Like a Piece of Fine Furniture

The kitchen is a vital part of any home, not simply in terms of how it functions, but also in setting the tone for the décor of the rest of the house.

That’s why it is essential to bring a kitchen designer on board right at the beginning of your design journey – and also choose a kitchen company that can offer the total package, both design-and-manufacture.

“This contemporary kitchen played an integral role in the renovation of a 1950s home,” says Michelle Gillbanks, one of the three qualified kitchen designers who work at Kitchens By Design. Michelle was heavily involved with the architect and client from the outset to ensure their vision was followed through the entire renovation.

“My client and his architect had a very clear idea of what they wanted right from the beginning,” says Michelle. “They were very hands-on and drew up sketches of what they wanted. I worked with them to help realise the vision and establish a material palette that would integrate well with the rest of the home.”

The brief was for clean, elegant lines with a functional layout and uncluttered surfaces. Essential to the whole scheme was for a ‘furniture look’ to balance and blend in with the clients’ surrounding open-plan living space.

“For the back walls of the kitchen, we decided on a dark finish with lighter tones on the island to connect it with the underlying theme of the rest of their new interior spaces,” says the designer. “A combination of stained, brushed veneer and plain painted surfaces were used for cabinet finishes, along with a polished-stone feature island. Both provide a tactile experience and visual engagement.”

The island was designed to look like a piece of furniture rather than a workspace. To give the illusion of a single, floating block of stone, Dekton Khalo was used for the island’s top and three sides, along with mirror toe-kicks.

As the design of the kitchen progressed, Michelle was asked to design built-in cabinetry for the home, which included the bathrooms, laundry and wardrobes. “This is not unusual,” says Michelle. “We are often asked to work on other parts of their home – particularly the bathrooms and laundry areas, where the same style cabinetry is needed for that integrated look.”

If you’re looking for a new kitchen, please call T: 09 379 3084 to make an appointment with one of our designers at Kitchens By Design’s showroom, located at 3 Byron Avenue in Takapuna.

For inspiration, take a look at some fabulous projects at www.kitchensbydesign.co.nz

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