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A kitchen set in an open-plan environment has to work well on two fronts. It must reflect the essence of the surrounding living spaces and also address the day-to-day functionality required by the home's owners.

The kitchen shown here is part of a home that celebrates fine craftsmanship and a love of natural materials. On a more practical level, the kitchen has to accommodate large, catered gatherings and offer a sense of privacy when these functions are in progress. Architect Lane Williams explains how his design addresses these aesthetic and practical objectives.

"Visually, the kitchen reflects the attention to craftsmanship found throughout the home," he says. "An example is in the banks of cabinetry at the rear of the space. The cabinet doors are deliberately reminiscent in scale and proportion to the paneling found on the exterior doors of the home. At the same time, horizontal detailing separating the cupboards echoes characteristics of the adjacent family room ceiling."

On the family room ceiling, strips of wood sandwich and also stand proud of individual trusses, creating an intricate woodcraft feature. The separating elements on the cabinetry follow the identical design feature, this time in miniature.

"Aesthetics give the kitchen a feeling of individuality as well as a sense of belonging," says Williams. "Here, the walls of cabinetry are painted, unlike much wood cabinetry in the home, partly to provide this sense of differentiation. A second reason was to avoid overdoing the extensive wood surfaces already found on the floors and ceilings of the home."

The large island is in wood, however, with contrasting metal elements on the base and under the countertop, giving it a feel of being more part of the home's furniture than part of the cabinetry.

"The scale of the island is indicative of the owners' love of entertaining. Professional caterers often use this space," says Williams. "When these gatherings are in progress a large sliding wall panel can be drawn out from an adjacent corridor, shielding party-goers from the activity in the kitchen."

Despite the kitchen's substantial size, Williams created a relatively small work triangle by placing the prep sink and cooktop in the island. Along the side wall a second clean-up area has two dishwashers flanking the main sink, to accommodate dinner party-size dish loads when required.

Story by: Trendsideas