Kitchen Design Think Tank

Some of the simplest things in our world have the ability to convey a powerful message, sometimes powerful enough to encourage lifestyle choices.   Just as some individuals will long for the sun to rise above the monolithic structure of Stonehenge in order to find perspective and direction in their lives, so too will inspiration be found in this clever format of functional shapes. Forget what you know and imagine what can be!   The kitchen is now a more compact, efficient and purposeful series of units that have the ability to inspire the people who revolve around its artistic epicentre of function.   The kitchen has also grown up...just like a stroppy teenager, it has detached itself from its architectural and self-righteous parents...the kitchen now stands alone and demands some serious attention. Kitchen Design is changing!

This fantasy set up has a feminine allure; crisp, suggestive and completely practical!   Love it!

Flaunting a gravity defying cantilever that would have Sir Isaac Newton scratching his head this kitchen makes a design statement.   Matched equally with the shape shifting qualities needed to enable a smooth transition between states of use this design by Key Cucine is great.    The Mogul loves the functional versatility here and how the asymmetry along the back wall counter balances the cantilever!   This kitchen has everything; good looks, social space, transformational qualities and even a KitchenAid combination hob for a versatile and controlled cooking experience....Extractor??

What you were supposed to see!

Imagine that you have never seen or used a kitchen before, imagine that the kitchen design rule book has been thrown out the window and you now have an opportunity to design a kitchen that functions well and looks beautiful.   Would you create something like this? This design has all the influence of new age kitchen design and illustrates perfectly how the kitchen is now the focal point of our home lives.   The modern kitchen has “come out” of its architectural closet and now enjoys prancing around our home demanding our adoration.   The modern kitchen is no longer classified as an ineffective series of air filled boxes covering every possible inch of wall space; kitchens are now smaller, detached from the floor, asymmetrically balanced and designed with finesse and artistic flair.   There is now great attention to hidden detail which gives the kitchen confidence to subtly dominate our living space.   This design is brilliant and The Mogul would be happy with ...

This kitchen is loosely defined; falling into the social space as though it has just been off loaded from a VW Camper with a surf board strapped to the roof.   This design is not bothered about conformity, it manages to function and look cool...what else do you need!   This concept is fantastically relaxed offering a great blend of steal, stone and wood veneer, but with two ovens the design is prepared for guests but unfortunately the preparation zone isn’t! Abstract and trendy this kitchen tests our expectations of what a kitchen should be but The Mogul can’t help but get a dentist surgery feeling from the cleaning and cooking zone!  

The Mogul is guessing that the ceiling has just separated to allow the fashionable, boxed extraction system to descend!! Is this the perfect kitchen, for the perfect concrete bunker, for the perfect James Bond villain? Fantastic!

This is a melting pot of ideas and materials that works fantastically well giving the design an edgy feel without striking fear into those who are looking for a more traditional style!   The skeletal metal framework gives this kitchen a modular and progressive appearance while the use of natural wood veneers provides a welcoming reassurance; softening the overall look in order to make it more mainstream palatable.   Free hanging units, skewed symmetry and cleverly integrated holistic lighting provides visual stimulation for the viewer while the island provides a merry mix of function and sociability. The Mogul feels that this design by Bazzeo is a real hybrid, attempting to give clients the holy grail of kitchen solutions; the perfect ultra-contemporary kitchen that is completely traditional and totally ageless.   Enjoy!

The kitchen has become detached, removed from the historical rock unto which it has always clung.   The surrounding architecture creates space, defines scale and perspective but the modern kitchen appears to no longer need these architectural manacles!   The mogul even begins to question the future existence of the kitchen as we recognise it today.   The kitchen is becoming an island and that island is becoming a table!   Is there the distinct possibility that in the future functionality will be preceded by sociability, or that the two elements will fuse that closely with technology that the kitchen table will facilitate all our needs!! This may all sound like fantasy but look at some of these images including the N1 robot table and see if you can see into the future!!

The kitchen has truly become the backdrop to our home lives!   A functionally adaptable and socially welcoming space!

This image is striking showing us a vision of the future while reminding us of the past.   The kitchen sits within a frame of decaying architecture, a frame showing the impact of time and human activity.   The wall units of this kitchen appear to caress and shelter the base units, protecting their beauty from the ravages of the worn surroundings.     The smooth, gloss finishes incorporated into the design contrast strongly with the worktops amplifying the overall appearance of this kitchen.   However the strongest feature is the asymmetrical and unbalanced nature of the design which is given even more presence through the use of a strong linear door matrix. Enter the rustic timber tables and the juxtaposition of this design and image is complete!  

Kitchen pods and dreams!   The Mogul loves this!!

There is something not right here...you just can’t put your finger on it!   Don’t misunderstand The Mogul as it could be just a personal preference, but those fantastically muscular appliances along the back wall don’t sit well within this streamlined contemporary design!   Both the kitchen design and the appliances are great...but just not together! The overall look is impressive, incorporating some cutting edge asymmetrical design theories and multi-unit levels to add interest and increase functional capacity.   The lower area in the foreground provides a casual landing area for your guests to crash and nibble but The Mogul must again question the appeal of this informal seating area!   Cold, hard surfaces may not appear all that inviting to “crashing guests”, lack of back support may also mean that this would be a “short sit”! The area is probably too low for preparation but would work well as an informal, integrated coffee table, ideal for canapés and champa...

Are those ovens in the living room?

The Mogul loves how the ovens have been left sitting on the worktop as though the fitting team has removed them from the packaging and forgotten to actually fit them. The design looks brilliant but you have to question the amount of preparation space available within this design.   Remember; function is the foundation for kitchen design and there appears to be an intimate relationship developing between the cleaning and cooking zones here with a limited amount of space available to the right hand side of the hob.   It could also be argued that the absent minded fitter should have placed the ovens closer to the end of the worktop giving the end user more, unbroken preparation space.   However, The Mogul would concede that by doing this the design would become less aesthetically appealing, so top marks to that aesthetically astute fitter!!  The end user might eat out a lot! However this design does consider function as the designers have used a Blum Syncromotion Corner...

A few words spoken softly can be more powerful than shouting in anger!   Contemporary kitchen design has the ability to whisper softly enough to be heard on many levels.   This kitchen agrees with the architecture and the quiet murmurings between the disciplines project a powerful statement of style. It is always said that the quiet party within any conversation is controlling it...maybe you are unusually quiet because your jaw is scraping against the floor in total awe of what you see! Kitchen design is changing!!

This kitchen is smooth and sophisticated offering a subtle introduction to functional kitchen art.   The wall units defy convention and resist the temptation to embrace, instead they repel against each other as though a predetermined force field prohibits an interaction.     The un-natural voids between these units present the opportunity for the lighting box shelving to create an interesting ambient effect.   The combination of the lighting and the artistic position of the wall units give this design a moody edge! The dominance of the thick set stainless steel bridging worktop is obvious, as the lower shelving unit knees beneath it in a weighted submission.   This low open shelf unit carries a great burden; and just as Heracles struggled to hold up the heavens this aspect of the design shoulders great responsibility allowing the kitchen to blend effortlessly into the living space. The Mogul approves!

Natural elements can bring out the basic instinct within us allowing innate, subconscious memories to surface.   No two materials do this better than wood and stone. This design emphasises the simplicity of the chosen materials by omitting the wall units and introducing some “plank like” shelving along the back wall.   This brilliantly clean feature gives the end user the option of displaying some of their personal functionality, making the space their own!   The overall effect is enhanced by the having two opposing, plinth-less monoliths that are harnessed together by the tall, recessed units along the right hand wall.   The overall effect is to create an impressively minimal but functionally adaptable space. Enter some asymmetry!   A two legged table that cosy’s up to the island and off-sets the picture.   This feature is very strong and could easily accommodate a long line of hungry mouths.   Just as well the cook is protected within the eddy of fun...

Behold!   A sand blasted blue granite creation that has the ability to unbalance the current trajectory of accepted kitchen design.   A glimpse through this wormhole of design, space and time gives moderate designers a taste of what is coming; a selfish and incredibly stylish example of functional art by Minotticucine.   Jaw droppingly brilliant!!

There are many things in life that help to define who we are; where we live, the clothes we wear and the car we drive all help to identify our place in society.   The kitchen however reaches beyond materialistic values and presents an opportunity for cultural, social and family unity within the sanctuary of the home.   The kitchen defines who we are, what we like, how we eat and how we live.    We are already part of a kitchen culture.   The kitchen culture is influenced by fashion, art, food, technology, architecture and the need for personal comfort and that is why the kitchen of tomorrow has become a complex , multi layered product that can be tailored to every individual set of lifestyle choices.   The kitchen shown above by MVK Italia illustrates how the modern kitchen can be defined by the units that are not actually there.   This image is strong and shows that a kitchen can actually be used to define the space surrounding it.   The Kitchen...