A night at the opera

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High gloss black lacquer adds glamour

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black countertop, furniture, interior design, kitchen, table, gray — View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black table and stools, brick splashback and marble bench.

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black ceiling, interior design, table, gray

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black ceiling, countertop, interior design, kitchen, table, black

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black countertop, interior design, kitchen, room, gray, black

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black cabinetry, countertop, flooring, interior design, kitchen, room, sink, tile, under cabinet lighting, wall, white, black

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black countertop, interior design, kitchen, room, under cabinet lighting, gray, black

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black bathroom, countertop, floor, flooring, interior design, plumbing fixture, product design, sink, tap, white

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black ceiling, countertop, interior design, kitchen, product design, table, gray, white

View of contemporary kitchen with lighting feature, black ceiling, floor, flooring, interior design, living room, room, gray

Glamorous is not usually a word associated with kitchens. But this project is proof that the kitchen can be the star of the show.

Designer Joanne Godding of Bespoke on Khyber says she wanted to move away from a kitchen that was either strictly modern or traditional.

"I wanted to create a more glamorous, sophisticated look," Godding says. "Furniture-style cabinets and fully integrated appliances were key factors in achieving this."

So, too, was the black and white colour palette. The island, for example, features a black glass table at one end, complete with high-gloss black lacquered turned legs. Similar black lacquer frames white textured vinyl panels on three sides of the island. The table also features decorative black wrought iron work that can be seen beneath the glass.

"The design is all about layers of detail," says Godding. "Some of these things might not be evident initially, but they become an element of surprise. Another example is the exaggerated negative detail in black under the marble benchtop on the island. And there are LED lighting strips under the base of the cabinets. At night the lighting makes the cabinets appear to float above the floor."

A second narrower island accommodates the cooktop, and supports a full-height black glass splashback. The glass acts as a divider to screen a work and clean-up area, which hides kitchen clutter.

"This space also offers an element of surprise," says the designer. "The rear of the glass screen is a hot pink chalkboard this can be seen reflected in the display cabinets opposite."

Black-framed panels of a luxurious silver and white wallpaper help to provide a transition from the kitchen to living and dining areas. The designer also added blackened sapele cabinets to warm the space visually.