page break

cooks' havens
More than just a pleasing place to prepare dinner, these kitchens are a magnet for family life and the hub of the home.

page break page break

A Vibrant palette of materials characterises this kitchen designed by Darren Jessop, of Jessop Townsend Ltd, as part of a renovation to a solid concrete house built in 1927 for a member of the Winstone family. The current owners wanted a compact kitchen with lots of storage that would allow the cook to be part of the conversation but keep children and dinner guests clear of the work space. A raised jarrah bar along one side of the u-shaped kitchen provides the perfect perch for guests to sit and chat and children to enjoy an after school snack. An interesting mix of purple painted cabinetry on the rear wall and below bench height, and 'wall lockers' with aluminium framed doors inset with sandblasted glass, enlivens the space. The lockers above the cooking hob keep sauces and spices within easy reach, and their glass fronts give them a visual lightness that prevents the room feeling closed in. On the rear wall, an oven is positioned where previously there was a fireplace, and pull-out pantry cupboards and a fridge/freezer have been built into recesses either side of the old chimney. More wall lockers are placed above the oven, and cupboards with concealed magnetic catches form seamless blocks of purple.

page 62

With a family of six and a very large dog to cater for, designer Andrew Todd's key concerns in creating this kitchen were strength, durability and lots of space. "They wanted enough space to cook in without kids getting under their feet and they didn't want to have to care if the toddlers rode their bikes through". He felt a "fairly high-tech, modern look" was appropriate to the architecture of the house (also designed by Todd). Commercial appliances were chosen for their strength and the cabinetry was scaled to match. The expansive cupboards and drawers are inset with perforated stainless steel which is backed with black Formica to keep dust at bay. A bar faced in stainless steel and white vinyl provides a vantage point from which guests and children can join the action. Adjacent to the kitchen a large, white, Formicaclad table is used for most family meals. At one end of this space storage for china and glassware is concealed within a wall of reflective stainless steel cabinetry. Fluorescent lighting behind perspex panels creates the illusion the unit is floating. Cabinetry, a commercial sized rangehood, the dining table and bar stools - in fact practically all furniture and fixtures - have been custom designed by Todd to create a unified kitchen environment.

page break

page break

page 65

A crisp, contemporary space, this kitchen was designed by Braseli + Ojala Spacial Concepts for an urban townhouse in a new development by Richard Priest Architects. The owner, a busy professional, wanted a design in keeping with the house's clean architectural style and which would serve as a backdrop to the open-plan living areas. Richard Braseli and Darryl Ojala came up with the concept of a kitchen that could be seamlessly hidden away when not in use. Aluminium roller doors slide down over the cook top and a dishwashing area on the back wall, giving the appearance of a piece of built-in furniture rather than a typical kitchen. A massive polished concrete island, which looks more like a table than a bench, helps to 'anchor' the kitchen area and define it from the adjoining dining space. A tower of white cabinetry on the rear wall conceals pull-out pantry storage, a drinks cabinet and a CD player and CDs. Stainless steel appliances and a glass splashback around the cooking area provide a streamlined appearance, and with roller doors to conceal the mess there's never any need for cooking clutter to be in the view of guests.

page 68

This elegantly crafted kitchen in a new home designed by Colin Leuschke, of Leuschke Group Architects, is characterised by its rich timber tones. The timber used in the cabinetry is Padauk, an African wood with a vibrant red hue which has deepened over time. The owners wanted a roomy space that allowed dinner guests to feel they were part of the action without getting in the chef's way. An island bench which faces the living area houses the sink and dishwasher. One end of the bench is shaped like the bow of a ship, providing space for guests to sit or stand with a drink while a meal is being prepared. The entire back wall of the open plan room is fitted with cabinetry. Reeded glass doors, backlit with halogens, conceal a generous sized pantry and, adjacent to the dining area, an office space which can be closed off when not in use. Cupboard doors and drawer fronts are inset with panels which have a concave detail that echoes the pattern of the reeded glass. A black granite benchtop also runs the length of the room, providing extra bench space in the pantry and becoming a desk top in the office. The visual weight of the dark timber and black granite is cleverly counterbalanced by an oak floor.

page break

page break

page 71

An extension to an existing townhouse, this kitchen was designed by Wellington architect Tim Nees to take advantage of an outdoor courtyard. An existing concrete block boundary wall was incorporated into the kitchen design, hence its curved layout. The room's high ceiling was also dictated by the wall's height. Window openings were eschewed in favour of a band of high glazing and louvres, which provide ventilation and wash the west-facing kitchen with natural light The owners wanted a kitchen that was large enough to accommodate a table for casual dining, so benches and cabinetry are placed against the walls, leaving the floor free. A mobile chopping block can be wheeled out from beneath the sink to provide an additional work surface in the centre of the space. With the existing house lacking any strong character, Nees chose to adopt a contemporary palette of materials - Fijian kauri plywood, a polished concrete floor and stainless steel. One of the owners is from Thailand, so a separate wok burner, barbecue grill and electric hotplate were chosen in preference to a conventional cooktop to cater for their preferred style of cooking. As part of the renovation, the former kitchen has been converted to additional living space and new cabinetry in this area links the old and new parts of the house.

page breakpage breakpage 68page break