Compiled by Candice Botha, Carla Lopes Wolber, Charné Casey, Diane Peacock, Hema Nana, Mandy Buchholz, Mary Jane Harris, Monica Mtshemla, Sarah Stuart-Reckling and Toni Jaye Singer. Photographs: Elmarie Knapton, Peter Rimell, Sally Chance, Greg Cox, Christoph Hoffmann, Anthony Johnson and Henrique Wilding. Article from the August 2013 issue of Garden and Home Magazine.
The Garden and Home team have seen some wonderful kitchen ideas over the years – here are our favourites
Mary Jane Harris, Editor
On with the show
I think this shelving unit in Durban interior designer Donna Tanner’s kitchen is brilliant. It’s so simple, and can be easily constructed, yet when filled with different shapes and sizes of crockery it looks like a work of art. For this type of display to be effective, keep to all-white crockery, silver and glass. And if you have the unit fitted with adjustable shelves you can change the shelf sizes to suit your needs, plus you can see where everything is stored at a glance.
Mandy Buchholz, Editor’s PA
Room for more
I like the idea of adding little wooden drawers underneath your existing wall-mounted cupboards as shown in this kitchen by decorator Leanne St Clair.
They’d be great for storing baking utensils, spices, soup packets and recipes. Not to mention providing somewhere safe to stash those important letters that I never seem to file straight away.
Diane Peacock, Chief Sub-Editor
Centre of attention
Placing a sink in the central island as interior designer Leigh Wishart did is great for entertaining; I love the way it makes food preparation easy and the cook can remain part of the conversation.
As it fits in with the concept of an open-plan, eat-in kitchen, it’s also a design idea that’s right on trend.
Toni Jaye Singer, Assistant Editor
Reaching New Heights
Taking your kitchen cabinetry all the way to the ceiling is a great way to squeeze in extra storage. However if, like me, you’re on the short side, reaching that casserole dish tucked away on the top shelf can be tricky.
That’s where incorporating a ‘library ladder’, like this one designed by Wendy-Lee Douglas of SketchBok/dbn, would come in handy
Carla Wolber, Production Manager
Well ordered
Custom-designed drawers and countertops with clever storage solutions are ideal for the working kitchen, and, if you’re like me, are also great options for those who don’t like clutter.
Designed by Cucina Design, this kitchen has a nifty space or slot for every utensil which means no wasted time looking for that ever-elusive butcher’s knife, chopping board or whisk.
Sarah Stuart-Reckling, Cape Contributing Decor Editor
Checking in
As a multitasking mom, I like that this kitchen designed by Stockhome features a handy admin hub.
It includes a telephone with the cords neatly tucked away into a cavity, a stylish tray for children’s school notes and other reminders, and a glass vessel containing a bunch of pencils so there’s always one close at hand to jot down messages.
Charné Casey, Art Director
Branching out
I love the way M&M Space Design extended the counter in this open-plan kitchen into a built-in dining table.
Not only is it a great transition from the hard lines of the kitchen to the more inviting feel of a living and dining area, it’s also incredibly practical for homeowners who like to chat to their guests or watch their children doing their homework while cooking.
Candice Botha KZN Contributing Decor Editor
Table manners
I love a traditional kitchen table but it seems to have fallen by the wayside in modern, open-plan spaces where an island makes more sense.
Interior decorator Petta McLellan of Blue Barn Interiors came up with a great way to create the feel of a kitchen table without taking up lots of space in her new, smaller home – she cut off one end of her dining room table and made it an extension of the island.
Hema Nana, Designer
How illuminating
The way the cabinets have been backlit creates a great ambience in this kitchen by Kuki Jeanne Design. I also like that the doors open upwards rather than outwards so that they’re not in the way.
Monica Mtshemla, Intern
Colour Confidential
Introducing a splash of colour helps to give a kitchen the feel of being a sociable living space; it adds personality, gives the room a more decorated look and a creates a welcoming vibe.
The mint and orange hues used in this kitchen by Cabinetworks give the space a lift and suit every season – they’re warm in winter and autumn and crisp in summer and spring.
Sources
Blue Barn Interiors bluebarn.co.za Cabinetworks 021 783 5462 or 021 422 3830 Cucina Design 021 461 1284 Donna Tanner Designs 071 210 6105 Kuki Jeanne Design 011 783 3971 Leanne St Clair 083 680 3731 Leigh Wishart Interiors 082 498 0231 M&M Space Design 031 539 1072 or mmdesigns.co.za SketchBok/dbn ilovebokkie.blogspot.com Stockhome 021 461 6635 or stockhome.co.za
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