Condimates was repositioned from a functional kitchen accessory into a more expressive countertop object — using colour, transparency and range cohesion to turn everyday salt and pepper mills into a more desirable, display-worthy product family.

A redesign project by Studio Chan, Condimates reimagines the traditional seasoning mill through a softer product language, bolder CMF direction and more contemporary visual identity. The range explores how colour, material and form can elevate familiar housewares, shifting the product from a purely practical kitchen tool into something with stronger shelf presence and everyday appeal.

By refining the silhouette, improving the visual consistency across the range and introducing transparent acrylic forms, Condimates was developed into a modern kitchenware collection with a clearer identity, stronger retail impact and a more lifestyle-led presence within the home.

Problem

The existing Condimates salt and pepper mill range had a strong functional base, but the overall design language felt cold, sharp and visually dated. The use of stainless steel, hard edges and less appealing CMF choices made the mills feel more utilitarian than desirable, with limited warmth, personality or relevance for contemporary kitchen interiors.

As products that often live on the countertop or dining table, the mills needed to do more than simply perform well. They needed to feel better in the hand, look considered when left on display and create stronger visual impact in a competitive kitchenware market.

Solution

Studio Chan redesigned the range with a softer, more contemporary product language, replacing the harsher stainless steel aesthetic with a warmer and more expressive colour, material and finish strategy.

The updated direction introduced smoother forms, friendlier detailing, transparent acrylic bodies and a more cohesive visual identity across the salt and pepper mill collection. By refining the silhouette, softening the user interaction points and elevating the CMF direction, Condimates was transformed from a standard seasoning tool into a more design-led countertop accessory — functional, modern and visually desirable within the home.