Urban kitchens
Condo kitchens now function as spacious gathering areas
Kitchens take their place as major focal point for cosmopolitan condo buyers.
For condo owners, kitchens used to be a necessary evil.
Sure, the occasional Galloping Gourmet fanatic wanted the ultimate home-cooking experience, but in many condos kitchens were hidden away in narrow, claustrophobic layouts.
Today’s condo buyer, however, sees kitchens as a more vital part of their home.
The term “urban kitchen” has come into play to describe kitchen design that marries functionality with big-city attitudes toward entertaining and cooking.
“The urban kitchen moves away from its traditional placement in private space and, instead, becomes a major focal point in the home,” says Cristina Oberti, registered interior designer with Cristina Oberti Interior Design Inc. in Vancouver.
“Functionality and esthetics are given equal weight — the kitchen must be efficient, but also be pleasing to look at.”
Urban kitchens, Oberti says, bring to mind the “young, busy cosmopolitans” of larger cities. This demographic wants kitchens that are compact, yet functional.
So what does an “urban kitchen” look like?
Two condo-tower developments underway in Calgary offer some possibilities.
“The bar has been raised as far as what people want in their kitchens,” says Natalie Bosa, marketing and quality-control manager with Embassy Bosa Inc., one of the developers.
“They’re turning into gathering spaces. (Owners) want kitchens to be roomy and have space for multiple people, and enough storage space, whether on the countertop or stored away.
“I think people enjoy having islands or a bar area in the kitchen, instead of it being a closed-off space.”
Functionality, yet with clean lines and unobtrusive appliances, is a huge aspect of the urban kitchen, says Katy Tansley, sales manager for the other developer, Fram + Slokker.
“We offer a choice between European and full-sized appliances,” she says, describing European-style as threequarter-sized appliances that are perfect for those who might not do a lot of cooking, yet who appreciate extra storage space.
Full-sized appliance packages sacrifice a bit of storage in some parts of the kitchen, but can make up for it in others (for example, relocating a larger microwave over top of the stove adds a cutlery drawer), but add functionality with larger ovens and cooktops. Some urban-kitchen options camouflage appliances.
“You see some places where the fridge is even disguised,” says Tansley, noting how the dishwasher in their show suite is disguised to match the cabinets. “That’s another one of those urban influences — disguise your kitchen as much as possible so you can use it, but it’s not an eyesore.”
Bosa says functional islands, deep drawers and pantries are vital elements of the urban kitchen.
“At the end of the day, people want the opportunity to stay at home and entertain, rather than heading out and meeting at a restaurant,” she says.
“We’re also seeing the trend of families in these condos, so we focus on functionality.”
Adds Oberti: “Urban spaces are becoming increasingly more compact, and should, thus, be designed with functionality in mind. The attraction here lies in efficiency and smart use of space.
“I think this type of ‘urban’ design appeals to many markets … as it reflects a growing, universal desire to make the most of living and working place.”
“Timeless” colour palettes and finishings are also key, says Tansley, not just for current enjoyment, but also in future-proofing the kitchen for eventual sale. “When we put (kitchen) colour palettes together, we don’t want something that’ll look outdated in 10 years,” she says.