Black glass kitchen packs a punch
Make it all black – that was the client brief to the designer of this new kitchen in a turn-of-thecentury Wellington villa.
Damian Hannah of German Kitchens says the clients were prepared to go the whole way, with black cabinetry and a blackpainted floor, but he advised against the latter.
‘‘The entire kitchen is black glass – from the doors on the cabinetry to the benchtops and the splashback. We even introduced black Smeg appliances to keep everything seamless,’’ he says.
‘‘But black on black can be a little too monochromatic, and it would have been difficult to keep the black floor looking good with a young family, so we opted for the warmth of the original timber floorboards. We gave these a lick and a promise with a sand and a coat of matt polyurethane, and they provide much-needed visual warmth.’’
The timber also retains a link to the old villa, contrasting the high sheen of the modern Alno kitchen. And it’s the reflective shine of the black glass that creates much of the drama. Hannah says the owners can enjoy the harbour view reflected in the splashback and even the flowers outside are reflected back off the glass benchtops.
Hannah worked with interior designer-homeowner Kali Gazley on the renovation – Gazley was responsible for the furniture, colours, artworks and light fittings that provide the rest of the wow factor.
A hot pink chaise beside a win- dow echoes the colours of the flowers outside, as does a large floor rug. T
‘‘The owner found a beautiful antique dining table, which is paired with highly contemporary Philippe Starck Ghost chairs, again providing that mix of new and old,’’ Hannah says.
‘‘Introducing colour works especially well in this setting because the black kitchen and timber floors provide a neutral backdrop. The black allows the colours to pop. The art is a key part of the design – we lined up the top of the cabinets with the large artwork above the dining table.
And for those who might think black glass is impractical, Hannah reports that the owners are finding it easy to maintain.
‘‘We provided recessed aluminium handles that are quite deep and long, which helps keep fingers off the glass. But the owners say they can wipe the whole kitchen down with an eco cloth in 30 seconds.’’
Another practical option was found in a double sink with an extra-wide divider section. ‘‘This gave us enough room to mount the tap onto the sink itself, so we didn’t have to drill a hole in the glass benchtop, which would have compromised its strength.’’