Cupboard Love

A hundred years ago, everything from the baking of the day’s bread to bathing happened at the kitchen hearth – it was, in every sense, the hub of the home. But, by the end of World War II, kitchens had become small rooms shut off from the rest of the house, all traces of food preparation hidden away. This trend was reflected in the minimalist, almost clinical design of kitchens right up until recent years. But a renewed sense of the kitchen as gathering point – a family room rather than showroom – has led to the creation of warmer, more open and inclusive spaces. We bring you six efficient yet gorgeous kitchens that redefine the essence of family living.

 

 

When it came to designing the villa kitchen pictured at left, creating a space that suited the needs of four children was a primary consideration for Joanne Godding from Kitchens by Design. The three willow baskets in the return bench aren’t for cutlery or napery – they’re for homework. “It was really important to the client to be right there with the children,” says Joanne.

 

The walls are donkey grey and the benchtop is chocolate polished granite – a neutral base on which to add personality through texture. Light filters through the glass fronts, sides and shelves of the cupboards on either side of the stainless canopy, making them ideal for displaying cherished objects.

 

“I hate seeing kitchens where every wall is taken up with cupboards,” says Joanne. “I like to leave some space available, whether it’s for a stunning clock or children’s artwork.”

 

You don’t often find antiques in kitchens, but that’s what the owner of the1930s bungalow pictured at right told Celia Visser of Celia Visser Design she wanted. The first thing Celia did was purchase the 400-year-old Mongolian chest. “The rest of the kitchen fell into place around it.”

 

A wall from the tiny original kitchen was removed and a structure built to contain the chest on each side, with a sheet of glass cleverly laid above it, so cookbooks could be placed underneath and food prepared on top. The mosaic tiling and the black gloss and grass-cloth cupboards with leather handles provide a modern juxtaposition.

 

 
Tip: Integrated appliances may be the trend but it’s worth making a feature of some appliances, such as the French Lacanche range of cookers. Available in colours such as Portuguese Blue and Provence Yellow, with nickel or brass detailing and options such as a salamander or stone grill, they’re just too beautiful to hide away.

 

This kitchen may be traditional, says Neil Young from The English Kitchen Company, but it’s not at the expense of practicality. The small cupboards and drawers on either side of the Falcon range cooker are exactly the right depth for storing oils and spices.

 

And, though the paint finish (cream with a burnt umber wash) and the castellated cornice on the cabinetry lend a distinctly antique look, it’s fitted out with modern hardware. The turned pilasters, the mantle shelf above the cooker and the porcelain double butler’s sink are farmhouse kitchen replicas. Only the fridge is original, but it has been refurbished. 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Stow Away

The sleek villa kitchen pictured on this page has a masculine colour scheme that complements the detailed character of the house. Home to a busy family that does a lot of entertaining, it features a scullery, otherwise known as a butler’s kitchen, in a small room off to the side of the kitchen. The scullery has two microwaves, a dishwasher, a large sink and a commercial-style coffee machine.

 

“It’s a really nice room to be in with a lovely view,” says designer Joanne Godding from Kitchens by Design. “But you can leave all the dirty pots in there, shut the door and no one will see. It’s where the dogs are fed.”

 

To give this kitchen its streamlined finish, all the cabinetry is stained with a chocolate tone and the rangehood is concealed behind a stainless steel band. It has been designed in zones, and small appliances such as the toaster and kettle are stored behind a big sliding sheet of white glass, creating a breakfast nook.

 

The owners of the kitchen pictured at right told designer Celia Visser from Celia Visser Design that they wanted something modern, but in keeping with their Cape Cod-style home: “Something that would last”.

 

The neutral palette is broken up with timber stained in contrasting chocolate and blonde. The design is based on rectangles, with the cube at the end of the island mirroring the rangehood descending from the ceiling, separating the space from the dining area.

 

The part of the island with the hob is set down for good ergonomics and a bar fridge and glasses cabinet on the other side of the room is for making drinks.

 

 

After moving an old home on to a lifestyle block, the owners of this kitchen wanted a design that would connect their modern furniture and artwork with the more traditional surroundings. Celia Visser came up with a green glass splashback to pick up the tones of a sculpture hanging opposite the kitchen. The island was designed to look like an old table, with turned legs and a tongue-and-groove back edge that
matched the cabinetry. Kings Fourth Generation Woodworking Company treated the timber to make it heat- and water-resistant.

 

 

Thanks to the kitchen designers and the homeowners for the use of their kitchens.  

 

 

The English Kitchen Company (09) 479 3940