Trends New Zealand Volume 33 No 5 | Page 61

It’s a simple balancing act – you want your kitchen to have refined surfaces but then you don’t want to labour away your hours cleaning everything down when the party or even family breakfast is over. This large kitchen is set directly across from the living spaces in a three-level river- side home created by Urbane Projects with Steve Gliosca as architectural designer. “The home is set up for entertaining on a large scale as well as catering to the needs of a young family,” says Gliosca. “As such it had to look glossy and upmarket and yet stand up to day-to-day use.” And it was this double-requirement that led Gliosca to create the feature island and cabinetry in marble-look pressed por- celain panels, matched with a durable wood-look laminate product and wipe- down two-pac cabinetry paint finish. The same porcelain panels are used to clad the fireplace opposite, and the laminate is also repeated on cabinets in the living area, creating balance through the interior. “The match of wood-look laminate and marble-look surfaces creates an eye-catching Preceding pages: This two-tone kitchen with its natural-look surfaces and concealed lighting is the perfect glossy fit for the wider elegant living spaces in an upmarket riverside home by Urbane Projects. Above left: The dramatic island with its sculptural folding planes is a stand-out feature and helps define the kitchen zone. Top and above: The scullery is a continuation of the perimeter cabinetry and tucks in behind the fridges. The panoramic window and scullery wall are shaped to echo the home’s spiral staircase. search | save | share at