Origami Kitchen

Way back in September 2010 The Mogul featured Karim Rashid’s Origami kitchen.  This design explores how 3D door profiles can create a fascinating visual illusion which disguises the primary functional role of the kitchen. 

Functional kitchen art is fast becoming a new, trendy medium for artists and designers who do not normally operate within the KBB sector.  Their freedom of expression and unharnessed enthusiasm is changing the evolutionary path of kitchen design.

Kitchen design is changing and we loves it!!

Karim Rashid 14.19 No comments Read More

Stylish Small Kitchen

This is a really stylish small kitchen!  It is so good that the architecture is actually trying to absorb it!  The gentle embrace between kitchen and architecture is great with the designers taking care not to over design this space, instead simple abstract forms and contrasting colours create the impact. 

The elevated detachment from the floor only emphasises the kitchens mutually beneficial relationship with the architectural alcove!  Truly brilliant!

Small Kitchens 09.33 No comments Read More

Frankenstein's Kitchen

Welcome to Dr Frankenstein’s laboratory!  An experimental and unconventional place where primitive looking mechanisms influence volumetric flasks and where functional enlightenment is occasionally allowed to bubble to the surface!

This is the latest solution to the green living conundrum by Phillips.  A kitchen that is a self contained organic converter, an advanced experimental processer of food waste to energy!  The Microbial Home concept features this bio-digester which turn's organic waste into methane gas which is then used to power the cooker and also converts solid waste into compost.

But unlike Frankenstein monster this creation should not be feared, after all, kitchen designers are not that scary!  This design should be celebrated as a huge step forward along the evolutionary path of kitchen design.

Concept Kitchen Design 14.44 No comments Read More

Hybrid Kitchen

Here we see another example of a classic contemporary kitchen.  Symmetrical clean lines, a handless appearance, stainless steel worktops and some free hung cabinetry all give this particular design a contemporary appearance.  Using mirrored plinths also help to create the illusion that the island and tall units are floating; having this type of determined detachment from the surrounding architecture could also be perceived as a modern design trend.

However, the door profile used and the integration of natural timber allow this design to straddle between descriptive classifications.  The doors used display a 45degree mitre at the point where the rail and stile meet and it could be argued that by having this joint set at an angle as opposed to being straight compromises the contemporary edge of this kitchen!  Oh and are those quadrant posts on the corners of the island?!  Enough said......this is a hybrid!

Hybrid Kitchens 03.06 No comments Read More

Fashion Show Kitchen

This is a fantastic image with lots of drama.  The triple depth island is fantastically indulgent and presents the user with lots of preparation space.  It is only fitting that this island which has an elevated skyline backdrop mixed with some flamboyant fiery elements has been given a rather dramatic runway. 

The runway stretches out towards the living area, feeling for a human connection and inviting sociability.  Having the seated area centred on the island in this way allows both of its sides to be used by guests and draws focus to the main stage of culinary performance. 

However, although this is a beautiful kitchen with lots of preparation space, any chef worth their salt may find their performance dampened by having the cooking and cleaning zones positioned on opposite sides of the stage!  Performing gastronomic precision under the pressure of time, for a runway of hungry guests requires a little functional planning.  The scale of the island mixed with the polar positioning of two key functional elements may cause the chef to sweat a little, especially if that fire is stoked!!

If the cook faints from heat and physical exhaustion and the guests go hungry you could always hire this space out as a quirky fashion show venue, eating out with the proceeds!

Kitchen Fashion 14.38 No comments Read More

Kitchen Post-Mortem

The Mogul loves this design as it flies in the face of convention!  Concept kitchen design can test our preconceptions and challenge the accepted norms of design.  The idea of having a mobile and highly versatile kitchen island is great but in order to ensure a tentative acceptance it is important that new concepts do not appear overly clinical. 

In this instance the island could be likened to a hospital trolley and it could be argued that the tethered waste and water feed may limit the mobility! 

Every new concept will receive a post-mortem, but it is important to realise that by pushing the boundaries we will deliver the designs of tomorrow!

Grand Design 14.17 No comments Read More

Butterfly!

Is this kitchen art or did someone leave the window open? 

The kitchen is primarily a functional product but it does occupy a very personal space and could be seen as the functional theatre for life’s little dramas.  So why not express yourself!! 

Notice how the handle recess follows the worktop down the side of the base unit...subtle touches like this can really make a design!

Love it!

Interior Designer 14.06 No comments Read More

Scholtès - Cathedral of Change

It can be argued that those who have vision for change can see in the dark, an ability to stand on the precipice of acceptance, stare into the black abyss of the unknown and gain inspiration from what others cannot see. These inspired moments of insight are rare and the people and institutions that experience them are few but it only takes one inspired thought to wipe the slate clean and create a movement for change.

The kitchen industry in one such area where change is beginning to occur and there is one company in particular that appears brave enough to invest in a new ideal.  Is it possible that premium appliance brand Scholtès could be putting its money where its mouth is and inciting a revolution within the kitchen industry? 

Like many companies they claim to stand for professionalism and excellence but where they are different is in the pursuit of their ideals.  Instead of opening a flagship showroom they decided to open a “Centre of Excellence”, a space that challenges what we know and presents some serious new questions.  It is clear by looking at the images released by the press office that Scholtès and designer Patricia Urquiola have taken the existing showroom model, shredded it and rebuilt the mangled wreckage into a Cathedral of change! 

Stumbling upon Scholtès for the first time it merely seemed that this was a company marketing themselves in a different way, but upon further investigation by The Mogul it appears that Scholtès actually get it!!  They understand the important role kitchen designers play in the enrichment of people’s lives.   This is a company who seem to appreciate the complexities of kitchen design, promoting a multi levelled approached which manifests itself in all kinds of ways.  Scholtès youthful approach demonstrates a passionate desire to do things differently, consciously ignoring tried and tested methods in order to encourage new ideas, models and processes.

Their unorthodox investigation into the influence of kitchen design has recently led to a dramatic performance in their Centre of Excellence.  A specially commissioned theatre piece entitled “A Moment on the Lips” explored how the kitchen can be seen as a metaphor for life!  To The Mogul this performance was a “light bulb moment”, a point of realisation, illuminating the dark design shadow lands where kitchen design had been banished and presenting a new path of recognition and understanding for kitchen designers to walk.   Brilliant! 

So here we have a company who are seeing past the products they sell, past the cabinetry and past the bottom line financials, actively exploring the social complexities of the kitchen and in doing so reshaping the commercial interface between manufacturer and end user.  Is it also possible that by doing things differently and having the ability to see answers in the dark Scholtès will become a catalyst for industry change; unwittingly educating the public and other design disciplines about the power and influence of kitchen design. 

If they manage to pull that one off The Mogul will be the first to give them a pat on the back!

Kitchen Appliances 03.07 No comments Read More

The Orb!

The Mogul is unsure about this design!  From a positive standpoint you have to see this as a bold and deliberate attempt to make kitchen design progressive, more artistic and generally more interesting.  The abstract breakfast bar shape casts a futuristic shadow against the compact and relatively neutral kitchen. 

This significant design feature displays integrated lighting; surface orbs of various sizes which add a quirky interest to the concept.  All of this is brilliant and should be highly commended but is it possible that this fantastic feature and its particular placement could become a functional obstruction to the cabinetry placed above and below.  The Mogul will let you decide if a balance between artistic expression and function has been achieved!

Artistic Design 01.41 No comments Read More

Tattoo

The kitchen you own and use can be seen as a reflection of who you are and what you aspire to be.  And just like receiving a tattoo, the permanence of this outward and artistic expression of self can be the result of a lengthy and considered design process. 

Having faith in your style convictions will determine whether or not you choose a personally expressive kitchen like this.

Artistic Kitchens 15.08 No comments Read More

That's SICK!

This kitchen is compact and trendy conjuring up thoughts of hedonistic luxury and causing those with a soft spot for design to salivate with tactile anticipation. 

The rich timber doors have been lovingly trimmed with stainless steel and the design is off set and brilliantly asymmetrical.   Using the machined splash back as a token balancer underneath the wall unit is great and creates the perfect spot for a decanter full of port!  The elevated hobs also give the slender stainless steel worktop a third dimension.

The Mogul feels that this kitchen would be well suited to a hip London club, the kind of place that attracts affluent, upwardly mobile clientele, the kind of people who would call this kitchen “sick” by way of a street cred complement!

This kitchen is cool....this kitchen is SICK!

Contemporary Kitchen Design 14.19 No comments Read More

Unorthodox translation of residential kitchen design!

Enter an unorthodox translation of residential kitchen design.  A creation that is inspired by simplicity and has been adorned with a free hung underbelly of function! 

This design is abstract and edgy and may have been inspired by the no nonsense approach needed in a professional kitchen.  No need for frills or complicated social layering, just a desire to get the job done!

Arguably artistic, certainly commercially limited, this design is not for the faint hearted!  Especially considering the questionable extraction system which appears a little unrefined and clumpy for this particular approach.

Professional Kitchen Design 14.19 No comments Read More

Pale into Insignificance!

This design is striking because it has potential to pale into insignificance.  There is a deliberate lack of contrast in this image that dissolves some of the best features so much that they are in danger of not being noticed at all.

The kitchen itself is striking, creating an unusual blend of crisp linear lines and softer geometry.  The kitchen doors are thick and wide with a polished lacquer finish which gives the design a contemporary edge, but this edge has been blunted by the introduction of a scooped, raised panel profile which is reminiscent of a more traditional door shape.  Add to this some quadrant posts a curved breakfast bar area and splash back and the blended look is complete.  The Contemporary Classic style is emphasised further by the kitchen being framed with classical architecture and resting on a beautiful herring bone floor!

If you look really closely you will see some really nice lighting above the island!  More contrast may be required though to make these features shine!

Contemporary Design 13.49 No comments Read More

Less is More!

This is a no nonsense approach to good kitchen design.  Good design does not need to be overly ornate; it doesn’t need to be aggressively flamboyant and in this example the necessity to scratch the age old kitchen design itch of providing acres of cabinetry has been well and truly avoided!  

This is a very refined design providing an understated declaration of functional intent!  This on trend transformer is seamlessly integrated into the architecture with only a shadow line providing an insight into the functional capacity of the design. 

It is also interesting to see how balanced the overall aesthetic of this kitchen is.  Not only is the front of the island evenly split between storage and sociability, clearly visible with the introduction of a dark contrasting timber against the light cabinetry, but the plinth is low set and appears to be of equal height to the stainless steel finger grip cavity.  The Mogul also loves how the darker, social overhang rests subtly and delicately onto the functional worktop area. 

This is a classic; “less is more” situation! 

Brilliant!

Great Design 14.25 No comments Read More

Pregnant Kitchen Cantilever!

Kitchen design is certainly becoming more and more artistic!  Here we see an island which is formed by using simple shapes and the result is very dramatic.  The structure appears to float in mid air, defying gravity and repelling an architectural connection.  But the designers haven't quite pulled off an engineering masterpiece; this cantilever doesn’t float instead it is supported by using clear acrylic. 

You can’t knock this design though as it has real visual impact becoming a real talking point at any social gathering.

Interesting too that the model in the image is pregnant!  She is also creating a very naturally formed cantilever of her own.

Love it!!

Cantilever Design 02.56 No comments Read More

Beam me up Scotty!

If you want to have a focused workspace, an area that allows you to command the room both functionally and socially then the horseshoe island is for you.  The island wraps itself around the kitchen user providing a near infinite amount of worktop area and the efficient movement between kitchen zones can be quantified in twists and shuffles instead of proper steps!  This kitchen allows the cook to become the main attraction surrounded by salivating tiers of family and friends, but this Roman amphitheatre kitchen has several limitations. 

The tight curves can limit the use of base unit drawers and therefore the functional efficiency of the kitchen.  If drawers are used space can be wasted due to the parallel positioning of the runners.  A busy kitchen may also need a sous-chef but due to the functional focus of this design the second in command may end up treading on the chefs toes a little!  It also seems strange that in this instance the chef will need to walk around the island in order to reach the fridge, larder and ovens.  Maybe one of the screaming hoards, baying for gastronomic satisfaction on the outside of the island could do the honors there!  Or The Mogul suggests the easier option of placing them directly behind the island?!

If all the attention gets too much for the Chef and his apprentice they could always request some inter-galactic assistance and be instantly transported though the extraction system, just like Spock and Captain Kirk!

Beam me up Scotty!

Curved Island 14.22 No comments Read More

Living Room Kitchen

This kitchen is really crisp and fresh.  The design is architecturally aware, embedding itself almost seamlessly into the back wall while still reaching out and providing us with an abstract and functionally artistic play with shapes.

The Mogul loves this!  But look......!   That hob seems a little close to the sink!  Maybe the pots and pans automatically jump into the sink when they need a little scrub!  Kitchen automation, whatever next!

Living Room Kitchen 14.18 No comments Read More

As Cold as Ice!

This glass worktop is a real statement piece and it is simply beautiful!  It is actually so cool it could be ice.  The Mogul approves! 

Kitchen Worktops 14.17 No comments Read More

Beautiful Obstacle!

There is a delicate contradiction occurring here.  At first glance we see a kitchen which has broken free from its traditional architectural constraints, a brilliant example of how kitchen design has become a refined art form.  This design mixes smooth finishes and stylish colours with trendy asymmetrical lines and also provides us with a rugged display of traditional carpentry.

The breakfast bar is deep and chunky and its simple construction celebrates a legacy of traditional cabinet making.   This element provides an edgy and masculine side to the design while also giving the cook loads of space for preparation.

It is important when integrating a divisional feature like this that the functional planning is perfectly correct and tailored to the clients individual requirements as there is potential that it may become a beautiful obstacle!

Kitchen Designer 13.56 No comments Read More

Asymmetrical Visual Stimulus

The creators of this island have manipulated a kitchen design prerequisite, integrating functionality with social interaction and in the process have created something that is simply beautiful!

The sleek linear approach used here is nothing unusual but the addition of an off-set worktop frame to the front of the island is brilliant.  This frame adds an asymmetrical visual stimulus to the design and invites friends and family to pull up a stool.  This element gives the design depth and although the idea is simple it is extremely powerful!!

Modern Interiors 13.12 No comments Read More