What’s new in appliance design?

While referring to the kitchen as ‘the heart of the home’ errs on the side of clichė, it’s also true. In modern homes, the kitchen is an indispensable room, a place not only for cooking, but socialising and congregating with friends and families.

While the kitchen has never been a space purely for function, the emphasis on well designed, custom kitchens has grown in recent years. And when New Zealanders are looking for the latest in kitchen appliances, they turn to Kouzina.

As Martin Cross, explains, “What we really are is a specialist kitchen boutique - a place where the design community can come to discover the very best European and American home appliances.”

I met Martin in Kouzina’s award-winning Auckland showroom - a place where top marques, including Bora, Sub-Zero, Miele, Liebherr and many other well-known brands live together under one roof - to learn more about the design themes and colours shaping the market.

“We’re seeing a lot of warmer colour palettes. Kitchens are moving away from the brighter colours towards a darker, subtler and more modern feel.”

This is evidenced across Kouzina’s entire range, with rich, moody shades including Miele’s obsidian black and Liebherr’s Black Steel, seen in their side-by-side fridge freezer.

“BlackSteel is a modern take on traditional stainless steel - one that creates this really amazing visual finish.”

But while BlackSteel is certainly a modern look, there’s also a timelessness to it. It’s a stylish colour that’s classy and elegant.

“When brands launch their new colours, they do it here and that’s because we’re at the leading edge of kitchen design and have the capability to customise design solutions, offer advice and adjust our offering to suit your kitchen plan.”

That includes customising kitchens to include flush appliances and hidden features. “What designers are looking for now is clean, precise lines and flush detailings, which is something we can offer. Designers are particularly interested in cooktops that sit flush within the benchtops, not only because of the aesthetic side of things, but also for the ease-of-use and maintenance.”

Whatever your design theme, Kouzina has the right solutions - which is clear in their work across a range of kitchen projects. In addition to housing an architecturally-tailored house of brands, they work closely with designers to come up with bespoke solutions, including custom range hoods and recessed detailing.

Need help crafting your dream kitchen? Check out Kouzina’s latest on ArchiPro today or drop a visit their showrooms in Auckland and Queenstown to learn more.