Stepping in and standing out

Designed by Lara Farmilo, Akzente

From the designer: 

For this renovation, the owners wanted a sleek, elegant, yet striking kitchen using matt finishes. 

Most elements are black with the introduction of warmth through timber veneer and other textured materials.

The homeowners' priority was to have the kitchen integrated with the home’s architecture, and this shaped the kitchen and bar design. 

There were structural columns and beams to consider when designing the kitchen, not to mention the staircase that ran behind the kitchen space. 

These were all concealed within the kitchen design.

The owners request for concealed LED lighting was a strong consideration for the many recessed lighting tracks around and within the kitchen. 

The use of LED lighting helped to soften the very dark materials selected. 

The Panda White honed marble splashback has been lit from behind to emphasise its beauty as a subtle evening backdrop.

The twenty custom-made cylinder lights above the island and task lighting within the wall units provide the task lighting while cooking.

This kitchen has more than one function; with the hidden bar around the corner providing an entertaining zone for the more casual bar-leaning functions. 

This worked for our homeowners’ lifestyle and the way the house was shaped provided a cosy nook to help achieve this.

Corian was selected for the benchtop, as this allowed for a seamless island without any visible joins. 

Its floating length of over 3900mm makes for a piece of art within the large scaled room. 

Corian is also used to the underside of all open areas, concealing yet again more LED recessed lighting for the pull-out timber trays.

The selection of Gaggenau appliances allow us to carefully consider what was on display and what was integrated, keeping the glass-fronted, tall wine cooler and 76cm wide ovens as the feature of the back wall.

Being that we were limited on available benchtop space across the back of the kitchen wall due to the hidden columns, we opted for a pantry system that the owners were able to conceal behind pocket doors when it wasn’t in use. 

All cabinet interiors were either in stone grey or nut tree timber to complement the kitchen fronts.

We minimised the use of handles by selecting motor drive for all of the drawers and pull-outs while maintaining a functional vertical, black handle for the tall cupboards and integrated fridges.

There are many subtle, yet striking features within this kitchen that are eye-catching, but when seen all together tell a lovely, harmonious story.

Designed by: Lara Farmilo, Akzente

Story by: Poggenpohl Auckland NZ

Photography by: Jamie Cobel