Changing moods

Even in a home with the most dramatic living and dining areas, visitors still seem to find their way into the kitchen. As an avid entertainer, this brings you the opportunity to regale guests with a different look from the formal rooms.

This kitchen forms part of a contemporary rethink of a classic Victorian home by interior designer Jiun Ho. While other rooms have dark walls and a generally restrained decor, the new kitchen has a lighter tone, emphasized by the prevalence of windows and doors in this area of the residence.

"The central dark cabinetry element and the island both link to the living and dining areas, but the pale green walls and white cabinetry on either side of the wall counter bring a breezier tone," says Ho. "Given that the client's friends tend to move through the public rooms into this space, we decided to introduce something really special here.

"The milk glass backsplash has hundreds of computer-controlled LCD lights set behind it these can generate a million different color hues or be set to prearranged programs."

The kitchen is considered in practical terms for entertaining as well. A substantial, 12ft-long island has a deep sink for cleaning the large pots required when catering for parties.

The white cabinetry facades are intended to recede visually, and a large cabinet door to the right of the cooktop hides a compartmentalized storage system where everything has its place.

"This kitchen makes connections with the other rooms, but has a personality of its own," says Ho. "Recessed task lighting in channels adds to the room's individuality."

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: David Livingston