Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 33 No 1 New Zealand | Page 88

Open-plan kitchens on show to adjacent living spaces often have two personalities – one front of house , the other behind the scenes . This white and wood kitchen by architect Simon Rodrigues divides in such a way and even fits a study into the mix .
Replacing a smaller , enclosed kitchen with just a servery to the living areas , the new design connects easily with the adjacent living and dining areas , says Rodrigues .
“ To help integrate the new kitchen with the living space , we ran the timber veneer cabinetry around from the kitchen to the side that faces the living areas . This includes a study nook which can be concealed by drawing down a roller door .”
The front of the kitchen adds to this inter-connected feel , with furniture-like timber shelves running off a central upper wood cabinet that houses the rangehood .
“ The owners had requested somewhere to display prized design pieces and this custom rangehood cabinet fitted the bill .”
Together , the recessed cabinet handles and the slender , elegant waterfall edge on the island give the kitchen a minimalist feel . The dark veined marble surfaces on the front of the island and the splashback also introduce an upmarket ambience .
There is a prep sink on the island , and two wall ovens are on display , but the rest of the business end of the large kitchen is relegated to the scullery around the corner . A sink , dishwasher and coffee maker are set between the scullery and kitchen so they can be accessed from either space .
Both the Venato marble and lacquered cabinet surfaces were chosen by the owner , while the benchtops are engineered stone . search | save | share at