Three things you need for a chef-approved kitchen

Not only is the kitchen one of the most frequently used parts of the house, but the evolution of our modern lifestyles has also led this room to take centre stage in our homes, placing all the more importance on this much-valued space.

Marrying form and function, these design elements are tailor-made for the gourmet kitchen.

Stone benchtops

The functional need of the kitchen benchtop is unquestionable, but so too is the aesthetic side of things, with both the material used and the shade chosen having the power to change the entire look of a kitchen.

On this topic of benchtops, according to Phil Brenton, managing director of Artedomus, the use of natural stone continues to be a strong design preference due to its much-loved classical elegance and ability to be paired beautifully with all types of cabinetry.

“People are drawn to natural stone’s strong sense of authenticity when it comes to the kitchen, with each slab presenting its own unique beauty, translated through bold colours or strong veining,” Brenton explains. “Our Artedomus Vigo Lena marble is a great example of this, as it has cool grey tones combined with pastel peach colours and dramatic veins.”

As seen in the Marathon House project by Neil Architecture, Artedomus’ Vigo Lena stone sees a graceful balance between feminine and masculine design of the kitchen island and backbench, coalescing with dusty-blue lacquered joinery.

“The kitchen is really the hero of the space, located at the junction between the living room and dining room; the joinery, particularly the island bench, has been designed more like a beautiful piece of furniture,” says David Neil, director of Neil Architecture. “The 3.5-metre long island bench floats over delicate black steel legs, the single monolithic slab with just the thin edge of the marble visible gives it a strong sense of understated presence.”

Timeless tapware

With the urgent need to be environmentally responsible, sustainability and longevity have become significant considerations when choosing the finer details for the kitchen. These careful considerations, of course, extend to tapware.

As noted by Melissa Loucas, regional manager Australia of VOLA, people are seeking products that are built to last, have a timeless look and feel, and most importantly, have minimal impact on the environment.

“We have seen a greater focus on quality, repairability, and interest in understanding where tapware is made and what it’s made of,” says Loucas. “At VOLA, we use highly recyclable metals to recover and reuse 100 per cent of the waste for the production of new tapware, ensuring that they can last more than one lifetime.”

As for colour and finishes, Loucas ties this back to that desire for an everlasting product that can stand the test of time in its make and style. Ergo, finishes such as stainless steel are perpetually popular, as seen in the Hill House project by Decus Interiors, where the brief involved layering an energetic and warm palette using fine materiality and enduring bespoke pieces.

“The tapware in a kitchen is foundational, and it’s a layer among many playing a strong supporting role. It doesn’t detract or scream for attention. Instead, it’s quietly confident and complements everything adjacent,” says Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder and managing director of Decus Interiors. “This house is a forever home for our clients. Therefore, design decisions and questions around longevity were vital — for us, VOLA represents ageless beauty and modernity, and straddling both is exceptionally rare.”

Classic cooker

For lovers of fine food and home cooking enthusiasts, a La Cornue cooker is not just another kitchen appliance but rather a celebration of French heritage and culinary expression in the home, designed to be cherished heirloom pieces and intended to be passed down from generation to generation. 

Made to order and handcrafted by highly skilled artisans in the La Cornue workshops in Paris, as stated by Robin Werth, marketing manager of Andi-Co Australia, these iconic and bespoke offerings have brought culinary dreams to life for over 100 years.

“For those who want to celebrate the art of cooking with their loved ones, a luxury range cooker is a must-have in the kitchen. La Cornue’s ovens are certainly of the highest quality, both aesthetically and functionally, in terms of their gourmet performance,” says Werth. “The artisanal nature of these cookers is expressed in the beauty and craftsmanship of every detail of their design.”

While range cookers are commonly associated with traditional country kitchens, La Cornue’s wide range of styles, customisable configurations, and unmatched colour range have seen these versatile designs wonderfully showcased in various settings. They can happily meet a period kitchen’s design constraints and look at home in an innovative contemporary environment, as shown in a recently completed Newport project by KWD for Bennett Williams.

“Although the palette of this home is white and navy, the La Cornue cooker specified in this project brings a solid foundation to the room and creates a striking design statement — like a piece of jewellery enhancing the clean lines and textured finishes,” says Kate Walker. “The mixed materiality and metallic detailing are simply sublime, and most importantly, form combines with function, perfectly fit for a family who loves to cook and entertain.”