Kitchen Design Think Tank

The simplicity of linear design is appreciated for its purity, for its wilful determination to remain straightforward and for its ability to remain effortlessly understated in a World that has become complicated by un-necessary distractions! The challenge now is to take something that is commercially un-broken and allow it to evolve into the next generation of uncompromised purity!! This design allows the clean lines to remain but adds interest through the introduction of depth and height variation.   Functional cantilevers, mixed materials and shapes overpower the original monolithic island in a struggle which is sympathetic to the original concept but daring enough to challenge our preconceptions! This design presents great flexibility allowing the more daring elements to be stripped back to a more tried and tested format if necessary. But would the extended walking distances and the appearance of dissolved, unfocused functional zones call the functional integrit

Even the simplicity of contemporary design can benefit from aesthetic layering.   Layers can provide definition and interest to a design and help the viewer appreciate how simplicity can be derived from complex thought! Here we see how a simple step in the work surface and deliver multiple contrasts of material, texture, colour and form.   Offsetting the feature creates definition along three planes and introduces some asymmetrical styling to the design.   The elevated placement of the cleaning zone may also deliver enhanced ergonomic performance. This idea is simple but effective and The Mogul loves it!

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!

This kitchen is like a functional thread, using its smooth curvature to stitch together polarised architectural styles.   The kitchen is being used like sophisticated design cartilage, preventing friction and using its irregular and undulating shape to soften the sharp distinction between architectural styles.       This approach works well using contemporary cabinetry as the minimal nature of the design allows the period features to shine though without fear of being up-staged.   Likewise the understated detailing flows seamlessly into any minimally styled room. Great job!!

This kitchen is unplugged from the fast paced human existence that has blurred our judgement and systematically detached us from detail.   This design has opted out, rejected the rat race and embraced the idea that simplicity can deliver exceptional results. Light is allowed to penetrate the design, showcasing the warmth of the natural ash framework and enabling the angular cabinetry to display an effortless beauty. The simplicity of the design appears to invite the chaos of function, presenting itself for personalisation in a way that requires indulgence. The Mogul loves this fresh and enlightened approach!

This kitchen may well give you chills, the kind of uneasy feeling you get when nervously waiting your turn, able to hear the whirring of the dentist’s drill through the door!   The sanitised nature of this design is prepped for carnage with physical comfort taking second place to artistic preference. This kitchen is exposed and bare, an artistic and functional mannequin that is waiting to be dressed.   Natural materials and textures have been removed making the design appear cold and clinical.   But is the harshness of this design the very point, the reason it should be celebrated? This kitchen may work for some, those who like to step beyond the norm, who feel that fashion and art should be functional, becoming integrated into everyday life.   But for many this design lacks the mass social acceptance and physical warmth that mainstream kitchen design offers.    However, The Mogul feels that this kitchen is a showcase, a shining example of how kitchen design has become much more than t