Kitchen couture and the emerging new designs of modern residential kitchens
The kitchen was an actual room, all on its own. It was a place mums disappeared into and out of which food appeared. Cooking was a chore, unglamorous, and certainly not a spectator sport. In 2019, we see kitchens that talk to you, that you can control from the office, that blend seamlessly into the open architectural spaces of contemporary family life
The most remarkable thing about this year’s designs is that they are, well, understated.
While kitchens as recently as the noughties were spectacular showcases of money, with benchtops crammed with every juicer, blender, mixer and bread maker, as a society we seem to now blush at the suggestion that we spent $6,000 on a fridge.
So coy are we about our culinary largesse that we hide it away, spending loads of money to create walls of superb cabinetry camouflage.
It seems so old fashioned to use the expression cabinet maker – so very 18th century – yet the craft and craftspeople are still at the centre of innovative design.
Blum Kitchens has succeeded in taking even the most humble elements, the drawer and the cupboard, and allowed as cabinet makers to elevate the concept to feature status.
The Aventos over bench cabinet doors that lift (or even bifold lift) rather than swing open allow complete access (visual and physical) so that no corner of valuable kitchen cupboard space is left unused.
Combined with the famed Blum smooth-as-silk hinges, hunting for Mum’s martini shaker has never been more fun. The space issue is equally well dealt with in the company’s drawer systems, which boast practical improvements such as draws which you can internally configure yourself.
It sounds simple, yet to be able to lead an unjumbled life – to not have to dumpster dive through drawers in order to find the corkscrew/ fondue forks/biro/school excursion permission slip is not to be underestimated.
However, even more impressive is the Blum electrical servo drive system that can be used on drawers, cupboards and cabinets – meaning just a tap or a touch and the device will open, requiring no additional effort on your part no matter the size of the opening. And no handles – not one. And if the permission slip is nowhere to be seen, even the angriest eight year old can’t slam a soft close drawer.
Another major player in the kitchen field, Hettich offers a very interesting range of handle furniture for their units – and it supplies a rather genteel French folding door pantry cupboard that once again offers great access and sightlines while not blocking the through traffic in what is most often a space challenged area.
If you have a small cavity space, just looking for a reason to exist, consider the Slideline M sliding door system – of course this and Blum furniture can be adapted to rooms beyond ‘la cucina’.
You can see the theme minimalism as we move along; no obvious doors, no handles, few accoutrements – but what of the most basic elements – such as stoves and sinks?
For those who despair at the sight of gas cooktops scarred by an unforgiving and long forgotten boeuf bourguignon, the soon to be released Smeg Dolce Stil Novo will surely appeal.
MANY REMEMBER THE MID-CENTURY MODERNISATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN KITCHEN; WHEN SUNBEAM MADE MAGIC FRYING PANS, THE MIXMASTER WHIPPED UP CAKES, PYREX BOWLS WERE THE ANT’S PANTS, AGA COOKERS WERE SNEERED AT AND ‘GUESS WHOSE MUM’S GOT A WHIRLPOOL?’ WAS EVERY KID’S PHRASE OF PRAISE AND FAMILIAL PRIDE.
Designed by Italian architect Guido Canali, titanium coated pan stands rise above a black ceramic deck, and the flame is a continuous ring of vertical flame offering a 20 percent increase in efficiency over standard burners. If, however the stands are a tad too Brutalist, one can locate a rather whimsical alternate “ring of birds” trivet with a little online detective work.
And the sink? No longer the shiny stainless steel single bowl with dish drain attached – now the sink is a statement piece, and a matte one at that. A most bizarre concept even five years ago, black taps and black sinks are very much ‘on trend’.
Oliveri, a name synonymous with the stainless steel range, has produced an impressive range of granite or granite, quartz acrylic composite units in its Santorini range. If black is your thing, don’t forget to check out the Blanko range and the slightly more upmarket Franke version which comes with some great black taps as a set.
Black, black, black – it is the look these days. Matte, chilled, minimalist black – with just the odd accent of character. It is a comfortable, easy on the eye concept that finds itself well suited to space-short apartment design, as much as the big entertainer’s kitchen.
The challenge is adding something to lift it, to add that extra dimension – lighting is big here, but don’t forget that subtle depths of noir – Cosentino designers suggest looking at something as subtle and sleek as the Silestone bench top material called ‘Indian Black’, or even Dekton by Cosentino ‘Radium’ – each is still dark and mysterious but has veins, shades and flecks to add depth.
But back to taps. Now freestanding and multifunctional, the Billi bench-mounted, chilled, filtered water tap is just one of those chic add ons that can lift a kitchen from good to memorable.
This year we will see Billi’s newest incarnation, the Eva Pro tap with boiling, chilled or sparkling water – all from the one outlet – with a “touch user interface” for easy operation. Yes, there is a chance you will want to read an instruction manual to use a tap, but hey, it’s still very cool. It comes in black.
On that same thread – there does seem to be some disagreement regarding whether to hide the humble fridge behind elegant, LED lit panelling, or go for the full bling and have it become the main feature of the monochrome cooking arena.
While the sleek Liebherr, and the two door AEG had their admirers, it was indeed the all singing, all dancing Samsung Family Hub fridge that had the most attention. It was playing music while offering, on a large touch screen-come-fridge door access to your emails, messages, calendar, photos – while apparently also keeping food cold.
If we are to believe the American Youtube clip, you can even order takeaway food – from the fridge door touch pad. Imagine watching the cricket on the actual door behind which lies an icy cold beer?
Let’s face it, food is pretty much central to our lives, so it is no wonder we have strong feelings about its realm within our fiefdom. We want to keep the love affair alive, and we seek out new ways to enjoy our relationship with food and nutrition – and the work involved in preparing it – even after long days at our workplaces.
So it was with great delight that a fresh face has recently appeared on the design scene, a new player with a very long international history. Snaidero is the newest kid on the kitchen block, opening a flagship store in Sydney.
It offers Italian made kitchens with a notably different point of view that has been distilled over its 72-year history. Kitchen designer, Greg Natale created the showroom space, filling it with a very lux vibe and rather fabulous colours.
Sort of the antithesis of the black phenomenon, and encouraging the trend that is gathering traction, is that of mixed textures. This is an inspiring space, filled with curated pieces and add-ons that will excite those who feel the need for a designer shot in the arm, while their hand fishes out their credit cards.
Many on trend items of today, such as Aga stoves or lime-coloured toasters were seen in our mothers’, or grandmothers’ kitchens.
In fact, hidden in my pantry is my mother’s 1950 Sunbeam Mixmaster; a metal work horse that weighs a ton, in slightly chipped black and cream whose lovely curves look so vintage it’s finally back in vogue, and will make a fine statement piece in a matte black kitchen.
SUPPLIERS & CONTRACTORS: BLUM ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN. COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/BLUM-AUSTRALIA BILLI ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/BILLI-PTY-LTD HETTICH ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/ HETTICH-AUSTRALIA OLIVERI ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN. COM.AU/NEWS/OLIVERI-DELIVERS-MINIMALIST-DESIGN LIEBHERR ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/ LIEBHERR-AUSTRALIA SAMSUNG ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN. COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/SAMSUNG-ELECTRONICS-AUSTRALIA ARTEDOMUS ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/ ARTEDOMUS AEG AEGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU SNAIDERO SNAIDERO.COM COSENTINO COSENTINO.COM/EN-AU SMEG ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/SUPPLIERS/SMEG-AUSTRALIA