Affordable Luxuries clients Tony and Marie wanted their new kitchen to be a family living space where a trained chef could entertain. Now it is the favourite part of their home.
This is a kitchen which has to do a lot of work on so many levels. It must blend into an existing home and become its heart yet at the same time be well-equipped enough to meet Tony & Marie love of entertaining family and friends in many ways from an intimate meal to a big gathering of all ages.
Tony is a trained chef, so it had to meet his exacting standards.
A family living space where a trained chef could entertain.
The kitchen also had the challenge of providing a perfect foreground for the stunning views from the property across the Clyde and over to the hills of Argyll and beyond.
“This is a 5,000 sq. ft. house but we live in the kitchen now,’ said Tony, ‘We decided on the walnut block wall panels and dark grey and silver.”
After talking to Tony & Marie about all that the kitchen must do and the role it would play in family life the Affordable Luxuries team suggested incorporating the under-utilised dining room and merging it into the existing kitchen diner to make maximum impact.
These colours and textures are a perfect choice to reflect the breath-taking view over the sea to the hills. They are part of the Pronorm Y-Line range, designed with walnut block wall panels and Gloss Stratus Grey and Titanium furniture.
The lighting system plays a vital role. The all-LED lighting scheme is zoned, with ceiling and island down-lights, under-cabinet and pocket-shelf lighting with feature LED colour-changing lighting above the island and wall cabinets, behind the stand-alone shelf area and also the TV area. Lighting is such an important aesthetic but one which many people overlook.
Tony & Marie decided on a wide range of Siemens appliances to give them plenty of options and capacity for their entertaining. This comprised of a single steam oven, single oven with microwave, induction hob and a flush-fitted extractor hood over the island. The mid-height built-in fridge and freezer are complemented by a built-under drinks fridge and built-in wine cabinet, along with an integrated dishwasher.
The family chose Consentino’s Dekton 20mm quartz worktops, in the colour Borea, a product which impressed Tony; given his background as a chef he appreciates how important these are not just for the look but also the demanding job they have to do.
‘It’s one of the best parts of the entire kitchen, absolutely solid!’ he said. ‘Looks like wood but is actually stone.’
The main Blanco granite sink in white with a Grohe ‘blue’ integrated filter tap is matched with a prep sink on the island with a Grohe ‘red’ integrated boiling water tap.
‘When you entertain as much as we do two sinks is a far more efficient option,’ said Tony, ‘Those taps are the best things yet – we drink a lot of fresh water and the boiling tap is instant, no need for a kettle.’
“We enjoy our home and entertaining here is something which gives us great pleasure and this kitchen will be right at the heart of that for years to come.”