto from Jan. 18 to 21, alongside the fair's mix of avant-garde and everyday works. "Our goal is always to make architecture accessible and engaging, creating moments of performance and interaction, offering a place of rest and contemplation," Mustonen says. "The kitchen island is a place and object that allows for all of these activities."

To further up the design cred of your own island, we've gathered a sleek selection of kitchen gadgets, some chosen by Mustonen – and a few selected by yours truly and inspired by the Snarkitecture ethos.


1. Stand mixer

"This bright white KitchenAid stand mixer was always on the counter in my family's house and was a central part of that experience," Mustonen says. "It has a classic, iconic design that is also incredibly functional and indestructible. The same one is still on my parents' counter more than 25 years later and looks the same as it did on day one."

KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer, $599.99 at Hudson's Bay.

2. Classic chef's knife

"My fiancée and I cook a lot at home, and I think the more you cook, the more you realize how important having a good knife is to the experience. To me, the Wustof is a great balance between a clean, simple design, and uncompromising functionality."

Wusthof Classic chef's knife, $209.95 at Williams Sonoma.

3. Cocktail set

A classic cocktail set should always be a kitchen essential, and this gleaming silver edition feels effortlessly modern.

Bar tool set, $119.95 at Crate and Barrel.

4. Ice tray

In keeping with Snarkitecture's utilitarian approach, this stainless ice tray isn't just well-designed, but mighty functional too, since its interior grid pops out to release the ice.

Endurance stainless steel ice cube tray, $30 at Cocktail Emporium.

5. Bottle opener

This device is as simple as a kitchen utensil comes, with an equally approachable price point.

Bar Blade bottle opener, $5 at Cocktail Emporium.

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