Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 32 No 2 New Zealand | Page 30

Architect: Evelyn McNamara, Evelyn McNamara Architecture Cabinetry: Strandboard, black stain and clear sealed Cabinetry hardware: Fabulous Kitchens Benchtops: Corian, Black Nocturne, by Topline Benches Flooring: White lacquered plywood Lighting: Tuba LED tracklight from Inlite Splashback: Backpainted Etchlite glass from Global Glass Sink: Pre-formed in Corian by Topline Benches Taps: Arne Jacobsen Vola tap from Metrix Oven: Fisher & Paykel 900mm Gas on Glass Cooktop: Fisher & Paykel 900mm Pyrolytic oven Ventilation: Fisher & Paykel 900mm Powerpack Rangehood Refrigeration: Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer Awards: Trends International Design Awards. Winner: New Zealand Architect-designed kitchen Story by Charles Moxham Photography by Jeremy Troth see more images, search: 48237 at trendsideas.com search: tida at trendsideas.com search: mcnamara at trendsideas.com Top right: Seen up close, the textural nature of the stained chipboard is more apparent. This surface and the black-stained cedar used on the front of the island, the interior end walls of the holiday home, and as the entire external cladding, all call to mind the texture of tree fern trunks outside. Above right: Despite being a modestsized home, all fittings and fixtures are high-specification – this elegant gooseneck tap is a case in point. While the uniform use of black downplays the kitchen’s functional operation, it does give the design a dramatic sculptural presence. “I set the island closer to the cabinetry than usual, so the island doesn’t float into the lounge area in visual terms,” says the architect. “And in relation to this, we also stepped the upper perimeter cabinets back from the rear benchtop to allow more headroom and space for the chef. “The kitchen never looks cluttered, either, as we included plenty of drawers and cupboards to avoid mess being left on the countertops.” While the kitchen looks compact, in reality search | save | share at trendsideas.com it is a generous 4.2m long – ensuring plenty of room for pantry storage. Another feature of the design is its sheer flexibility. The freestanding table can be moved out into the room for dinner parties or remain where it is as an extended worksurface to the island benchtop. A stored television can be placed on the table for viewing, too, and the black kitchen offers the ideal backdrop for watching this. “The kitchen has an emphasis on texture, as well. The black, slightly rough chipboard and band-sawn cedar evoke the feel and tone of the surrounding tree fern trunks,” McNamara says.