Smart Designs

Internationally-acclaimed interior designer SHALINI MISRA offers clever ideas and smart solutions to design a state-of-the-art kitchen.

When it comes to kitchens, what style and layout do you prefer?

I prefer open plan kitchens with an informal dining or living area with screens or a partition. The new age kitchens are interactive spaces for families to spend time, whilst a multi-tasking parent can cook and help the children do their homework at the table. You can enjoy the aroma of something baking while you work or catch up on emails. Having screens gives you the required privacy when needed and allows the cooking aroma to be contained. If you are having a formal dinner party with catering, the screens or sliding doors can hide the clutter and busy cooking from the dining area or living area. I often include an island with a hob on it so that when someone is cooking their back isn’t toward the guest. If the space permits, the island can be large to incorporate a bar with stools so you can socialise when cooking. Otherwise, we often like to incorporate banquettes. This design element from American diners is very popular. In an apartment, we designed in New York, the kitchen was compact to create a seating area, so we designed a banquette with an exaggerated high back to maximise the seating space. We did it in a light blue leather and it looks stunning.

When it comes to styles, we prefer contemporary kitchens, but sometimes a modern take on a traditional kitchen, like La Cornue or Officine Gullo fits beautifully into a scheme. These are large kitchens with heavy oversized equipment, so a large room is needed to fit these kitchens. When we design a contemporary kitchen, we like to keep it sleek and create interesting finishes on the surfaces. Gone are the days of monochrome kitchens, these can look very flat and dull.

What are some of layouts and structures suitable for a modern kitchen?