Building a brilliant kitchen

By Michaela Pointon

It’s true, kitchens are the heart of any modern home. Gone are the days where the kitchen was hidden away in the back corner.

Kitchens are now the hub of the entertainment space for everyone to use. The kitchen is where you share meaningful moments with friends, celebrate the end of the day and debrief with loved ones.

A stunning, contemporary kitchen is a vital selling point of the modern home, as well as importantly enjoying this room daily. Ensuring your kitchen is brilliant will mean you’ll want to spend as much time there as possible.

Designer at Carlielle Kitchens, Sarah Jennings says, “The main aspect to a successful kitchen design is that you want it to be as beautiful and modern as possible, while also meeting practical requirements”.

She says a multi-functional space for multiple people in the kitchen works well. In particular, the design can be stunning and spacious, while having enough room to cook, clean, eat, sit and drink together.

“New Zealanders are food orientated and a lot of our socialising is based around eating. Your kitchen can be practical and also make a statement through the design.”

Popular design styles include the modern high-end slimline kitchen, the island bench clad and stone style, or the more traditional timber-posts shaker style kitchen.

If you are wanting to adventure outside of the typical white on white popular kitchen design, Sarah says, “Adding colours such as greens and blue tones, as well as natural tones to add warmth and texture into a space, can create a distinct look”.

She says the minimalist industrial inspired kitchen where more ‘typically’ masculine raw materials and textured surfaces in contemporary homes are on the rise.

“Natural granites, timbers and woods are another way to create a design which appears ‘outside the box’. There are always ways to add extra interest through light fixtures, bar stools, flowers, plants or coloured tiles too.”

A brilliant kitchen should make you feel welcome and comfortable.

Designer and director of Apple Tree Designs, Rachel Steinmetz, says “Depending on the client, the joinery and detail can create the focal centre point of the room. Different colours on island bench tops or splashbacks can create a huge difference.”

She says some people love timber surfaces and others enjoy a painted surface. “I usually start with designing a focus point in the kitchen and build the design from there.

“Apple Tree Designs have a range of traditional American, English and shaker style kitchens, which have become increasingly popular.”

To find out more about Carlielle Kitchens visit: carliellekitchens.co.nz.

To find out more about Apple Tree Designs visit: appletreedesigns.co.nz.

Tips for making your kitchen brilliant:

• Choose a distinct design style such as; traditional, modern slimline kitchen, clad and stone, or shaker style.

• Add extra interest through light fixtures, bar stools, flowers, plants or tiles.

• Use joinery and detail to create the focal point of the room.