Tall and handsome

Designed by Lara Farmilo, Akzente

From the designer:

For this kitchen, the owners wanted a very functional space, one in which the sink and hob were set on the island – from where they could work and look out to the garden and pool, says designer Lara Farmilo at Akzente.

"In addition they wanted a kitchen that they could be proud of, functionally and visually, when entertaining guests, but in which they hardly ever had to ‘give their backs to the guests'."

And as the existing kitchen – dating back to 1920s – had minimal existing storage, the wall behind the new kitchen would need to store everything from appliances, food, crockery, cleaning needs and linen to AV equipment.

In addition, the owners wanted the kitchen cabinetry to be completely handleless, the refrigeration too, and for there to be a hidden coffee and tea area. 

To satisfy all these needs the owners had chosen a German kitchen, engineered with everything from timber cutlery inserts to electrically opened drawers without handles. This takes the form of two tall banks of perimeter cabinetry – divided by an entry space – combined with a generous-sized island.

While essentially a wall of white to the onlooker, the cabinetry holds a wealth of functionality.

The coffee/tea station was positioned at the outer end of the right bank of cabinetry directly behind the island. The station disappears from sight when pocket doors absorb the station into the greater wall of white. This location makes it easy and immediate for serving up drinks to family or guests. And to the right of this is an integrated pantry. Beyond this again, the Liebherr refrigerator and freezer units are also fully integrated – opened by electric push-to-open mechanisms. The refrigerator also includes an ice making facility. 

 Plus, while all action takes place on the island, with sink and hob on board, it still achieves an uncluttered look. Reasons include having the down-draft ventilation built into the hob unit and a Zenith mixer tap that can provide hot, cold, boiled and sparkling water from one unit. In another minimalist but highly functional touch, the EVOline Back-flip provides power and USB charging to the island area.

Stepping back, the finishes in the kitchen create a sense of spaciousness. The tall units in white satin silky lacquer accentuate the grand ceiling height as well as maximising the storage capacity.

Even the lighting is minimalist and highly functional. A recessed LED strip lighting under the breakfast bar provides great ambient lighting for night time, while the same LED light system in the bar area gives great task lighting while working within the space.

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Mark Scowen