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What was the brief for this project ?
“ The couple who own the apartment have grown-up children with families of their own , so they wanted it to be a space where they could all gather . When they acquired the property , it was an empty shell , giving them the freedom to design a fully openplan space . In the resulting layout , spaces flow effortlessly into each other – from a comfortable living room , to a kitchen and dining area , and finally to a bar with additional seating . My brief was to design furniture that would contribute to that feeling of openness by creating linked but distinct areas where the family could socialise and enjoy everything from dinners to casual snacks and drinks .”
Were there any particular challenges with the kitchen ?
“ The kitchen comprises a generous island that serves as the centrepiece , backed by a single row of cupboards that provide space for storage , appliances and a breakfast cupboard . Our challenge was that the kitchen is located in the middle of the space without any walls to work with . Therefore , all components had to be freestanding and are visible from every angle , including from above when walking up the stairs .
“ To address this , we clad the backs in a mixture of beautiful materials that look good wherever you stand in the space . On the back of the breakfast cupboard is polished fluted stainless steel ( above left ). Meanwhile , the microwave section of the tall cupboard features a
screen made from wooden slats with backlit opaque glass slivers , and the fridge-freezer is backed in polished mica panels ( above right ).”
The island is a monumental piece , what was the thought process behind its design ?
“ Yes , the island is quite large – measuring almost 5 metres by 1.5 metres ! But when you ’ re designing for a space of such huge proportions , with 10-metre-high ceilings , an average-sized island