Catering for two or 20

Downsizing your home when the children leave the nest isn't always the best option, especially if they are likely to be frequent visitors with family of their own.

When the owners of this home undertook a renovation project they upsized their kitchen despite the fact that there are now just two of them living in the family home.

Designer Celia Visser of Visser Design says the new kitchen is much bigger and provides a better link to other areas of the house. It also created enough space for the new Fisher & Paykel appliances they wanted. These were chosen with the extended family in mind, so there is a double oven, a Double DishDrawer and a large Active Smart refrigerator.

Visser says the Fisher & Paykel appliances not only helped determine the layout of the kitchen, they also influenced its design.

"I really love the look of the new Designer Series these appliances also fitted with the owners' desire for a crisp, clean look," she says. "Consequently, the kitchen was designed around the flush, square-edged look of this series. The island benchtop, for example, has the same edge treatment. The drawers and handles also echo the sleek, streamlined styling of the appliances."

Visser says the white cabinetry, white Corian benchtops, and colour-backed glass panels complement the stainless steel finish of the appliances. The watery surfaces also reflect the home's proximity to the sea, and the owners' love of boating.

For owner Dorothy Turner, the appliances have made catering for a crowd a lot easier. She says the double oven comes into its own when the family gather, but she frequently just uses the lower oven when she is cooking for two.

"You can get two smaller dishes side by side in the lower oven, which is ideal for roasting veges."

Dorothy Turner says she is also appreciating the size of her Active Smart refrigerator.

"For the first time I actually have enough space for everything," she says.

Active Smart intelligence continually monitors and maximises the refrigerator's performance.

Fisher & Paykel recently released a new Active Smart Ice & Water refrigerator with the family in mind. This refrigerator introduces an automatic ice-maker and an external filtered water dispenser. The company says the new dispenser, which appears on two of its models, is designed so it doesn't compromise the refrigerator's capacity.

The Fisher & Paykel Double DishDrawer also provides the flexibility to cope with a crowd or a couple. And it helps keep the kitchen tidy.

"You don't have smelly dishes sitting around, as there's always a free drawer waiting to be filled," says Turner.

Other Fisher & Paykel appliances in this kitchen include a ceramic cooktop with soft-touch controls. This has a completely flat profile in keeping with the flush lines of the other appliances.

For further details on all Fisher & Paykel products, phone 0800 FP Care (372 273). Or visit the website: www.fisherpaykel.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas