Kitchen Design Think Tank

You can expect to see more and more of this in 2011, but to be honest it may take until 2012 before this type of thing really takes off!   This kitchen design by Grattarola shows how the human imagination can manipulate the eye, to trick the brain into following the most obvious visible contours of a design, leaving the actual functional elements of the kitchen disguised...or at least less obvious! 3D kitchen art is moving from the realms of concept to the mainstream arena.   And its about time too, as for too long the simplicity of making flat kitchen doors has created an economic reason for churning them out.    This concept creates some real interest for the viewer, light and shadow just drip from every raised element, inviting you to look and investigate the design further.   This idea works brilliantly in a room that gets lots of natural light and it would also be a lighting designers dream.     This idea is so simple and yet so effectiv...

The Mogul thinks that this image is great.   The understated colour within the kitchen invites a dynamic interaction with the natural light coming from the long bank of glass doors, making the kitchen change its appearance at different times of the day.   The kitchen has been seamlessly integrated into the architecture along the back wall and the overall room is given a vibrancy though the clever placement of colourful artwork!  Kitchen, nature and interior design are amplifiers for each other giving this space a great feel!  Really nice Job!

There is a great presence in this design by Saporiti Italia drawing the viewer in and presenting hidden treasures at every turn.   The main focal point of the design is the island which looks as though it has been forged by the hand of an ancient Mayan stone mason.   There is a compromise here in that the ultimate functional possibilities for the island have been purposely restricted to enable the aesthetical beauty of this monolith to be adored in all its splendor!   But that’s not all; this design considers that the kitchen is a functional art installation and that there should be an appreciation of light and of all three dimensional planes.   Some of the doors have been etched, again reminiscent of Mayan artwork, to invite light and shadows!   Add to this mix a simple linear matrix, modern materials such as coloured glass, quartz worktops and LED lights and this kitchen is an understated functional beauty! The Mogul Approves!

So you are thinking of buying a kitchen for your new house.   You’ve spent a lot of time getting the design of your new house just right and you have invested a fair bit of your hard earned cash in the process...what kind of kitchen do you want, what kind of kitchen do you need. Do you rush out and visit the local sheds who can sell you something that is definitely fit for purpose and looks quite good, or do you decide to find a kitchen designer with vision who will design a kitchen that will be an anchor onto which you will tether your new house and your future home life. This kitchen lives up to the surrounding architecture by presenting a solid granite island that is suitable for the sacrificial slaughter of anything un-stylish or un-cool!   There is raw power in this design from the primitive use of the material to the socially impressive cost of the installation. The Mogul loves this expression of wealth!

Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud has angered the kitchen industry by openly criticising the relative value of furniture at different ends of the market saying it's all the same!   In his book “43 Principles of Home” he says:   "Frankly, the best made kitchens in the world are still 'carcassed out' using orientated strand board, chipboard or plywood. Structurally, there's a negligible difference in quality between the £5,000 kitchen and its £50,000 equivalent."   Below you will read The Mogul’s thoughts on this issue: (source KBB Review) "The Kevin McCloud debate is a positive process for the kitchen industry because it is making us take a serious look at ourselves!  We all know how the cost of materials and overheads can vary, and that these factors will cause serious product price differences; but what value is given to the intellectual property of the designer? This debate overlaps with the ongoing issue of kitchen and bathroom design quality ...

Just imagine what is possible using Corian!!  Future Kitchens may be integrated into the surrounding architecture....Functional Kitchen Art!

When Jan Jaap Ruijssenaars graduated from university as an architect he realised that everything within his chosen discipline was dictated by gravity!   He spent the next 6 years devising a way of defying this natural force.   The resulting platform or bed is repelled from the floor using magnets both in the floor and in the bed.   The working 1:5 model can carry a load of 80KG and the full scale model will be able to carry an impressive 900kg.       This is an exceptional example of how someone can test the limitations of our imagination and achieve something that may change our future expectations.   The consequence of this advance may be felt in many design disciplines in the future, including kitchen design, and that is why The Mogul feels that this bed is worthy of a slot on KDTT.   The only boundary to this design is the cost!   Being estimated at $1.54 Million Dollars this design is certainly elitist, but through time it may become les...

Smile Guys...you've been Mogulled!! Absolutely fantastic kitchen by Brigitte Kitchens...Love the colour...soft but very hedonistic!!

It is always important to consider that the kitchen is not just for cooking....it is an expression of self identity and style to be enjoyed.   The “kitchen experience” can indulge all of the five senses creating a personal catalogue of memories associated with the space.   Surely kitchen design must be more fully appreciated as a complicated translation of human nature and therefore gain more recognition as a functional art form...   This idea is pivotal to The Mogul’s evaluation of the Kevin McCloud debate about the kitchen industry.   More on that issue later!

This design from Nolte Kitchens continues the trend of mixing a wood veneer finish with a pale gloss or satin finshed door to provide variety and warmth to the overall aesthetic.   This idea is extremely commercial at the moment as clients feel that more vibrant or monochrome designs, although fashionable statements of individual style, will simply not last the test of time! Kitchen design is actually part of the fashion industry with cutting edge designs presenting themselves as a dominant feature in any personal space.   It’s about time some of the designers got a little credit! Does The Mogul also see some asymmetrical design happening here?  

This is the kitchen that would have greeted Elvis Presley every morning!!  How things have moved on since the late 60's.  Is that carpet on the floor???

A nice little white number by Nobilia.   Love the etched glass and symmetrical design....with an asymmetrical twist on the base units! 

This design by Störmer Küchen is on display at the Living Kitchen show in Cologne right now.   It is interesting to see how the boundaries between kitchen and living space have become blurred!   This idea is going to be increasingly popular in the coming years as kitchens are now the functional backdrop to our home lives. Love the use of LED lighting to the underside of the worktop and the wall units also look great!   Check out the asymmetrical nature of design which is made more orderly by the linear matrix of the doors and drawers….. another trend for 2011! More from Cologne coming soon! www. imm - cologne .com

This island is impressive, dominating the space and presenting itself as a metal monolith for gastronomic gratification!   It is also very pleasing on the eye and is loaded to the back teeth with stuff!! The features include; laser etched stainless steel worktops and doors, an integrated warming worktop that heats up to 40 degrees C, an integrated chilling worktop that cools to 4 degrees C, integrated induction cooking, a vertical dish warmer, a concealed under worktop lift oven.... DEEP BREATH!!!! An Electric pull-out table with touch controls and two positions: complete (table) and partial (snack bar). A ceiling-mounted extraction unit in modular lengths (BRILLIANT) , an LED lighting system, There is a pocket door system integrating washing, pantry, cooking and oven units. And finally in order to relax after all that exertion there is a wine storage unit featuring flush doors with Stopsol double-glazing and magnetic seals. And there is always the possibility that someone wi...

Like minded people can, and will gravitate towards each other! When this occurs radical new ideas can develop quickly and become more widely accepted, having a long term impact on our set of expectations.   The Mogul believes that Kitchen Design is a functional art form impacting individuals on a sensory and spiritual level; it is therefore encouraging to find another group of people who have a similar ethos! MOKA or Modern Kitchen Art developed the Superma range with flexibility and efficiency in mind but what makes this kitchen different is the fact that the designers have released the power of light!   Translucent materials and Led’s allow this kitchen to explore the interactive possibilities of not actually being used.   When in standby the kitchen can become intrusive or invisible and it can also complement the surrounding architecture and the personal lifestyle of the user.   Kitchen Design is evolving into a multi-levelled design discipline that can deliver...

It is amazing that some people can think that designing a kitchen is child’s play!   But with kitchen design having functional, cultural, social, artistic and holistic implications it could prove foolhardy to underestimate this particular discipline.   Here though we see a brilliantly expressive piece of functional art.     Made up of 20,000 individual pieces of Lego and taking a week to complete this concept is blatantly artistic.   It is also interesting to observe how the creators, Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti have been so obviously random with the placement of the individual pieces of Logo, making no attempt to create a pattern.   The randomness highlights the size of each individual element and therefore reflects the amount of time it has taken to create the design; which could be translated as being a key element of the art itself.    Look forward to telling the fitting teams that they’re installing 20 of these!

You can almost hear the sweet but somewhat threatening sound of the Godfather theme music here as this kitchen is certainly trigger happy when it comes to styling!   Super-ornate and expressing class division this one is not for everyone...including The Mogul!   But you cannot fault the craftsmanship here and sheer decadence!   I suppose it’s like middle aged men wearing white socks with leather sandals; you either think it is okay or not!   There is no in between!!

Shape shifting kitchens are brilliant because they cause us to question what is important about kitchen design.   There is a permanent but healthy conflict between making the kitchen more versatile and delivering satisfaction on the “human factor”.   Smaller, transforming and more technologically advanced kitchens can be seen as the way forward but the “human factor” is the most important element in any design. The Mogul feels that many concept kitchens can deliver on function and ergonomics but they are perceived as cold and space age...a kitchen of the future which is detached from the relationships of today! The “human factor” can be defined by conversations, people, memories, smells and an overall sense of place.   I’m sure you can all remember the kitchen of your childhood!   Would those memories be any different if your kitchen looked like this?

These ideas highlight the relationship between the kitchen and the surrounding architecture.   Here we see a reminder that the relationship between these two separate elements is crucial and that it would be naive to think that they are independent!   And it’s not to say that a contemporary kitchen needs to be placed into a modern dwelling; it can actually mean the complete opposite, with appropriately designed contemporary kitchens providing the quirky contradiction to a traditionally designed period dwelling.   The deciding factor in all of this, and the one thing that determines the success of any design are the individual preferences of the personalities who animate the space.   Getting the balance right can create a functional, calming influence on our home lives!

Welcome to the open minded world of three dimensional kitchen pod design...The kitchen becomes the epicentre of the entire space as the architecture evolves around it! The Mogul approves.  Maybe the kitchen designer and the architect did manage to have that chat!