A PLACE TO COOK, A PLACE TO LIVE
By Troy McMullen
An excerpt from the above Financial Times article February 23rd 2008, the full version of which may be read here.

"No longer a simple outpost for food preparation, the kitchen has evolved in recent years from an isolated, purely functional room to a multi-functional luxury showpiece.

Homeowners, increasingly viewing the kitchen as the heart and hub of a residence, continue to spend enormous sums of money equipping their ever-expanding cooking areas with stylish high-tech appliances, expensive furniture and, in some cases, Hollywood-style lighting worthy of an upmarket restaurant.

"Kitchens aren’t just for cooking anymore but rather places to entertain and indulge. Modern designs expand the very definition of the kitchen to include the look and atmosphere of a living room. Top manufacturers are replacing steel and polished granite with warmer colours and softer materials such as oiled oak and natural pine. Sleek leather sofas, aged wood tables and lacquer chairs – long staples of sophisticated living room decor – are increasingly being used as manufacturers and architects seek to convince homeowners that modern cooking areas can possess the same comfortable, even opulent, virtues as living areas. The social life with family and friends will be played out in huge kitchens with a dining room, which will take over the role of the living room.”

"There is still little agreement among style critics and trend spotters about what will be the next big thing in kitchen decor, although there might well be some pointers at this year’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile in April, which will host its biennial Eurocucina exhibition. Some manufacturers are employing a wider range of materials, including polyester, resin and even bamboo. Bolder colours are also being used by some firms to offset the cold, laboratory look made popular a decade ago. Effeti of Italy, for example, is adding to its inventory of colours and finishes to include apple green matte lacquer and fuchsia laminate. One of its latest lines includes oak wood cabinets with rich, dark Wenge wood finishes. Cylindrical cupboards have crystal sliding doors and round, rotating shelving. Counter tops on some of the models have semi-tempered, thick glass with a non-scratch satined finish".

"Kitchen islands are getting bigger, wider, and longer to include counter space for desktop computers surrounded by bar stools and lacquered white polyester cabinets. Custom-made islands with handless systems and invisible seams are also emerging.; and modern islands where a counter slides over the sink and hob. Siemens helped create technology for the Live Cooking Table, a dining table which allows users to cook food on its surface through burners hidden beneath glass-ceramic panels. The modular unit, with a metallic print motif on its surface, can be extended to accommodate up to 16 people".

OPEN LAYOUTS ARE A BIG DRAW.

A booming condominium market in many countries is boosting interest in contemporary kitchen design. In some competitive markets developers are installing sleek, modern kitchen amenities in an effort to compete more successfully.

“Even wealthy individuals in expensive places like London or New York put a premium on space,’’ says Lewis Goodkin, a Miami, Florida, market research specialist who advises property developers. “Builders everywhere are recognising that open layouts and fewer formal rooms are a big draw.’’

"Kitchen manufacturers are accommodating this minimalist trend. “A” of Germany sells a fold-up kitchen system with a work station that turns into a wall and an island that multi-tasks as a dining table. It comes in materials such as tineo wood, which the company says is sustainably harvested in Chile".

“CA” designs all-in-one kitchen pods built around a modular concept. Armani Casa and Boffi both sell closeted kitchens.

“S”, meanwhile, has models with hidden handles while Swedish firm Electrolux recently introduced extractor hoods that can be made to disappear when not in use.

"Minimalist kitchens such as these are particularly attractive to buyers at condominiums in Manhattan, where the luxury property sector remains strong. The Cipriani Residences and Club, a luxury building at 55 Wall Street in the city’s financial district, has “hideaway” kitchens that virtually disappear behind dark wood panels and walls when not in use. Appliances are tucked into drawers that blend into the interiors. Separate drawers for cooling wine and warming foods come neatly tucked alongside dishwashers."

“Kitchens for some people are just showrooms for entertaining,’’ says architect Calvin Tsao, the concept’s creator. “Today they go well beyond functional spaces and become the core and centre of social living inside the home.’’

Excerpt courtesy of the Finanial Times