Clever design ideas to create a multifunctional kitchen
These clever design ideas will help you create a multifunctional kitchen you’ll love spending time in
STYLE: REFRESHED RUSTIC
“Mixing contemporary and classic features in a kitchen is a great way to get longevity from the design,” says Rowena Gonzales, principal designer at Hong Kong-based firm Liquid Interiors. To achieve this oldmeets-new aesthetic, Gonzales suggests updating Shakerstyle cabinetry with modern handles. If the hardware is made of wood, consider repainting it in a trending shade, such as Classic Blue, the Pantone Colour of the Year.
“Use materials such as enamel, stainless steel, solid brass and copper finishes that are commonly found in heritage kitchens,” says Lim Wee Li, CEO of Kitchen Culture. To avoid an antiquated look, pair these vintage elements with modern Scandinavian accents such as the Anoli pendant lights by Danish brand Nuura.
STYLE: NEW OPULENCE
Go all out with brass elements to make a glamorous statement in your culinary space. This kitchen, crafted by Humbert & Poyet, proves to be a shining example with its opulent touches. Designed for a chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland, this culinary space combines rustic elements with modern details that include a bespoke extractor crafted in hammered brass which is paired with a brass-finished cooktop from La Cornue and blue cabinetry with similarly gilded handles. “The mix of wood panels with matte and brass finishes creates a warm ambience with a sense of modernity in a traditional chalet,” explain Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet, the co-founders of the design firm.
STYLE: TROPICAL CHIC
Give your kitchen a resort-style vibe by featuring natural materials such as rattan, bamboo and light wood. “With travel bans in place, now more than ever, everyone wants a holiday atmosphere in their home,” says Chloe Elkerton, founder of E&A Interiors. “Rather than bland white and beige schemes, a tropicalstyle kitchen allows us to be more playful and eclectic with our colour and material choices.” Elkerton suggests designing an openplan, two-toned kitchen with an island or cabinetry that’s in a contrasting colour to the rest of the space. “Add details like panelled cabinet doors, rattan furniture, or open wood shelving where you can display crockery and plants,” advises the designer. “Use vibrant colours like ocean blue and incorporate patterned tiles on the floors and backsplash.”
FEATURE: OPEN SHELVES
Cast-iron crockery and designer dinnerware are among some of the most prized items in our kitchens, so why not display them on elegant open shelves? Daniel Magg, general manager of W. Atelier’s furniture division, suggests using open shelves to create a loft-like aesthetic in your kitchen; place them in the middle of a row of built-in cabinetry to break up the monotony of a line of uniform shelves.
“Open shelves are a great way to customise, differentiate and add visual interest to even the simplest of kitchens,” says Larry Lim, managing partner at Summerhaus
D’zign. “Shelves with angled or alternate vertical dividers are a great way to add character to your kitchen while hiding the items that you’d rather your guests didn’t see.” A good choice is Frame, a system by German brand Next125, which has six organisational elements that can be combined with LED lighting to create illuminated shelves on your kitchen counter.
COLOUR: TRENDING GREEN
Among the hottest colours for kitchens at the moment are verdant shades that take cues from lush foliage. “It’s fresh and relaxing, and brings the outdoors in,” says Elkerton. “Dark green is a very versatile colour, but do consider the lighting in your space when choosing the shade as this will affect how it ends up looking.” For kitchens that are very bright, she suggests avoiding greens with yellow overtones; for darker kitchens, rather than using large amounts of green, she suggests splashes of olive, emerald or forest green on the cabinetry.
“Dark green hues are popular choices for kitchens now because they have a calming and restorative effect,” says Maria Fernandez, the Asia marketing manager of Cosentino. According to Fernandez, a dark green kitchen works well in combination with lighter, creamy, neutral shades and soft copper and brass lighting fixtures or hardware, which can help balance out the denseness of the green. If an all-green kitchen feels like too big a change, consider using the colour only on lower cabinetry or on the backsplash.
COLOUR: COOL BLACK
Summerhaus D’zign managing partner Larry Lim has seen an increase in requests for black kitchens and believes such dark schemes are a practical choice if you want a lowmaintenance option. According to
Nikki Hunt, principal of Design Intervention, black kitchens can be streamlined and masculine when combined with sharp profiles and minimalist details or sexy and glamorous when matched with mirrors, glossy tiles and gold trimmings. “Black kitchens work particularly well when the room has little natural light. Adding reflective elements such as mirrors and gold details amplifies the available light and brings a glamorous edge to the space,” she says. Magg, however, cautions that black furnishings absorb light; so it’s wise to ensure you include good ceiling and task lights when designing such a dark kitchen.
HARDWARE: TOP-TIER
A careful edit of culinary gadgets can also help to limit clutter in the kitchen. Tulus suggests buying only appliances that are necessary. “Nowadays, there are many appliances that come with multiple functions, so choose these to cut down on the overall number of gadgets needed.” Appliances with easy-to-clean features will also help with the upkeep of your culinary space. Take, for example, the Combair XSLP ovens from V-zug (on the right), which feature a pyrolytic cleaning process that burns all the dirt deposits in the oven to ash, which can be easily removed with a damp cloth.
STYLE: INSIDE OUT
Indonesia-based firm Studio Avana took the indoors-out concept to another level with its design for Lumière House, capitalising on the client’s love for cooking and the outdoors. “With the size limitation of the site area, we wanted the interiors to feel spacious,” says principal architect Rayner Tulus. “We felt that a good solution was to place the kitchen next to a garden, not only to improve the dining ambience but also to add good natural light to make the area feel more open.”
The kitchen and the vertical garden area are covered with a glass roof to protect the interior from rain, and an integrated irrigation system makes the vertical garden easy to maintain. “When the irrigation system activates, you can hear the water droplets fall, enhancing the feeling of being outdoors,” adds Tulus.
STORAGE: HIDE AND SEEK
Create additional storage for your appliances, if you prefer to keep your kitchen counter or island free of clutter. “It is important to consider all the appliances that you will use in your new kitchen,” says Lam of Jasmine
Lam Interior Design + Architecture. “Figure out storage for countertop appliances such as a toaster, coffee maker, blender, food processor; having these appliances stored away is important when going for a clean aesthetic.” Alternatively, consider sliding doors that can enclose and conceal the countertop space when you’re entertaining guests. Available at P5, the Molteni&c | Dada Tivali kitchen system (seen on this page) features a patented mechanism that tucks the sliding doors away in the side compartments during meal preparation; the doors can conceal the cabinetry and counter as easily when the kitchen is not in use.