The Brief
Set within an astounding property this white handleless kitchen was to form the major feature within the east wing of the house. Our clients were very simply looking for the best kitchen available and wanted something that would live up to the rest of the house.
In terms of practicalities the kitchen had to deliver all the very latest integrated Siemens appliances, including a full height integrated freezer with ice and water, full height fridge, combi Steam oven, combi microwave, full-size oven, coffee machine, warming drawer, induction hob, downdraft extractor, double sink, waste disposal, spray tap, filter tap, boiling water tap, oh and a dishwasher!
The style was to be contemporary and elegant, with a ‘wow’ factor that would look amazing for years to come.
The design
The layout was established fairly early on with the kitchen focusing on two main features, a six metre long island centred on a floor to ceiling bank of storage and appliances. The effect of this perfect alignment was to be further enhanced by the dramatic drop ceiling that would run above the island, incorporating feature lighting and hidden ventilation.
The key with a large room is to develop a scheme to maximise both the visual appeal and the functionality of the space. It can be very easy to lose the efficiency of the “working” part of the kitchen. To avoid this we centred the action on the far end of the space. The sink, hob, ovens and fridge are all very close to one another making it a kitchen that not only looks great but one you can easily cook in too.
The next part of the challenge comes in designing the space around the kitchen. In this instance it is the perfect alignment of the oven bank, island, the drop ceiling and feature lights combine to create the effect of a dramatic, perfectly configured space.
The main feature island consisted of a three metre run of drawers at one end and then a dramatic, three metre long breakfast bar at the other. To cope with such a span we designed a custom made steel support that sits within the 100mm quartz. The result is stunning simplicity, beneath the surface it is anything but!
The choice of Satin white handleless cabinetry with integrated LED lighting gave us the chance to add 100mm Diamond White worktops to create a look of timeless contemporary elegance. The pure simplicity across the finishes allows the lighting to really elevate the design in the subtlest of ways.
How it worked out
On a project such as this, it is a huge triumph when it comes together so successfully. The apparent simplicity of the design hides a world of hidden complexity and intricate design detail. Achieving such precision over a large scale, having the ability to communicate the detail, not to mention the exactness, of the structural requirements is absolutely key to the finished result. Before the space even exists every detail must be decided and then the space is reverse engineered to allow for the finished kitchen to fit so perfectly within it; there is no room for error.
The floor tiling covers over 300m2 in this particular living/ kitchen space and is all aligned to the centre of the island. So long before the space is anywhere near complete we had to give a centre mark for the grout joint, the drop ceiling, the island and the vast bank of tall white kitchen units. Get this wrong and you have a very expensive, very complicated headache on your hands. No pressure!
That we have developed the skills to deliver on these types of project is a wonderful testament to us as designers, project managers and installers. The work by Zac and Jake to deliver such quality in the installation phase is something we almost take for granted now, they deserve a special mention here though, the quality is simply first rate. Francis Tate Marble Works, our long-standing quartz and granite partners, also deserve a special mention. Their work on the quartz worktops is so good that Samsung, the quartz manufacturers, want to use this kitchen for their own marketing and website.
What our client said
“We are so glad we went with Black Rok, we are incredibly happy with the kitchen and have loved working with a company that does exactly what they said they would do, exactly when they said they would do it. “
Ralph and Louise G