The recipe for a stylish kitchen

Press, 31 August 1989, Page 25

The recipe for a stylish kitchen

Traditional and modern are the essential ingredients for Mrs Susan Kinnane’s new kitchen. The traditional matches the oldfashioned flavour of the house which is enhanced by the old bricks from which it is built. The fresh, clean lines of crisp white, commonly found in modern “hi-tech” kitchens, blends tastefully with the older style. The popular “cottage-like” combination of blue and white was a particular favourite of Mrs Kinnane. She chose to combine it with natural timber featured strongly elsewhere in the house. A tongue and groove rimu ceiling sits harmoniously above the white

Formica benchtop and white lacquered joinery. Cork tiles, light, warm and quiet to walk on, complement the natural timber of the ceiling. The rimu bull nose edging of the benchtop forms a nice link between ceiling, joinery and floor, Mrs Kinnane says. The peachy tone of the walls, called “champagne,” adds a feeling of warmth. Blue in the kitchen comes from the accessories, making a pleasing contrast. Open shelving to display her collection of blue and white china was on Mrs Kinnane’s list of requirements. A blue and white wall-mounted plate, ornaments and flower containers are finishing touches to the decor.

A box window in rimu is perfect for displaying accessories and also creates a feeling of spaciousness. Large white ceramic tiles to cupboard height are decorative and practical. Nothing in the kitchen is difficult to clean. The recipe for such a successful kitchen required much thought and planning. “We spent hours pouring over books and magazines. When we knew what we wanted, we took our ideas to Cashmere Kitchens, who designed and built our kitchen,” said Mrs Kinnane. The result is a U-shaped kitchen which is easy to cook in and perfectly suited to the household’s needs. The Kinnanes have young children,

so interaction between living spaces is important. The kitchen opens into the family room, with a breakfast bar on its outer end. An attractive white Welsh dresser forms a visual and practical link with the living space. Mrs Kinnane enjoys working in the convenience of a well-planned kitchen. Walking long distances between cupboards and appliances has been eliminated. She chose an overseas idea for the joinery which is becoming popular in New Zealand — the integrated kitchen — where appliance fronts match cupboard fronts. Thus the rangehood looks like another cupboard. She chose “Blanco” appliances — oven, hobbs, microwave, dishwasher

and sink unit for their colour and quality. Cashmere Kitchens incorporated many useful features into the design. Three slimline cupboards house teatowels, handtowels, awkwardlyshaped baking trays and household cleaners which need to be stored out of reach of small children. A rubbish bin is attached to the inside of a cupboard door, keeping rubbish conveniently concealed. The generous-sized pantry enables plenty of food to be stored. The shelves are wide enough to allow items at the back to be reached easily A strip light comes on when the doors are open. A power outlet and a work surface in the pantry provides

extra space. This is an ideal place for the toaster, food processor or cake mixer. The pantry is divided into two parts, the lower for bulk storage. An excellent feature is the shelves which slide in and out, making it simple to find everything. The big, deep drawer directly under the oven is for pots, exactly where they are needed. Lighting of the kitchen is provided by a centre light and spot slights above work areas. Photograph: ANNETTE DEW Sales co-ordinator: HELEN KEYS Editor: PAULINE MOORE