Kitchen Design Think Tank

In order to captivate and delight an audience a theatre must have two working elements; a front of house and a back stage.   The front of house is organised, deliberate and confidently projects a professional and artistic ambience to those in attendance.   Backstage can be busier, more chaotic and is the engine room for success. This kitchen by Mal Corby is complex because it understands its user!   Designed for a professional Chef this kitchen provides versatility and performance in two separate zones.   Front of house presents a mouth watering array of colour, texture and light.   The monolithic island is designed to allow sociability to flourish and yet it can be argued that the lack of stools make the design a little more artistic.   Light is embraced, nurtured and celebrated within the design adding definition to the island and providing some interesting secondary features, with glossy panels reflecting the light beyond its physical reality!  ...

It is said that opposites attract and here we see how contemporary kitchen design can become timelessly elegant though the sympathetic use of classically styled architecture.   The quiet respect is mutual with both architecture and kitchen benefiting from the relationship.   The kitchen brings a fresh, youthful energy to the space, delivering the required amount of functional and sensory impact expected of any new kitchen.   The architecture keeps the kitchen upstart in check, keeping the atmosphere grounded and bringing a tried and tested safety to the design.     This type of relationship is blossoming but cannot be reversed as traditional kitchens do not work well with contemporary architecture!   Or maybe we just haven’t seen it done properly yet!? Hmmmmmm!

This design is so clean and fresh; it is not over designed and radiates an air of quiet sophistication that requires appreciation.   The architecture and decor are permitted to envelop the units along the back wall which have been embroidered with a delicate but mathematically precise matrix.   The similarity of colour used here fuses all of the design disciplines together allowing the contrasting island to stand out as a significant feature. The island looks natural, man-made, as though it has been crafted by hands who appreciate traditional woodworking techniques.   But the lines here show that this island has been spawned from a mind with contemporary vision and an appreciation of the purity of simple forms. The Mogul approves.

There has been a lot of effort put into this design in order to make it progressively different.   The overall look is great with many of the contemporary “must have” design features being included; but could it be argued that this design is trying too hard? The island dominates the space and gives credence to the idea that the modern kitchen can be inspired by an island alone, and that if this element is designed correctly you don’t really need anything else.   The islands dominance is helped further by it being positioned at an angle to the surrounding architecture creating the minimal, art gallery feel.   But you really need to have ample room at home to get away with this idea, and you may have to present a strong case to your client, as doing this certainly eats up floor space.   There is loads of worktop area here and The Mogul loves the off-set open shelves on the front of the island which are functional and offer a beautiful camouflage for potential...