Isn’t it so often the case that you don’t know what you’re looking for until you find it; whether it’s a pair of shoes, a new sofa or in this case, a brand new kitchen.
As soon as the owners of this kitchen walked into Kitchens By Design’s Takapuna showroom and clapped eyes on the traditional kitchen on display, they fell in love with its classical timeless design and asked for it to be replicated down to the last detail for their own home.
Designer Jane Fergusson says that her clients had been looking around for a new kitchen for a while, but hadn’t really felt any inspiration from what they’d seen. “When they came into our showroom, they were immediately drawn to what we call our modern-traditional kitchen, as something different that they hadn’t seen before. The design is deceptively simple and features all the classic elements and detailing you’d expect with a traditional kitchen, but with cleaner lines and a modern twist. It also has all the functionality, and the latest products and materials that are associated with all our kitchens.”
So taken were they with the design that they chose all the same details to be included in their new kitchen – the traditional cabinetry profile, the subtle white hues, the tough quartzite benchtop, the raised timber-topped breakfast bar, and even the antiqued mirror above the cooktop.
“Obviously the size and the footprint of their kitchen was completely different to the one we have in our showroom, but I was able to adapt it to fit perfectly into their existing home,” says Jane. “The biggest change was adding the return on the back wall where the cooktop now sits. Other than that, the sink is in the same place, the fridge and tall pantry are still located on the opposite wall, and the breakfast bar is in the same place, albeit a completely different design.”
Functionally, more storage was added by making use of previously ‘dead’ space in the corners, specifying a more organised drawer and shelving system in the pantry, and also by adding overhead cabinetry above the cooktop. The existing oven, cooktop and dishwasher were retained, but a larger fridge was installed. A final design touch was the addition of an all-in-one tap that has the normal hot and cold functions as well as filtered and boiling water.
“My clients are really enjoying their new workspace, how it all flows so easily, and especially the use of storage space to the max. And they obviously love the look, as it is pretty much identical to the one they first saw in our showroom.”
Kitchen By Design have two Auckland-based showrooms: at 7 Melrose St, Newmarket (09) 379 3084 and 3 Byron Ave, Takapuna (09) 488 7201. For inspiration for your new kitchen, pop in and talk to one of their designers, or take a look at their website at www.kitchensbydesign.co.nz.
