Kitchens Make the most of the hub of your home!
We show you six impressive kitchens perfect for sharing meals and making memories.
KITCHEN #1 Retro kitsch
When Krisjan Fourie was renovating his 1940s Westdene home, he knew one thing for sure: built-in cupboards and a tiled floor wouldn’t do for his kitchen. “I wanted a dining table that could accommodate a crowd of people as well as a piano so we could hold kitchen concerts!” says Krisjan, who offers cooking classes at his home.
Today, this open-plan area covers a spacious 120m² and boasts a contemporary white epoxy floor and freestanding retro furniture. Krisjan describes his style as “retro-kitsch”.
The vintage elements in this space that leads out to the garden have been collected by Krisjan over the years.
“I bought most of these items from the late Leonard Wichtman of what was then Bruce Tait’s Kitsch Collectables in Cape Town,” he explains.
The yellow-and-green vintage dresser comes from a second-hand store in Rosendal in the Free State. “I ‘binged’ on seven cupboards that day!” >>
Island style
Guests usually gather around the kitchen island. “It’s significantly taller than normal because I’m very tall,” says Krisjan with a laugh. “When I’m done cooking, I don’t want to feel as if I’ve just washed my laundry in the river!”
The island also serves as a photo station when he offers cooking classes. “I first put out all the ingredients for a snapshot and then when the cooking is done, the completed dishes are also photographed here. The island is where we hang out in-between all the work. It’s on castors, so we can easily move it around as the sun shifts.”
A friend, Nic Fenske of Wood-n-Wotnots, made the island and the dining table using the home’s original Oregon pine roof trusses. “It was a great way to recycle and it helped keep the spirit of the old house alive,” says Krisjan. His advice for others wanting to create a similar kitchen? “It’s a process during which you’ll learn a lot about yourself. Colour outside the lines a little and set your wild side free!” >>
KITCHEN #2 Old-world beauty
Pam and Mark Lee of Rondebosch had big plans for their renovation project: the existing kitchen had to make way for a TV room and wine cellar, while a new 40m² kitchen and a scullery had to be added on. But no project is without its challenges – for the Lees, it was making sure the new kitchen would look as if it has always been part of their 100-year-old house.
“A modern kitchen was definitely out of the question,” says Pam. So she and Mark started looking around at scrapyards and online for recycled building materials: wide Oregon pine floorboards, authentic terracotta tiles and Oregon ceiling beams were all perfect for creating the look they were after.
“It was actually quite a mission to find the right lengths, widths and quantities,” says Mark. “But, eventually, we had everything we needed.”
The couple asked Holly Wood Kitchens to create a typical Provençal or farmstead look with the kitchen cabinets in black, red and cream – a combination they love.
“The black dresser and red island really stand out, while the rest of the cupboards blend into the walls,” says Pam.
The focal point of this kitchen is definitely the 2.4 x 1.2m island. “Because the gas stove was built into the island, this is where we do all our prepping, cooking and dining. We also like to eat breakfast, drink coffee or share a glass of wine with friends here.” >>
KITCHEN #3 Work and play
The first thing that strikes you when you enter Melissa and Mark van Hoogstraaten’s kitchen is how much space there is for working and entertaining – not only is there a large island and kitchen table with riempie chairs, but also a comfortable couch and a fireplace. And, of course, there’s always something delicious to eat – which is hardly surprising since Melissa and Mark are the owners of popular Melissa’s Food, Home & Gift Store.
It’s a place where we can spend quality time together, where we can all gather while we cook, work and relax. - Melissa