Kitchens are winning in the chutzpah stakes. The nation is undergoing a paradigm shift, and kitchens have broken out of the ‘dull and boring' box to a space that's now considered ‘sexy'.
And it's all about smart appliances that contain the latest technology, from steam ovens to induction cooktops, eye-catching kitchen design, clever innovation in storage systems and the integration of Web-based technology. The ‘wow' power has shifted from the laptop to the wok.
Christina and Lou Borec in Strathfield, Sydney, are proud owners of a kitchen firmly placed in the ‘wow' category – it's stylish, unique – and the kitchen itself is housed in a very unusual setting.
Star Trek
When the Borecs look up at their 7.5 metre ceiling in the evening, they see stars. The ceiling, stretching across the spacious living/ kitchen area, is made entirely of glass, with automated roller shutters that close when the sunlight is too bright or the hail heavy.
At night, the open plan area resembles a scene from Star Trek, with halogen lights fitted behind the kitchen's glass-covered cupboards to create an ambient pink and blue effect. The glass also serves to reflect everything that's in the room and further enhances the sensation of space.
The rest of the house is undergoing a transformation from an older style building to a smarthouse with Dynalite systems controlling security and lighting. Although the rest of the house was still at construction stage at the time of writing, Lou Borec – builder and self-confessed frustrated architect – is eager to have the automated technology up and running throughout the home.
"I'm going to hook up the intercom at the front gate so it phones through to my mobile, allowing me to respond to visitors waiting at the front gate, even though I'm not at home. That's an excellent security feature. I'm also intending to remotely access control systems like the floor heating and air conditioning from my mobile phone," says Borec. "I'd say that the home automation to be installed here will probably end up being more valuable than the bricks and mortar itself!"
Fantasy Island
The Borecs are keen entertainers; in fact, during the year 2000 Olympics, they held a huge party for the entire Ukrainian Olympic team at their home. Their kitchen reflects their ‘always welcome' philosophy.
"The clients' brief was difficult, actually," says Impala Kitchens designer Darren Genner. "When I first walked into this space it was very open with not much in here at all. In my opinion, open plan living is about trying to create a kitchen that's a ‘piece of furniture' and integrates with the rest of the living space, and that's what I tried to do for these clients.
"Christina and Lou said they wanted an award-winning kitchen, something that was truly unique and something that reflected their personalities – and that's what I tried to do."
And award-winner it is, taking the prize for the Most Innovative Use of Materials for both Bathroom and Kitchen for the year 2001- 2002. The kitchen was also the finalist in four categories and voted project of the year.
