Design by Surita Nel – Kitchen Studio North Shore
These clients had a beautiful, impractical kitchen. The reason for change was the lack of storage and impractically designed kitchen. That was where their agreement ended. They had opposite ideas on the aesthetic of the new kitchen.
Issues:
- Lack of storage was first on the list. The clients were storing food under the stairs and equipment in the garage and laundry.
- Poor layout design made the kitchen impractical. This included a lack of workable bench space, inaccessible units, as well as poor storage and workflow.
- The social space was awkward with no access or flow to the entertainment deck.
- Finding an aesthetic that pleased both parties at opposite ends of the design spectrum. The engineer wanting minimalist, clean lines. The other is an artistic soul, wanting pattern & form.
Solution:
- The floor to ceiling window was replaced with a sliding window. This allowed for an extra wall of cabinetry. The benchtop runs into the window to allow food and drinks from the bar fridge to be served through the window to the deck outside.
- The layout of the kitchen was around a square island, allowing for 2 separate preparation areas. It also allows for seating around two ends of the island, promoting socializing and communication between family members during meal prep.
- Hidden detailing around the window and use of Blumotion drawers created a clean canvas for the artistic granite bench to take center stage. The detailed black top, appliances, pendant lighting and industrial stools offset the clean white cabinets to create a strong contrast.
Using the minimalist design style to set off the detailed design elements shows that opposites do indeed attract.