Kitchen Design Think Tank

Having the extraction system suspended from the cabinetry provides this kitchen with some real architectural independence; it also creates a functional bridge uniting the cooking zones in two separate locations.   The tall oven housing is singled out from amongst consumable storage and presents an inverted cantilever to facilitate the needs of the hob!   This feature creates a “wrap around” effect, a soothing embrace that has the power to cocoon and envelop the kitchen user in functionality and precession engineering.   Add to this the elegant combination of walnut and stainless steel which has been detailed to enhance the physical form of the design and you have got a kitchen that will exceed expectations.

This latest offering from Johnny Grey studios ignites the imagination and represents how kitchen design has developed since being released from its architectural confines. There is a shameless contradiction to this design that empowers the viewer to question how something so futuristic can be accompanied by Georgian framed windows.   But that’s the point!   This is cross over piece, an example of how the right designer mixed with the right client can create something that remoulds expectations, allowing functional requirement to overflow into artistic medium! The springboard island is the centre piece and defines the entire design; it has a looming presence which exudes the strength of steel with metal rivet detailing, more commonly found in a 19 th century shipyard adding heritage to the design.   But this glance into the past is overshadowed by the stellar ambience created by this kitchen.   Any potential user will certainly feel in control as though they are steering a motley

This design certainly encourages a second glance as the eye tries to decipher logic within the chaos!   But look past the aesthetic and instead try to grasp the inspiration!   This concept is abstract, asymmetrical, layered and artistic; it also appears to be intimately integrated into the architecture – or is that the other way around!   This is an example of methodical confusion driven by the human need to be artistically extroverted!   In a functional kind of way! The Mogul thinks that the fitters would have loved this one !  

Smooth infinite edges are impressive and soft geometry is certainly more approachable but here we see how cutting corners can potentially remove preparation space! This design oozes a space odyssey vibe and The Mogul loves the attempt to punctuate the design with an island that can only be described as a hovering dot of functional opportunity! Really different!   Top marks!

The temperature is certainly rising in this kitchen with a melting pot of styles being fused together to create a contemporary culinary centrepiece with Scandinavian overtones!   Being adventurous is artistic but integrating a stainless steel bridging element into this environment can certainly be considered creative!   All artistic installations will be subjectively judged this one just happens to be functional, so kick off your opinionated slippers and allow your toes to feel the quality of that carpet!  

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!  X marks the spot! Peeping out from

This is sublime!   Large free hanging cabinetry is presented against a contrasting and textured backdrop.   Having the ovens suspended from the central units makes it look as though the functionality has been centrifuged, forced from the cabinetry only to gather at an anthropometrically efficient height! There is a sympathetic synergy between kitchen and architecture and the inclusion of low level cabinetry along the back wall dilutes to appearance of the kitchen.   Add to this the fantastic open selves that embrace two sides of the island and this design certainly ticks a lot of boxes! The Mogul approves!

This design is refined and balanced showcasing a considered amount of asymmetrical styling and including the now mandatory open shelf space to allow it to be considered commercially on trend! But no matter how beautiful or socially aspirational this kitchen appears to be it would still provoke some negative reactions every time the cook realised they had forgotten something from the consumables zone! Sometimes it is important to remember that humans are not as efficient as they think they are; that is why creating a functional methodology for each and every kitchen design is essential.   Allowing the kitchen itself to interrupt workflow patterns and functional efficiency can weaken the strength of a design and it can only be left to personal judgement to ascertain if the aesthetics are powerful enough to forgive this potential functional weakness!

Modern kitchen design is now “traditionally” linear, angular and determinedly simple!   But in the quest for development, advancement and design diversity we occasionally see conceptual mutations, a line of change that attempts to become a commercial trend. But however simple the change it is important not to underestimate the complexity of understanding that inspires the designer to move their pencil in an unsolicited manner! By removing the angular punctuations caused by vertical and horizontal planes meeting the eye is invited to infinitely follow the shape of this kitchen. The cascading appearance used on the gables changes of mood of this design making it more feminine and gentle, allowing it to flow instead of rigidly making a statement.   The soft geometry is also more approachable but when used in this way can arguably restrict the potential functional reach of the worktop. Love it!

Texture intrigues us to get tactile, up close and personal with surfaces that may have taken just seconds to create or hundreds of years to form.   Imagine you had never seen this kitchen, imagine you were blindfold and asked to describe or even name the material placed in front of you!   The deep channels formed naturally within the material to help sustain the organisms life along with the pleasant surface temperature may allow your finger tips to correctly identify the material as being wood.   But when you open your eyes the picture is not how you imagined. The treatment of this solid oak celebrates its natural form while camouflaging its identity as something else.   Stone, plaster and manmade could all be visual assumptions but the careful positioning of this ageless texture against more refined finishes gives this concept an artistic and forward thinking edge!

Nature provides us with daily beauty and here we see this wonderment celebrated through the medium of kitchen design.   Rugged stone veneer provides an insight into the seismic violence that makes up our world while the smooth finished worktop provides an insight into how uneven and harsh surfaces can be perfectly polished by water, time and even human persistence. Add architectural integration, abstract shapes and art to the mix and you have found a kitchen that exists in equilibrium with nature, architecture, design and individual!   Who said kitchen design wasn’t interesting!

Humans like to architecturally compartmentalize, to create intimate spaces for introverted reflection and congregational hot spots for sharing conversation and enjoying each other’s company.   It could be argued that these spaces are socially required to break down the inevitable tensions caused by cohabitation and to provide separation between areas of the home used for different functions at different times of the day. Here we see how the kitchen can dominate an open plan setting and create subtle divisions which help to define unique areas within a space which is devoid of walls.   The colours and unity between kitchen, furniture and space add continuity to the overall design and showcase how the kitchen has become one of the most defining elements within any residential property.

White kitchens are still popular because they are timeless, can be easily absorbed into architecture, they react well to light and can emphasise the purity of contemporary design; they also provide an opportunity for a big personal reveal.   By pealing back the layers of this transforming design you can see that the beauty and warmth of wood is revealed.   The expressionless exterior is just a masquerade, fooling the viewer into thinking that this kitchen has no soul!   Only a very subtle backing panel with integrating lighting provides an insight into the depth of this design, providing just enough personalised contrast for the asymmetrical wall cabinetry to shine! Love it!

This design embraces openness, showcasing a willingness to share its inner most contents through the medium of open shelves, while at the same time having the ability to harbour a secret indulgence in a Narnia concealing corner larder! The island stands out as an artistic indulgence with the circular drum acting as a contrasting counter weight to the entire design and providing an interesting platform for culinary and social exchange. The Mogul loves this design and can see influences from several quarters.   One being more dominant than the rest!!   The client! Great Job!

Sometimes it can be hard to find balance, difficult to create perfection and virtually impossible to find the perfect combination of elements that will appease the tribal issues created by form and function. Upon looking at this design it becomes evident that functionality has become surpassed by the need for visual stimulation.   The worktop is allowed to envelop the cabinetry forming both a waterfall edge and a mirror image plinth.   The creation of a cabinetry gap and a subtle shadow line between the underside of the cabinetry and the plinth makes it appear as though the units are free floating, somehow suspended from the worktop above.   But consider what this powerful aesthetic focus has done to the functionality of the design. Despite the size of the kitchen both the cleaning and cooking areas appear to be compressed together in an uncomfortable functional arrangement.   Options have been limited by the inclusion of the cabinetry gap and even if the hob was placed into the free f

Only light is allowed to influence the purity of this design.   The subtle contradiction between linear form and textured finish creates an interesting proposition for any architectural space.   The split level cantilever with unobtrusive supporting element gives the design an edgy feel and allowing this feature to penetrate through the surface material is a real master stroke! The Mogul likes this one!

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!