Contemporary tastes

Your first impression of a house is generally a good guide as to whether you will like it enough to feel at home in it. However, it also needs to measure up on the inside if you are to consider living in it. And a well-designed kitchen is a major contributor to a good first impression.

The home featured on these pages was built by David Reid Homes. It was designed for a family lifestyle, with a master suite upstairs and three bedrooms on the ground floor, open-plan living areas, a study, a designer kitchen and bathrooms, and a multi-room audio system.

The modern kitchen with its dark chocolate cabinetry features integrated stainless steel appliances from Smeg.

Mike Gould of David Reid Homes says his company regularly specifies Smeg appliances for its projects because of their reliability, and because of the level of service provided by the company.

"We felt these appliances were well-suited to this home, because of their streamlined, modern look," he says.

This home features a 70cm-wide, five-burner gas hob with a wok burner from Smeg's Piano series. Appliances in this range are pressed from a single sheet of steel, so they have no joints or difficult corners to maintain. An easy-to-clean hob surface and stainless steel knobs, pan stands and burner caps add to the sleek appearance.

Also from the Piano Series is the underbench oven, which has 10 functions including a grill element, a full- and half-fan grill option, conventional baking, fan forced baking and defrost. A digital electronic clock and programmer allow you to cook meals even when you are not in the house.

To make cleaning less of a chore, the oven has an easily removable door and stay-clean liners. A triple-glazed door ensures the oven is safe to touch, even when it has been on for some time.

To complement the oven, a Smeg stainless steel microwave at bench height is fitted within a trim kit.

On the island, close to the sink, a Smeg stainless steel dishwasher is integrated into the cabinetry. It features a delay timer, six wash programmes, and a five-stage filter system for an improved washing result. A half-load option caters for small washes, and a three-level tilting upper basket makes stacking more efficient.

Convenient storage of perishable food is provided by a Smeg side-by-side 546 litre refrigerator and freezer.

For details about Smeg appliances, visit the websites: www.applico.co.nz or www.trendsideas.com.

Or visit David Reid Homes showhome, 4 Twomey Drive, Pukekohe, open 12-4pm seven days a week, phone 0800 000 007. Website: www.davidreidhomes.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas