light & bright

design edit issue 24 | design tour

Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-1.jpg

This kitchen is clean and fresh, with an edge! White cabinetry is trimmed with timber accents, with azure blue tiles providing an unexpected hit of mediterranean inspired colour. It’s a uniquely stylish kitchen - but one that is above all functional, with design details and finishes that are super hard working.

 

THE BRIEF

This busy family had outgrown their 20 year old kitchen - they needed more space, more storage and a modern look that would still stand the test of time. And while they loved the fresh look of white cabinetry, they wanted a kitchen that was different, unique to them and their story.

Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-2.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-3.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-4.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-5.jpg
 

COLLABORATORS

We worked with the design team at Bella Kitchens to completely reconfigure the exisiting kitchen space, increasing it’s overall footprint by removing a dividing wall, opening up the space between the kitchen and living areas. With the kitchen in full view of the living areas beyond, careful planning ensured the cabinetry has clean, sleek lines, with a highly functional, practical layout for meal preparation, socialising and homework.

Kirsten saved us an enormous amount of time and stress by offering two or three options for each element rather than us having to face hundreds of samples in showrooms. What could have been a painful process was made effortless.
— Jo
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-6.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-7.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-9.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-8.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-10pg
 

INSPIRATION

The family are passionate travellers who love the ocean - wherever it might be. The colour accents in the kitchen were inspired by the sand and sea they so love around the world. The wood grain melamine, timber floors and cabinetry handles are sand toned. And we imported from Italy the vintage style tiles specifically for this home - the soft azure blue reminiscent of the Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans.  

Kirsten took the time to get to know a bit about us and came up with a colour theme that was perfect - relaxed and natural with a hint of a coastal vibe.
— Jo
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-11.png
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-12.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen Inspiration Image.jpg
 

DESIGN DETAILS

All the finishes in this kitchen look great, but they are super hard working too.

  • The honed finish of the composite stone benchtop continues the clean, modern look.

  • The pre-finished matt cabinetry a beautiful velvet finish, but also has anti-fingerprint properties to prevent smudges and smears.

  • The wood grain accent is a super durable melamine - perfect for the trim detail surrounding the cabinetry.

  • The engineered timber flooring has a matt lacquer finish which prevents staining and helps to resist scratches and dents, while still achieving the luxe look of an oiled timber floor.

  • And we just love these Danish cabinetry handles with their minimal profile and textured, brushed finish.

The Mat Macmillan pendants are the perfect finishing touch for this kitchen. Crafted by Mat in his Tauranga workshop, the slices of timber create amazing shadows and shafts of light - as well as looking effortlessly beautiful!
— Kirsten
 
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-13.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-14.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-15.jpg
Kirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-16.jpg
 

THE RESULT

The new kitchen is definitely super functional, but also has a stylish edge.  It’s the perfect blend of style and function - light, bright and completely unique.   

We loved the colours and products Kirsten came up with right from the start and she made the whole decision making process an effortless one. We are so pleased with the end result and would not hesitate to recommend Kirsten to friends and family.
— Jo

See the entire project gallery here, including Before photos.

HKirsten Ford Design-Light and bright-Kitchen-17.jpg

Contact Auckland Interior Designer Kirsten Ford for more information.

Images: Hanson & Daughters Photography