With the warmth of wood Linea Smeg appliances from Applico used in kitchen design

The choice of materials will obviously affect the look and style of the kitchen, but it also has a strong impact on whether it feels cramped or spacious.

In the kitchen featured on these pages, designer Irene James of James Trent Design had a fairly tight space to work with.

"A small area had been allocated for the kitchen, but we wanted it to look as spacious as possible, to suit the rest of this new home," she says. "And because the kitchen didn't get afternoon sun, we also needed to warm the room up."

James chose cabinetry with clean lines and concealed handles, and paired it with a neutral colour scheme of white lacquer, stainless steel, grey and American oak veneer for the cabinetry and appliances.

"We thought these Smeg appliances were absolutely stunning, so we designed the kitchen around them. The design enhances the clean lines of the kitchen, and the stainless steel works really well with the warm tones of the timber," says the designer.

"I have found a lot of people design their kitchens to go with these particular appliances. They work well with colour schemes that include blacks, whites, greys and timber tones."

The kitchen includes two Smeg 60cm pyrolytic multifunction wall ovens from the Linea range. These ovens each offer a 68-litre cooking capacity, electronic control and digital LED display. In glass and fingerprint-proof satin stainless steel, the finish is easy to look after, and rear illuminated polycarbonate knobs add to the simple, clean-lined appearance.

Centred above the ovens is a Smeg 100cm-wide gas cooktop, also from the Linea series. With all four gas burners in a row, this model enhances the horizontal lines of the kitchen. It, too, has rear illuminated polycarbonate knobs, which are located in front of each element for simplicity of use. James opted for a graphic finish for the cooktop. The mark-resistant coating is easy to keep clean.

This kitchen is fitted with a Smeg 72cm-wide Powerpack, which is built into an overhead cabinet. The Powerpack has a four-speed fan, two halogen lights and an extraction rate of up to 700m³ per hour. Push-button controls under the front edge ensure it is simple to operate.

With Advanced Sensor Control (ASC), the ventilation control can be set by the homeowner to automatic. Once this is done, the rangehood will turn on once either excess vapour or temperature is sensed. It will then automatically turn off once these are eliminated.

Concealed behind a panel of American oak veneer is a newly introduced Smeg integrated dishwasher. With the control panel located on the top edge of the dishwasher, it integrates seamlessly into the cabinetry. This model marks the introduction of FlexiZone, a new half-load option that allows the user to load both baskets without any restrictions.

For additional information on Smeg appliances, you can visit the website: www.smeg.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas