STORE & ORDER
There are two schools of thought when it comes to organising kitchen accessories. The first: when everyday paraphernalia is stored out of sight – but close to hand – the kitchen looks less cluttered and more organised, particularly in open-plan settings where the space is shared between the kitchen, living and dining room.
The second: a little on show goes a long way. After all, a few carefully selected kitchen accessories will inject personality into the kitchen. Of course, how you show these accessories is crucial. Erecting a few shelves and overloading them with ‘stuff’ just won’t cut it.
Proponents of the first school of thinking will already know that Valcucine has utilised the space behind the splashback to create an extra storage area. At EuroCucina, it took this idea one step further with the V-Motion kit, which was presented on the Genius Loci kitchen. One touch, and the motor-driven V-Motion mechanism lifts the unit door to reveal the storage within. When closed, clutter is out of sight and, therefore, out of mind.
At bulthaup, meanwhile, the new b3 Milan concept kitchen addresses the changing requirements of the kitchen throughout a typical day. The resulting design comprises a series of sliding panels, available in a choice of materials and arranged at varying depths. Designed to move independent of each other, bulthaup’s thinking is that in a matter of seconds, the kitchen can be transformed from an efficient work space to a clutter-free living environment.
Leicht argues that there is no point in hidden storage if your drawers and cupboards aren’t fit for purpose. The L-BOX organisation system was showcased on its new Concrete kitchen at EuroCucina; cue naturally lacquered oak dividers and boxes of different sizes that can be configured to individual requirements. Also featured was Leicht’s L3 system, comprising easy-to-open drawers with glass sides. This not only gives the L3 a lightweight look, but offers a clear view of what is contained inside the drawers.
Pronorm is also on-point with its new proTech drawer box system, which is available in a choice of titan aluminium and oak finishes. It features the very latest product development from Hettich, whereby the drawer-sliding mechanism is fully shrouded in a slim aluminium sheath and there are no screw caps, covers or drill holes visible. The nature of aluminium allows it to be tightly folded in manufacture to achieve the super-slim, linear drawer sides. The drawers themselves are smooth-running and have a special cushioning mechanism for soft and silent closing, even when carrying their maximum load of 60 kg per drawer.
On the flip side to hidden storage is open storage. Leading the way is Nolte, encouraging you to showcase your favourite kitchenware with its new Wall Panel System, offered in a choice of around 100 different finishes. It’s further customised with glass shelves, accessory rails featuring modular racks, a flatscreen TV and rotatable LED strip lights.
Elsewhere, Elam (Tisettanta’s kitchen brand) incorporated open storage into its Vision island unit in an effort to visually soften the stone worktop. It works. The open elements are made of wood, which gives an element of warmth to an otherwise cool, clean-cut design.
Many manufacturers are striking a balance between open and closed storage using smoked or transparent glass doors. This means that kitchen accessories can be displayed and flatteringly lit, but they are not open to the dust and grease of a working kitchen. Varenna’s stunning Arthena kitchen is an excellent case in point, and is also notable for its lack of handles, which makes for a clean, streamlined aesthetic.