Buon appetito!

Gone are the days of highly cluttered kitchens today most designers are creating sleek streamlined kitchens where there's a place for everything.

This is partly because a modern kitchen is most likely to be an integral part of the family living area and, as such, is on permanent display. But it's also because a clear, uncluttered kitchen is the ideal antidote to the stresses and demands of modern living.

This kitchen, one of two virtually identical kitchens in neighbouring townhouses, exemplifies the trend. Designer Karen Collins of Kitchen Studio teamed Bestwood Melamine charred woodgrain cabinets with white engineered stone benchtops and sleek Smeg stainless steel appliances.

Collins says the owners wanted an elegant kitchen that would also be very functional to meet the needs of a young family.

"To provide an island with access from both ends, it was essential to maximise the cabinetry storage. Consequently, the cabinets go right up to the ceiling, and we included a large pantry with easy access to all shelves."

The kitchen is also defined by a sense of symmetry a refrigerator on one side is balanced visually by an oven tower on the other side. The cooktop is positioned in the centre of the rear benchtop, with a clear glass splashback enhancing the sleek look.

"We chose a Smeg 72cm Sensor built-in powerpack rather than a rangehood to allow room for more overhead cupboards," says Collins. "This is a quiet ventilation unit, that provides especially good value we often specify this model on our projects."

The powerpack has a four-speed fan, two halogen lights, advanced sensor control and a noise level of just 39dB.

The cooktop and oven are both from the Smeg Classic series, and were also chosen for their value and performance. The Smeg 60cm semi-flush gas cooktop features four gas burners and heavy-duty trivets. It is available with either Classic or Linea knobs.

To cater to the needs of the family and entertaining, Collins specified the Smeg SAC399X 60cm multifunction oven. This has a net capacity of 68 litres and offers 10 cooking functions. The oven also has a safe-to-touch, triple-glazed door and an EverClean enamel interior.

Other Smeg appliances include the Smeg 35-litre SA37X microwave oven, which has many pre-programmed power levels and menus and sequence programming.

For easy clean-up, a Smeg dishwasher is positioned in the island. Special features of Smeg dishwashers include the Orbital wash system, which system provides two spray arms that operate in opposite directions to ensure water is evenly distributed for a perfect wash.

The Smeg appliance family is also fully co-ordinated to create a streamlined, elegant kitchen, as required by the owners of this kitchen.

For additional information, visit www.smeg.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas