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!