Under the spotlight

An interest in the dramatic impact of commercial film sets provided the inspiration for this holiday home's kitchen, in what was once an old barn.

Architect Jay Deguchi of Suyama Peterson Deguchi says the owner wanted the kitchen to be an eye-catching centrepiece within the rustic barn.

"It had to be flamboyant and different. He enjoys technology, and liked the idea of having machines juxtaposed against the primitive barn."

The barn is T-shaped and lined with cedar tongue-and-groove panelling. The kitchen occupies one bar of the T and opens onto the living area, which includes space for storing the owner's car and motorcycle collection.

To create a sophisticated, modern look, wall-mounted cabinetry is finished in a highly polished, stainless steel veneer. Appliances are integrated and grilles above the refrigerator and ventilation units line up with the top of the cabinetry.

To complement this, the 6m-long island is topped by a long sheet of stainless steel that wraps over it from end to end.

"The sheet was delivered in one huge coil, and when we unrolled it, we were struck by its natural leather-like texture. We decided to just clean it, rather than polishing it like the wall cabinetry.

"This gave us the opportunity to retain the organic beauty of the raw stainless steel, and to play with the differences in the character and finishes of the steel," says the architect.

To reinforce the contrast, the sink was finished to a smooth, refined and highly polished state. The linen surface of the orange phenolic resin panels on the door and drawer fronts of cabinetry in the island introduces another texture to the space.

To top it off, three large fibreglass lamps painted orange on the inside and with a stainless steel shade illuminate the space.

"The kitchen area is so large that it needed some definition above the island. These fittings are dramatic and cast a glow over the whole space," says Deguchi.

Story by: Mary Webb