And just as sanitary practices have become a life-saving virtue, a rise in automatic washbasins, touch-less flushing systems, and infra-red sensors in our bathrooms will meet our desire to reduce excessive contact with surfaces. Influential Spanish architect and product designer Patricia Urquiola also believes that there will be greater demand for surface coatings that are bacteriostatic (capable of inhibiting the growth or reproduction of bacteria). Likewise, trend forecaster for London-based firm Scarlet Opus, Victoria Redshaw, believes that antimicrobial metals (which kill microbes or stops their growth) will also be in demand. Copper and its alloys, brass and bronze, fulfil this criteria so expect to see more tapware, and kitchen and bathroom fixtures such as sinks and splashbacks, made from these materials.
As Peyrieux’s son had bad memories of his previous, ground-floor apartment – which tend to be dark in Paris, as buildings are close together – he wanted his little nest to be brightly lit. The pair chose an ivory-tinted concrete floor by Weber. “The result is really good,” says Peyrieux. “The whole place is very bright and there’s a feeling of spaciousness despite the small size of the apartment.” The self-levelling concrete is protected with a matt wax, and has an urban look with a slightly artisanal feel.
The generous central island bench is highlighted in honed ‘Savana Grey’ marble, and is a wonderful spot for morning coffee or evening drinks. Another important factor in the design of this space was the inclusion of cross-ventilation to reduce the need for mechanical requirements. The architects achieved this by deliberate window placement, allowing natural light and airflow to move through the space with ease
Kitchen Capital WA SaveEmail 6. Power charge Is your kitchen overflowing with appliances? Almost every meal or snack involves the use of an electric appliance these days, and in my house there’s often a queue of iPads and phones waiting their turn for charging. Electric sockets are prized real estate. But is there anything uglier than a wall bristling with double-adapters? This pop-up power point will solve your kitchen power dilemmas. Install one on your island or prep zone for all the power you need, when you need it. These towers include several electric sockets as well as USB ports. So you can whizz up afternoon smoothies, froth milk for the coffee and charge the phones all at once. Sorted.
remember Dad visiting me once in my room to inquire about my studies. It was triangles and he explained acute and obtuse triangles to me and I loved the attention and remembered the angle differences immediately. Once, my mother collected me from school and took to the Broadwater and she helped me learn the times table. It took no time at all. I couldn’t believer how quickly these 12 groups registered after struggling by myself.
Just a couple of centimetres makes the difference between a perfect fit and a disastrous overspend. If you’ve had an architect or draftsperson draw up plans for a renovation, keep the drawings for later reference as their measurements are precise. Keep a tape measure in your bag to use whenever you shop, you never know when it will come in handy for spot checking.
Use it as an extended splashback … In this kitchen, the homeowners have embraced antiqued glass as a material. A mirrored splashback, especially a full-width one, can really boost the sense of light and space in a room. It’s also a good way to give the chef a nice view if the sink or stovetop is facing a wall and they have to work with their back to the window. Choosing distressed, mottled mirror has the added bonus of adding interest to your space. It works especially well as a characterful contrast in clean-lined, contemporary cook spaces, such as this one.
2. Embrace awkward features Unusual nib walls and support posts in the middle of a room could feel like a design dilemma, but sometimes the best way to deal with these structural elements is by highlighting them. This pillar has been clad in mirrored tiles to give it some character. It does a fine job of sending light around the room and giving some texture to the space. Mirrored tiles are relatively inexpensive and widely available, so they’re a wise alternative to sourcing bespoke mirrored surfaces for the budget conscious.
1. Incorporate texture Splashbacks have long given us an opportunity to add interest to a kitchen theme, from the tough, industrial statement of stainless steel to the jaunty flair of colourful tiles. Mirrors that have been toughened (to withstand temperatures of up to 240ºC) are now proving to be a great splashback choice, ensuring the work area is bright and gleaming. You could also use an antique mirror surface. It’s more forgiving on cooking spatters and creates some lovely reflective patterns.
Fit inside a cupboard This brilliantly appointed little studio apartment in London, UK, includes a compact office tucked inside fitted storage. Open the double doors and there’s desk space, shelves with power sockets for a printer or other equipment and a stool that stows away neatly beneath it all when not in use.
6. Add glitz with antiqued mirror glass A grid of nine antiqued mirror panels is a lovely contrast to the sleek modernity of the stainless steel stovetop below. This type of glass is treated to give the antiqued look and the patches of colour also disguise splashes. The style here is perfect for adding interest to a plain kitchen without introducing colour. It’s understated yet eye-catching. You’ll need a specialist company to provide the glass, as they will ensure it’s tough and heatproof.
Consideration was also given to how to make the kitchen appliances – and really the kitchen itself – disappear when not in use. Minosa installed joinery that concealed nearly all the kitchen utilities and utensils, effectively closing the kitchen down when not needed. Now you see it … Undermount rangehood: Schweigen; built-in gas cooktop: Barazza
Transition and flow also proved to be very important in the planning and design of the room. “The kitchen is central to the family’s busy life, so we wanted to create a space that would flow easily to all the essential areas of the home,” says Genner. This meant careful consideration had to be given to the location of appliances: there was attention to good set-down space near each appliance and an assurance that this wouldn’t clash when appliance doors were open.
“We decided that if we touched the walls, then they had to look old, so we added the ornate trim details and wall panelling that runs around the kitchen to give it a sense of history,” says Genner. “But anything that sits within the room, such as the kitchen island and other loose items, had to be modern to give it the feeling of ‘now’.”
Enlarge even the smallest room Prevent a petite powder room from feeling too pint-sized by installing mirrors on one wall. The antiqued glass used here turns the mirrors into a decorative feature rather than a purely practical one, but they still perform the same proportion-boosting service as a standard mirror.
The rangehood is concealed by a wall-mounted timber box, which contributes to a less utilitarian feel in the kitchen, and the detailed travertine stone slab splashback complements the timber cupboard finish.
Like the oven
Go for energy-saving appliances While it may seem more expensive to purchase 5-star appliances, they will save you money in the long term by cutting your energy usage. The best appliances come with a near-lifetime guarantee, and that’s a simple act of sustainability.
It is worth investing in the items that will ensure your kitchen stays around as long as you do, and these are often the things you cannot see. Things like drawer runners that can withstand 60 kilogram weight would normally have a lifetime guarantee, while plywood is a strong, stable and sustainable material to choose for carcasses. Transitional Kitchen by Elizabeth Lawson Design Elizabeth Lawson Design SaveEmail Make sure the base material in handles is solid brass. Choose plywood, solid wood, Corian, stone, glass and metal for door and drawer tops, not chipboard. Benchtops are a little more tricky as they all have their disadvantages. Most natural stones will stain, steel will scratch, glass and lacquers will chip, grout and wood will discolour, even Corian (my personal hero of the bunch) will discolour with heat. However, these are all durable materials when used in the right way.
Choose warmer darks If you’re concerned about a dark kitchen feeling too cold, try purple instead of the more usual grey or navy. This dark eggplant colour – especially combined with the gleaming copper splashback and wooden sideboard – gives the kitchen a sense of warmth. Any dark paint that veers more toward red than blue will help you achieve this look. Seek out almost-blacks with a hint of red, or browse a deepest ruby, a slightly browner burgundy or some dark berry colours.
Give minimal a twist If you’re really taken with a minimal look, it doesn’t necessarily have to be plain and white. In black, a pared-back aesthetic can have a tougher edge. As with any minimal kitchen design, going handleless will visually declutter the space, and including enough smart, closed storage to give everything its place will keep surfaces clear. This mixture of vintage oak and dark concrete cabinets, with a hot-rolled steel benchtop, makes for an even stronger style statement.
7. Make it sophisticated Tip a charcoal kitchen over to the glamorous side by adding lots of warm metals, like the benchtop and splashback here, and choosing luxury finishes, such as marble and parquet flooring. You can nod to this scheme on a smaller scale with a coat of paint and brass or copper accessories or small fittings, such as cabinet handles.
Try two-layer drawers Deep drawers aren’t always used to their full capacity. This nifty idea – a slide-across top layer for cutlery and smaller cooking utensils – makes sure no centimetre goes unused.
Set it back This slickly designed small kitchen feels spacious particularly because of the clever placement of the units. White walls and pale flooring help the base cabinets to melt into the background, while the dark tiling above creates depth. And setting the tall, wooden-fronted wall cupboards into the recess keeps them from ‘intruding’ into the space. Smart.
Feel free This portable gas cylinder stove, mounted on a professional-style stainless-steel trolley, is perfect for spaces that need to remain flexible. This utilitarian set-up, in a New Zealand home, could conveniently be wheeled out of the way to make space for a fold-out occasional dining table, for example. Do check building regulations and consult a plumber before installing any gas-powered appliance.
Ml-h design SaveEmail In this kitchen, as an example, the rustic stone wall works beautifully with the minimalist oak cabinets, the white render and the matt concrete floors.
Check out its WELS rating Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Choosing a tap that’s water efficient is one way you can do just that. To find out how well the taps on your shortlist rate in terms of water efficiency, check its WELS – Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme – rating. The highest rating for tapware is six stars; taps with this rating use less than 4.5 litres of water per minute.
How to make solid timber work as a benchtop Like the sculptural support of the previous photo, several solid lengths of timber have been glued together, cut into shape and sanded down to create this solid benchtop. It could have been made to look very similar by using a timber veneer, but with only a three-millimetre thickness on top of a particle board substrate, it would definitely not withstand the rigours of constant use in a kitchen environment. A complete replacement would most likely be on the cards in the future.
TIMBER VENEER One of the great things about timber veneer is that you can choose an expensive or cost-effective species of timber and use it en mass (cladding an entire wall, for instance) because it is directly glued onto a cheap timber substrate. If you tried to do this with solid timber, it would be extremely expensive. Walls can be integrated with joinery and passage doors, as seen in this kitchen by Hobbs Jamieson Architecture. With the door closed, you have a feature timber wall that integrates the kitchen into the living space. PROS: Timber veneer can be more easily shaped than solid timber, and is available in a variety of species. It’s not prone to warping and splitting because the glue provides strength. It’s also cheaper than solid timber for the same application. CONS: It can’t be repaired by sanding back and re-staining the way solid timber can. WHERE TO USE IT: Low-impact areas such as cupboard doors and feature walls. WHAT TO COMBINE IT WITH: Solid timber. One way to cut the cost of a timber benchtop is to use a timber veneer, but when it comes to the borders, veneer can delaminate or chip. Using a veneer on the top and sides, and a solid timber edge in a matchin...
2. Hide and seek Rosanna continues its play with size and structure with its new K-IN and K-OUT kitchen, which features a system that lets you create a small vegetable garden in your kitchen. It comprises a suspended unit (seen in the back) which is supported by an asymmetric pedestal in burnished steel. The kitchen unit seen in front is designed for use either indoors or outdoors and appears as a single block of material – a steel or aluminium structure covered by a thin stone cladding. Mobile planes slide from each end of the structure to reveal work surfaces beneath, thereby utilising today’s technology to create a multi-functional entertaining space.
5. Efficient space Continuing our love of incorporating commercial cooking elements into our residential kitchens, Veneta Cucine introduced a new Step System across its entire range of kitchens. The Step System is designed to utilise space efficiently up the wall, with tools and cooking implements kept conveniently located. It consists of a variety of vertical elements and metal bars, but can also be supplemented with accessories such as glass racks or paper towel holders.
6. Bring the bling Make your next kitchen take centre stage by incorporating gleaming finishes with a touch of luxury style. This Soho kitchen, by Doimo Cucine, utilises a lacquered metal effect in combination with aged wood to create a stunning aesthetic. The materials contrast, with hand-scratched lacquer for the cabinet bases and the Corteccia Zolfo oak benchtops giving the kitchen a classic elegance. Wired glass inserts in the single base unit and on the upper cabinets mimic an industrial finish.
10. Cantilever This trend came onto the scene a few years ago, but it’s obviously still a popular one. Here, the slim benchtop is complemented by a thick, cantilevered element, often in natural woodgrain, which acts as a servery, bar or casual dining area. This element is very popular, with many kitchen companies featuring various versions at their fair stands. This kitchen from Poliform is called Trail and was designed by CR&S Varena and Carlo Colombo. It features crisp whites to highlight the natural grains. Note that a thicker table leg has been chosen to match the thickness of the surface. Here, the design utilises a Z-shape to create aesthetic interest as well as to separate work spaces.
Side opening oven doors Provide super-quick access to all your essentials with wrap-around open shelving that mirrors a pantry. With storage on this scale, you won’t need to clutter up the benchtops.
Let eaves control the elements A well-designed home will keep your energy bills low by using eaves to shelter you from the sun when it’s hot out, but positioning them in such a way that in winter the sun can still find its way inside.
Patina
This is the rendered kitchen’s design on paper. The triangles are illustrated here for clarity. “As galley kitchens usually have an entrance both ends (some don’t), it is imperative that the traffic flow needs are understood,” Patterson says. Also, the dishwasher needs to be outside the triangle for others to use without hindering good kitchen function.” You shouldn’t have to cook AND clean up everyone’s dishes, after all.
Slide away. Nifty pull-out drawers are a great space-expanding solution. They can fit snugly under just about any surface – underneath the microwave or higher up above – which means you can benefit from different worktop heights, too. Different workspace heights gives you flexibility with tasks and accommodates different people’s statures.
Hide behind. Consider making room for a bench within your cupboard or pantry. This large cupboard provides a workstation and ample storage area for food and appliances. Floating shelves don’t impede the workspace and bi-fold doors hide away the clutter. Also great if you can position it in the dining room as a prep zone, or in the hallway, to save on essential space in the kitchen.
Frig
Add a glazed extension If you decide to build into your side return, use as much glass as possible in your extension, so you don’t block the flow of light into that middle room. This glass box extension works wonderfully, and allows light from the side and above to enter the room beyond, so it might actually be brighter than before the extension was built.
SOLVED: This amazing design has created extra room by positioning the island bench over the stairwell. All that extra bench space is enough to make you swoon, and there’s even a spot for a couple of kitchen stools. It pays to think outside the square if there’s a feature that would make a difference to how much you love your kitchen over the long term.
When mixing timber with brass or other metallics, go for a matt finish. In fact, choose matt pieces for timber next year in general: “Glossy cabinetry will be replaced by a more natural look – a reaction to our spending too many hours reading shiny tablets,” says interior designer Tennille Burnup.
Plywood and glass and outdoor area
Wood on glossy This kitchen reverses the more common wood and lacquer combination, with wood upper cabinets and glossy grey lowers. Notice that the wood on the uppers has a pale tone (even paler than the other woods in the room) and a subtle grain that’s textural rather than a bold organic stripe. This allows the sense of natural warmth to come through while avoiding an in-your-face pattern that might visually shrink the room. The splashback is composed of classic white subway tiles that don’t fight for attention, so overall the look is eclectic but not outrageous.
Could be used as cat plate area, add a drying rack over sink to catch drips. Food stored above and below.
DILEMMA 15: Your kitchen works fine when there’s only one person using it, but is a traffic jam when there’s a crowd. SOLVED: In any shaped kitchen, try to make the fridge and pantry accessible to family members without them having to walk through the kitchen. If you can also place the dishwasher and cabinet or drawers containing plates, cutlery and glasses down the same end, others will be able to make themselves a snack and clean up afterwards without getting in your way when you’re cooking.
Push-to-open mechanisms (usually drilled into the carcass of your cabinetry) are a very simple and cost-effective way to open cabinet doors without handles.
Like oven placement and bifold storage.
Walls in Dulux Natural White; oak veneer finished in Dulux Silver Tea Set. Designer: Robson Rak Architecture and Interiors Project: St Hubert’s Photographer: Mark Roper
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