THE JOURNAL
OR SECRET REFUGE? OPEN HOUSE, Have our homes become more polarised, with our “public” face on show in kitchens built for entertaining, while our
private selves are nurtured in wellness-focused bathrooms? Emma Love asked the experts for their tips for designing both – with some surprising crossovers
has become a lot less formal. Now we host friends for kitchen suppers which are much more relaxed,” says interior designer Henriette von Stockhausen, founder and creative director of VSP Interiors. “These days the kitchen is where everyone hangs out: in a family, it’s all things to all people. For clients, we often accommodate a big table, comfortable seating to read the newspaper, and if we can fit in a fireplace, we do.” She believes not going down the utilitarian route is key. “Kitchens need soft furnishings to lose their echo; in my own, I’ve used Ralph Lauren Home fabrics for blinds and the window seat. I also love picture rails because they allow you to
T
here’s a reason why everyone ends up in the kitchen at parties: these days, they have been designed to be our most public-facing, sociable spaces. “The way we entertain
change your art around, and having pieces that are freestanding or antique. I’ve got an old Hungarian dresser that I painted and put a marble top on to turn into a bar area.” Interior designer Nicola Harding, whose go-
to showrooms at the Design Centre include Tissus d’Hélène, thinks that our fast-paced lives play a big factor in the rise of multi-purpose kitchens. “We’re time-poor so everything needs to happen at once. Bringing kitchens to the forefront enables you to cook while spending time with loved ones,” she says, adding that a mix of fitted and freestanding furniture is the way forward. “It’s about not over-committing to one direction or the other in look, so not wall-to-wall joinery. Have some fitted, and some softer items so it’s not overly obvious that the space is one thing or another.”
ABOVE: With its sociable kitchen-diner, this Knightsbridge apartment designed by Tollgard is the epitome of modern open-plan living; the kitchen is by Eggersmann Design, and features a vast quartzite island that’s perfect for preparing food while entertaining. Tollgard has also incorporated pieces from its own showroom, including Apparatus’ ‘Lariat’ pendants
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