Using innovative appliances and sleek handleless cabinetry, Simon Taylor Furniture has designed a highly functional and timeless kitchen for a modern rear extension on a 1930s house.
The spacious, open-plan space incorporates a large family room with living and dining areas and an entertaining area. To achieve a minimalist aesthetic, slab-style soft-close kitchen door fronts are finished in a matt lacquer in Alpine White for the tall cabinetry, and Dust Grey for the door and deep drawer fronts in the impressive three-metre-long island.
Along with the pared-back colour palette, a streamlined look is achieved with flush-fitted and integrated premium appliances and an eye-catching natural stone-topped kitchen island. To tie the cabinetry colours together, the extra-long worktop is comprised of two pieces of book matched 20mm thick Dekton. This surface blends natural quartz stone, porcelain, and glass in the Aura design, which is a white finish with a subtle grey vein running through it.
Creating a convivial space, the extended kitchen island is split into two zones to accommodate for food preparation and cooking. On the prep side, a one-and-a-half undermount sink is combined with an InSinkErator waste disposal unit (hidden from view) and a Quooker Flex 3-in-1 boiling water tap, which is an energy efficient and space-saving addition.
On the cooking side of the island there is a sleek, flush-mounted downdraft induction hob. The decision to steer away from overhead extraction was due to the fact that, as the main kitchen is still in the older part of the house, there are joists located in awkward places and installing ducting for a standard cooker hood would have been a challenge through the old concrete floor.
“Our solution was to specify a Novy Panorama Power 90cm 4 Zone vented downdraft induction hob, which we flush mounted in the worktop to maintain a clean uncluttered aesthetic,” explains Tony Lister, senior designer at Simon Taylor Furniture.
“Novy makes a pure recirculation version of the Panorama that does not require ducting to an external vent to exhaust grease and odours. Instead, it incorporates carbon Monoblock filters that capture and neutralise cooking vapours, including fish, by up to 95%, and they only ever need to be changed after 900 hours of cooking.”
“Our clients liked the idea of being able to recirculate clean warm air into the room, because it is very energy efficient, saving on bills over the long term,” Lister adds.
Along with its touch controls, the Novy Panorama can be activated using the Novy Connect app, which also monitors the air quality in the room.
The four side-by-side induction cooking zones are uninterrupted, ensuring it is easy to move pans across the zones – ideal for when you’re heating lots of food at the same time. The integrated ventilation tower is situated at the back of the induction surface, rising by 10cm, 20cm to 30cm when required, completely concealed when not in use and it’s extra quiet.
Within the run of tall cabinetry are storage cupboards, plus an integrated larder fridge and freezer. Housed at the centre is a bank of professional Neff ovens, providing multiple multifunctional cooking options and features to suit all types of cooking abilities.
At the end of the run of tall cabinets is a large breakfast station, designed with pocket doors that open fully to reveal interior shelving with LED lighting and a stylish grey mirror back panel.
All in all, functionality, storage, and cooking technology are fully optimised, making modern family living and entertaining more enjoyable. Energy efficient and space-saving options play a key role in ensuring this kitchen is future proof for years to come.
Project details:
Kitchen designer: Tony Lister, Simon Taylor Furniture
Cabinetry: Contemporary handleless design by Simon Taylor Furniture
Worktop: 20mm Dekton in Aura
Splashback: Grey mirror
Sink: Zenduo 15 by 1810 Company
Taps: Cascata by 1810 Company; PRO3 Flex in chrome by Quooker
Appliances: 45cm compact CircoTherm steam oven, 45cm touch control microwave oven, and 2 x 60cm Built-in Slide & Hide 60cm pyrolytic ovens, all by Neff. Panorama Power 4 Zone Vented Downdraft Induction Hob (recirculation) by Novy. iQ500 integrated larder refrigerator and iQ500 integrated tall freezer, both by Siemens.
Photography: Darren Chung
Bespoke handmade kitchens by Simon Taylor Furniture start from £35,000 and the Novy Panorama Power 4 Zones 90cm Vented downdraft induction hob (1841) is from £4,329.
Read more residential case studies here on enki and keep up to date with the latest technology news too.
