REFORM AND EXPANSION OF PAELLERO
A renovation based on one’s own work: new technical solutions, new materials and an extension proposal to convert a barbecue space into a kitchen complete exterior.
The starting point
When we designed this paellero at the end of the nineties, the formal approach was clear: a postmodern architecture, with pure volumes, the trunk-trapezoidal bell as a sculptural piece, and a lively color palette—the yellow of the structure, the blue of the chimney—as a light counterpoint to the garden.
Two and a half decades of use have left their mark. The coatings had deteriorated, the original hood did not properly evacuate the fumes—with some wind, lighting the paella pan became an uncomfortable experience—and the overall image called for an overhaul without the need to tear down anything.
«The problem was not the design; It was the bell that didn’t work. »
The reform
The renovation project has addressed four simultaneous fronts: the technical correction of smoke extraction, the renewal of surface materials, the chromatic redefinition of the complex and the incorporation of new comfort elements.
New hood and side closure. A wall has been added to close the paella pan and a new hood has been designed with revised geometry and sections to ensure correct draft even in windy conditions. The blue color that characterized the original bell is maintained as an element of the original project.
Marble covering on the bench. The ceramic tile has been replaced by Carrara marble, which responds better to intensive use and provides a cleaner and more durable texture.
Strip of refractory brick with sardinel. The thermal protection of the interior walls has been resolved with a strip of refractory brick laid with sardinel, which reaches to the base of the hood. The resource is both functional and compositional: the vertical texture of the brick structures the interior and contrasts with the smooth geometry of the hood.
New color: white and blue. The structure has been painted white, eliminating the postmodern yellow, simplifying the reading of the whole and unifying it with the rest of the house. Blue is reserved exclusively for the hood and chimney, reinforcing its role as a singular element.
Curtains in the gaps in the bench. To protect the storage space under the bench and finish the gaps, cream-colored fabric curtains have been placed, which soften the presence of the construction element and provide freshness to the whole.
Expansion
In parallel to the renovation, an extension option has been studied that converts the paellero into a complete outdoor kitchen. The intervention consists of extending the bench on the left by 1.5 meters, extending the marble countertop and incorporating a built-in stainless steel sink.
Optional extension:
Extension of the bench 1.5 m to the left · Marble countertop in continuity · Built-in stainless steel sink · Exposed concrete porch as a roof · Curtains in all the spaces in the preparation area
The resulting set is an outdoor kitchen that works autonomously and, at the same time, is read as a unitary whole.
Final reflection
This project is part of our Little BIG projects line: small-scale interventions that, when well resolved, significantly transform the use and quality of a space. Renovating your own work always has an added layer of interest: it allows you to measure with critical distance the decisions of a previous project and often find solutions that time and use have revealed as necessary.
The paellero remains what it was—an element of outdoor living, for family use—but now it works better, looks better and can be much more.