Kitchens Seven stylish spaces you’ll love!
Is your dream space timeless, trendy in black or earthy just like grandma’s? We show you a variety of stunning options – because style doesn’t come in a box.
#1 Classic
Neutral colours, simple cabinets, quartzite work surfaces and natural materials ensure that these kitchens will never go out of style.
Light and spacious
Hannchen Louw and Vernon Boulle had been living in their house in Newlands, Cape Town for three years when they decided to do major renovations in the kitchen and living areas in 2014. “The entire house was dark and there was no flow between the rooms. The dining room – now the living room – was cramped and a wall separated the kitchen from the rest of the house,” says Hannchen.
By breaking out one wall in the traditional galley kitchen and replacing it with a support beam and pillars, the kitchen became connected to the living area. An island between the two rooms now provides more than enough space for cooking and socialising with extra storage and ample work surfaces. Hannchen says the Caesarstone counters and cement floor are easy to keep clean. “After almost six years, it still looks fresh!”
During the renovation, the family built a brand-new dining room that also blends seamlessly with the kitchen. Minette Bell of M Bell Architects, who managed the renovation project, also designed this new space. Stacking doors lead out to a deck, inviting nature indoors even in winter; in summer, they’re almost always open.
“I love that the living area is now one big room,” says Hannchen.
“Our entire family lives in this part of the house. We can all be together when we’re making food, whether we’re in the living room or gathered around the kitchen island. The children sometimes work at the dining room table, or do sewing there, and they’re still part of what’s going on in the kitchen.” >>
Perfect for a TV chef!
For Marinda Engelbrecht, presenter of a food show on DStv’s Afrikaans lifestyle channel VIA, a kitchen in which friends and family could gather, eat and drink while she’s cooking up a storm was non-negotiable. So, when she and hubby Johann (and their pooches Flappie and Vlooi) settled permanently in Yzerfontein three years ago, she had a well-conceived plan in mind.
“We teamed up with Durbanville Cupboards to design the kitchen,” she says. We wanted it to be comfortable and functional with plenty of work surfaces. “Bigger is not always better,” says Marinda. “But a good workstation and a waste bin in the kitchen are essential.”
The Engelbrechts chose a mostly neutral palette and classic finishes: light Caesarstone worktops and timeless white wall tiles with grey cement tiles for the floor.
Open melamine shelves with a wood look on which Marinda displays treasured items and cookbooks bring balance to the space. Her playful personality is evident in the interplay between white and turquoise Shaker cabinets. “Life’s too short for kitchen cabinets in just one colour!” she says.
Marinda and Johann each chose a luxury item for their open-plan space. Marinda’s was the walk-in fridge to the left of the stove. “It’s fantastic, especially for big bowls
The colours in the kitchen represent the sea and the clouds. Cooking is like
therapy for me, which is why I wanted soothing shades. –Marinda
of salad and vegetables, and Johann can chill his wine in there! Johann loves braaiing, so he opted for a spacious built-in braai, which is also lovely and sociable in winter. It creates just the right ambience when we’re entertaining around the table.
“Because I cook a lot of food, I wanted two ovens.
And I’m not that keen to bend over to get things in and out of the oven anymore, which is why we decided on an eye-level oven and separate gas burners.”
Essential kitchen appliances such as the dishwasher and microwave oven are tucked away in the scullery, out of sight.
Timeless in white
Nondescript brown tiled floors, dated cabinets and old-fashioned curtains that blocked out natural light and a view of the garden all contributed to the look of Shaun and Patricia van Wyk’s out-of-style kitchen in Linden, Johannesburg. Five years ago, when the couple decided it was time to refresh the space, they called in the help of Debbie Luke of Designed by Debbie.
“The Van Wyks wanted a fresh look for their kitchen,” says Debbie. “Even though it was sizeable, it felt cramped. We knocked out all the walls except for the back wall, opening up the space and integrating it with the dining room and entertainment area.”
Today, crisp white cabinets and paint complement the existing wooden elements in the house and the ’70s-inspired interior.
Taking inspiration from the wooden windows just below the ceiling, steel-framed windows were swapped out for wooden stacking windows, which open up onto a herb garden and invite plenty of natural light into the space. Adjacent stacking doors installed in the dining room, which lead into the garden, create a cohesive look in the family’s entertainment area.
The old kitchen tiles were removed and a new concrete floor cast next to the existing parquet floor in the living area, creating a visual break between the two zones.
The timeless design of the Van Wyks’ open-plan kitchen and living area puts a modern touch on the home’s history. “When it comes to reimagining a space while honouring its heritage, it helps to decide what it is that holds the home’s heart and ‘take out the weeds’ from there,” says Debbie. >>