Francesco Molon, Thermador team up
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 2, 2005
High Point — In hopes of reaching a wider market, Italian case goods manufacturer Francesco Molon has teamed with appliance maker Thermador to produce a line of kitchen furniture.
Unveiled at the October market, the French and Tuscan style kitchens merge the company's classical case goods with state-of-the-art wall ovens, ranges, cooktop surfaces and cabinetry.
As part of the project, Francesco Molon recruited Leo Dowell, a designer of multi-million-dollar homes, to recreate aspects of 18th- and 19th-century European living in the French kitchen vignette.
In addition to the cabinetry, he helped design islands, a pantry and a corner dining area called a banquette, with accompanying walnut bookcases. The suggested retail on the French kitchen ranges between $116,230 and $122,230.
"People are searching for some drama, excitement and sparkle in their homes," Dowell said. "That's why we went back to the European culture of the 18th and 19th century. Style was at its height during this period."
The Tuscan kitchen includes Italian marble countertops, a marble sink and European walnut cabinets. It retails between $91,900 and $97,900. An island in the Tuscan kitchen with a European walnut countertop retails between $23,800 and $29,800.
The wall ovens by Thermador retail between $2,299 and $2,419, and the professional series cooktops retail between $2,229 and $3,559.
The concept means retailers would need to incorporate the kitchens and furniture on their showroom floors, but officials from Francesco Molon and Thermador are optimistic, based on the initial reaction to the vignettes at market.
Thermador, which sells its kitchen appliances in catalogs and through independent dealers, sees the partnership as a way to diversify its distribution into furniture stores, presenting its product in a more stylish and fashion-oriented manner to consumers remodeling kitchens and dining spaces.
Woods Dixon, a vice president of sales and marketing for Francesco Molon, said the response to the new luxury kitchen line since market has been positive. He said customers have purchased several of the freestanding kitchen pieces, including a kitchen island and a wine cellar that is part of the Leo Dowell collection.
"It just seems like a perfect alliance between two strong brands," added Beatriz Sandoval, a brand marketing manager for Thermador. "This just gives us a whole new avenue to showcase these amazing new spaces."
