Picture perfect

One way to increase the apparent size of a space is to borrow visually from another area. Finding an easy connection between an indoor room and an adjacent courtyard, for example, can enhance the sense of volume for both.

This contemporary kitchen and connecting outdoor yard form part of a substantial addition to a classic residence. The design, by architect Adam Grundmann, includes an upscale picture wall running between indoors and out.

"The homeowner's father is an amateur photographer and a close-up from one of his images of the African savannah decorates the wall," says Grundmann. "The graphic connects the spaces at a glance, and makes the courtyard look bigger in its own right as it is difficult to gauge where the landscaping ends and the photo wall takes over."

The feature wall also disguises elements in the kitchen, with the 3mm glass panel edges concealing the lip pulls of inset cabinetry, the outlines of integrated appliances and a pivoting pantry door at left of the cooking niche.

The weatherproof exterior wall section is manufactured from two sheets of glass with the photographic image sealed between them. For the interior section, a less robust treatment was required and the photo is simply back-painted onto the glass panes.

"The backsplash is a double-glazed window, with a backdrop of bamboo in the garden outside," says Grundmann. "I designed the island to look as if it had been drawn out from the cooktop wall niche. Wenge on both the alcove cabinets and the island draws the two together visually and adds warmth to the space."

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Diana Snape