Urban chic

An apartment with spectacular 360° views poses its own challenges for designers the interior needs to work with the view rather than fight it. And with floor-to-ceiling windows all round, wall cabinets can be constricted.

This kitchen, in a new midtown Manhattan high-rise, replaces a galley-style room with openings at either end. Kitchen designer Robert Schwartz, of St Charles of New York, says the original kitchen was open to the entry, which meant guests would enter and immediately find themselves walking through the kitchen.

"Closing off this opening provided a more intimate greeting area and entry through the living room. It also created a more cohesive, U-shaped kitchen in place of the two fragmented galley walls."

To ensure the city skyline would remain the focal point, the kitchen design is intentionally sleek, urban and low-key. White lacquered cabinets provide a highly reflective surface for the natural light pouring in from the full-height windows. These cabinets are paired with an end wall of stainless steel cabinetry. As well as visually isolating the vertical elements, stainless steel clads the toekicks, creating the impression that the white cabinets are floating off the stainless platform.

"The sense of lightness is enhanced by open shelving and translucent upper display cabinets, which feature laminated glass with a sandwich layer of fine, mesh-like fabric," says Schwartz. "The same type of glass is used for the backsplash, and the glass hood provides a similar floating element on the opposite wall."

To maintain a streamlined look, the quartz countertops include an integrated sink and a sleek, ceramic cooktop. The quartz also features on a built-in breakfast table. To further link the kitchen to the rest of the apartment, the cabinetry on one side curves around into a casual sitting area.

Story by: Trendsideas