Break a Leg!



This island is certainly different; curved functionality placing the gastronomic conductor right in the middle of the orchestra pit. 
we loves the quirky step in the island! The designers have resisted the urge to plug the gap and this unusual feature really makes the design shine...But you can almost imagine the kids crawling through this “tunnel”, just as the gastronomic conductor reaches the climax of a sweaty and passionate symphony of cooking!  Just be careful you don’t “Break a leg”!

Recycled coat of many colours!





This design is unusual, presenting a text book approach to contemporary kitchen design and yet giving us an unusual if not unsettling design contradiction.  The kitchen itself is dominated by a sleek, monolithic island that has been anchored to a recessed plinth giving it a free hung appearance. 
The modern look has been enhanced by using smooth finishes and integrating the handles into the design; this popular combination of features gives this kitchen a clean and un-interrupted look!   What makes this design different though is that it has been dressed in a recycled coat of many colours!
From a simply aesthetical point of view we feels that the chequered pattern used to define the design is deliberate and un-natural, making the clean, linear lines of the design too busy and over dramatic; confusing the picture for the viewer!
However, could it be that this is in-fact an emerging trend?  we has noticed several designs surfacing of late that feature a tiled or mosaic pattern built upon a contemporary format!  Cynically though it could be seen as over design!
But amid this aesthetic argument is one fact that supersedes everything!....This design has been manufactured from recycled paper (Paperstone)!  There is a real opportunity here to awaken the eco warrior within, and wallow in the satisfaction that comes from knowing that the kitchen you own is having no impact on the environment! 
For that fact alone we must salute the designers!  Aesthetically!  Argue amongst yourselves!

Your Style, Your Kitchen!

There is just something about approaching kitchen design from an artistic stand point that really surprises people.  Design is about creating something that is useful; inventing something that solves a problem and fulfils a need; like a paper clip!  But the discipline of design also offers a unique opportunity for an individual to shine; to make their well thought out solution more personal, there is room for self expression and artistic flare. 
For years the idea of artistic design has been recognised and encouraged in furniture design and architecture but this idea has only become more main stream for kitchen design in recent years.  Why has it taken so long?  Have artistically minded and talented people been reluctant to get involved in the field of kitchen design due to the systematic under valuation of kitchen designers?
Is it because the people using kitchens couldn’t see past their basic function, or has the idea of the artistically defined kitchen design been seen as elitist?  Has the advancement of more cost effective manufacturing techniques and new technology made the creation of bespoke, artistic installations easier to achieve? we cannot be sure, but would suspect that it is a combination of all of these things.
No matter how you see things you will have to accept that the humble kitchen has seen a change in fortune in recent years becoming an extension of personal image...a must have fashion accessory that can promote affluence and style.  As important as the car you drive! 
Whatever type of kitchen you choose to own you will find that the artistic element involved will be personal to you.  Your style, your kitchen!

The Pragmatic Culinary Artist



When considering these concept stainless steel islands it is easy to appreciate that they are the physical manifestation of an artistic mind.  Obviously a kitchen designer would include an additional, equally impressive sculpture on which to prepare gastronomic surprises and culinary treats.
Kitchen designers can be described as frustrated artists with a pragmatic approach to culinary function.  Please appreciate yours!

Pass The Salt Please!



This idea brings passing the salt to a whole new level!  A transforming design that offers dining flexibility and also offers additional preparation space on the kitchen side when needed!  Great!

Air Blade Extractor




We can linger on how kitchen design can impact on architecture and interior design, offering a functional and aesthetical influence over disciplines that traditionally have dictated the rules.  But you can’t get around the fact that the sensory impact of a kitchen is not just visual; the kitchen produces smells!
It is therefore fitting that this functional zone of sustenance should be enveloped by an invisible curtain of air, offering purification and enhancing the experience for the user! 
we would love to see this recessed into the ceiling!  It’s only a matter of time for this “Air Blade” extractor!

Life's like a box of chocolates!




This kitchen is huge; it meanders around the room throwing its weight around, casually placing functional elements here and there; it could even be said that this particular design rambles a little too far! 
But there is a natural gravitation here towards the exceptional island which acts as a functional anchor drawing the hungry towards the source of nourishment!  And there is no better way to impress your salivating guests than by serving something hot straight out of your super cool Scholtes appliances! 
The mixture of stainless steel and chocolate is great presenting a vision of contemporary elegance and style, but it is the cooking area that gives this design an edge!  The format of the bridged cooking zone and the hood resembles a scene from Forest Gump when our unlikely hero runs past some snow capped mountains that are perfectly mirrored into a crystal clear lake...the lines here are equally as impressive!
So as you open one of these chocolate doors you really might not know what you’re gonna get!!  Shrimp?

Kitchen Island

we loves this image because it is challenging!  The linear lines of contemporary kitchen design and mainstream commercial colours have been abandoned; instead there is a celebration of individual taste that embraces colour and form!
Is this an example of how functional kitchen art expresses an island and can this one individual style indulgence define the entire kitchen, the architecture and the people who use the space?
The answer you are looking for is yes!

Animated Design

If space is tight you might want to consider something like this as the “hub of your home”.  This futuristic kitchen transformer offers function, sociability and style in equal measure.  The texture and colours of this progressive concept give it a soft appearance, almost foam like!  Very child friendly!
This is yet another example of how the kitchen has become detached and removed from the surrounding architecture.  The kitchen can now be defined as an island. 
Traditionally the kitchen was imprisoned in the corner of a room, but now, with the help of forward thinking members of the design community clients are learning to celebrate the beauty of this important functional furniture!  The modern kitchen is now placed centre stage in our domestic drama! 
Having the main player transform at the whim of its user only adds to the experience, offering animation and giving the design the required wow factor!