Kitchen of the Week: Industrial Design’s Softer Side

The style was pretty well set when kitchen designer Jane Powell created this kitchen for Phoebe and Nick Bryans and their three kids. “Phoebe had a clear vision of what she wanted, which was design-led with a slightly industrial feel, using stainless steel and brick,” Powell says. But in addition to aesthetics, the functionality and atmosphere of the space were crucial too. “It had to be a relaxed family area,” Powell says. “Friendly and warm, not at all clinical, and somewhere that reflected the family’s personalities.”

Phoebe Bryans came armed with a mood board of images, and she and Powell worked closely together to design the space. “Her ideas were very much on the pulse of current trends,” Powell says. “One tear sheet she had featured an open shelf on an island, so we incorporated that here.”

Kitchen at a Glance
Location: London
Designer: Jane Powell, Roundhouse
Size: About 15 feet (5 meters) wide and 14 feet (4 meters) long

The finished room is a gorgeous lesson in contemporary design, but it has a wonderfully relaxed, sociable feel. It forms a beautiful and highly functional link between the other rooms and can be admired from all sides. “We used a combination of open and closed storage and a mix of textures, from wood to stainless steel, to get that industrial vibe,” Powell says.

“The cabinetry is in matte lacquer, and the warm gray color scheme is integral to the whole space,” the designer says. “If we’d gone for a safe choice — all white, for instance — it might have looked clinical and cold.” The kitchen is the Urbo handleless custom matte lacquer kitchen from Roundhouse, painted in Downpipe by Farrow & Ball.


“The central island is a key piece for the whole family,” Powell says. “The children can be at one end doing their homework while Phoebe or Nick are cooking at the other. Everyone can be seated without feeling tight for space.” The shelf in the island was Phoebe’s idea and is home to small stacks of white china and a row of cookbooks. “It contributes to the relaxed feel,” Powell says.

How to Design a Kitchen Island


“This kitchen works beautifully for everyone,” Powell says. “It’s a huge open-plan room with the island at its center, a relaxed living space at one end and a dining area in the glass extension at the other. The kitchen links the two spaces beautifully.” Ample storage keeps the space functioning and looking orderly. A pantry beside the ovens, for example, holds food items such as dry goods and spices.


The stainless steel worktop on the island extends out to create a place to sit. In addition to the kitchen’s steel, Corian and matte lacquer, the island and units also feature thin strips of oak. “We designed the solid oak handrail on all the cabinetry to bring warmth to the dark gray and steel scheme,” Powell says.


“We chose robust stainless steel for the island worktop, which brings with it a utilitarian feel,” Powell says. “It had to be tough enough to stand up to family life, but also foolproof in terms of heat resistance and day-to-day wear and tear. Phoebe also likes the patina that develops with continual use.”

Kitchen Counters: Stainless Steel, the Chefs’ Choice


“We included lots of storage in the kitchen to cater for food, equipment and everything else!” Powell says. There are two sets of drawers alongside the stove for pots, utensils and cutlery, a pantry beside the ovens for food, and open shelves above the sink that house china, small appliances and books.


“On the sink run we used Corian in Glacier White for the worktop, to differentiate the area from the island while keeping it neutral and easy to clean,” Powell says.

The Fuji tap in stainless steel with a pullout nozzle is by Franke. The boiling-water tap alongside it is by Quooker. The gas cooktop, which is flush with the work surface, is by Barazza.


Natural light floods in via the glass roof and doors in the dining area, so that the kitchen, positioned right in the center of the house, feels bright and can carry off a gray scheme beautifully.

More:
When to Use Gray in the Kitchen
Other Kitchens of the Week

URL: Kitchen of the Week: Industrial Design’s Softer Side http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24517.html