Art Deco renovation by designer Mal Corboy

Art Deco houses built in the 1930s have a character that is well worth preserving. When the owners of this house undertook a major renovation, they welcomed the idea of a kitchen that would mimic the design of the exterior.

Designer Mal Corboy says his design was also influenced by the owners' existing retro cream Smeg FAB32 refrigerator.

"The curves on the refrigerator and house exterior dictated the design," he says. "We also had more space to do something innovative the position of the kitchen and a bedroom were swapped to provide a longer space."

Corboy used seamless Corian to create two long benchtops with curving waterfall ends. The shape is inverted on the overhead cabinets, with the Corian curving upwards.

"The cabinetry was designed to look more like '50s-style furniture than a fitted kitchen," he says. "Chrome Hettich handles with a black accent have a similar curve to the cabinets."

An eggshell-blue glass splashback reinforces the retro look of the kitchen. The colour matches the subtle tones of a patterned wallpaper.

Functionality is not compromised, however. While the Smeg FAB32 fridge has distinctive '50s styling, it comes with all the mod cons. It provides storage capacity for 330 litres of fresh and frozen food, and features adjustable glass shelves and automatic defrost. It is available in a wide range of colours, including bright red.

Corboy says he recommended the owners follow through with other new appliances from Smeg. The 60cm pyrolytic wall oven is from a new collection created by leading London-based Australian designer Marc Newson.

The Marc Newson collection epitomises Smeg innovation, combining high-end technology with designer styling. The range offers ovens and cooktops in stainless steel, glass and five chromatic enamel finishes blue, green, yellow, black and white. There is a strong accent on curves and profiles uninterrupted by knobs or handles. Control is by touch, and the electronics are intuitive. This oven also features telescopic shelves for easy loading and unloading.

The kitchen has a Smeg 60cm touch-control induction cooktop with four induction elements. These provide fast, energy-efficient cooking with precise temperature control.

For this project, the oven and cooktop are teamed with a Smeg P580 Powerpak ventilation unit. This unobtrusive unit removes steam and odours quickly and quietly.

Other appliances include a Smeg 60cm fully integrated dishwasher that accommodates 14 place settings. The kitchen is also equipped with a Smeg SA37 microwave oven. This oven comes with 10 pre-programmed power levels and four pre-programmed menus.

For more information, visit the websites: www.smeg.co.nz and www.malcorboy.com.

Story by: Trendsideas