Weathered charm

Industrial chic is the name of the game for this family/entertainers' kitchen, offering every high-tech touch along with distressed surfaces

Designed by Lara Farmilo, Akzente/Poggenpohl

From the designer:

A well-travelled family with adult children have renovated this home to become their oasis.

From relaying the floors to landscaping the gardens, everything has been done ‘just as they want it’.

Going from a pokey, dark coloured kitchen to what is now an open-plan, light kitchen, the transformation has changed the way the home is used, and linked the several adjoining rooms together.

As the owners love to entertain large groups, seating for all of their guests at the island was paramount.

The resulting 4.2m-long island allowed for their required 10 seats.

In addition, with the owners being lovers of entertaining, choosing the right cooking equipment was essential.

The vast selection of Gaggenau appliances provided the owners with the latest technology and features on offer.

From the induction with the built in downdraft to the 76cm wide steam oven and oven, any kind of cooking is now possible.

The only way to maximise the storage was

The placement of appliances has created different working zones within the kitchen and who can entertain without a bar?

Down one end of the kitchen we have the cooking zone and at the other we have the bar, including an automatic coffee machine, built in wine cooler, small sink and an instant hot water tap.

With the long list of required appliances, the space left for storage was less than ideal, so we needed to use any space we had.

However, the footprint was pre-determined by the length of the room and a column which was is concealed within the cabinetry.

The only way to maximise the storage was to have back-to-back units on the island, plinth drawers in the toekick spaces – and to go up, hence the use of the full height cabinetry along the back wall.

Downdraft convenience. - Weathered charm -

The all-stone alcove is a night-time feature and a relief from the solid block of cabinetry.

With its tinted glass doors, floating 3mm stainless steel shelves and LED strip light there are a lot of little details that work harmoniously together.

Handle-less appliances and cabinetry avoid any confusion – allowing the alcove to pop!