The Purple Kitchen
May 21, 2021
Mrinmoy Dey
By giving a simple and clean look to the kitchen the designer has managed to blend the space with the rest of the house, creating a bold, colourful and yet seamless design.
Designed by Mumbai-based architectural firm GA Design, headed by Sachin Goregaokar, Director & Shami Goregaokar, Director – Design, the bespoke kitchen - measuring around 120 sq ft, with trendy colour and a clean look lends elegance to the space. “For this kitchen, we have tried to achieve a simple clean look with a dash of colour and a retro touch keeping with the theme of the rest of the apartment,” explains Shami.
Client profiling and project brief
On how the client lifestyle and requirement shaped the design for this kitchen, Shami adds, “As the client and her husband are a young working couple, she was certain that she wouldn’t be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. However, they entertain guests occasionally so it was important to have a seamlessly large kitchen with a simple layout, lots of storage and clear countertop spaces. As the kitchen is visible from the living room, we were sure that every kitchen appliance should have a place of its own and should be put away when not in use.”
She further adds, “It was important for us to design the kitchen with the same theme as the rest of the house as it could be seen from the living room. The living room is lively with a lot of bold colour and the client wanted her kitchen to be cheerful too.”
The Layout
The first thing that comes to notice is that the kitchen is long and narrow and the designer has chosen an L-shaped shaped kitchen layout for this project and the other wall has been used for appliances and cabinets. The designer informs that the apartment was a new project in a new building. “The kitchen counter was provided by the builder and was left untouched. Being a large kitchen, we wanted it to remain that way by creating lots of storage and making movement within the kitchen easy.”
On the selection of the kitchen layout, Shami says, “The layout of the kitchen was a well-informed decision taken by the architect Sachin Goregaoker when designing the building. Kitchens are often left ignored or given less importance as compared to other areas of an apartment – but we were fortunate that wasn’t the case in this apartment.”
She further opines that zoning is a very important aspect when planning a kitchen layout, as it helps in creating pockets for ease of workflow. “This is the reason we have dedicated one wall for vertical storage of kitchen appliances.”
Materials, colours and more
The vitrified tile flooring for the whole apartment has been left untouched, it provides continuity from the living room to the rest of the apartment believes the architect. “We have used vitrified tiles with an Aztec print for the dado – the grey, black and white colours of the tiles complement the steel grey granite counter and the purple overhead shutters beautifully.” She further adds that Steel Grey granite has been used for the countertop as it camouflages stains easily and can complement most colours and finishes of cabinets.
The colour palette of the entire apartment is bold with a colour pop in every room. “Keeping this theme in mind, we opted for an unusual but mature shade of purple for the overhead cabinets. This colour blends beautifully with the steel grey counter and printed dado tiles,” adds Shami.
The kitchen is well-lit thanks to the large windows proving access to daylight. “This kitchen is well-lit with natural light during the day which helps maintain the cheerful look. We have provided ample task lights underneath the overhead cabinets for counters and spot LED lights for cabinets. Spot lights in the ceiling have been provided for general illumination,” informs Shami.
As the kitchen is huge with large windows, ventilation was not a major concern. “However, we have made provisions for the installation of a hood above the gas burners. There is also an exhaust fan on the window to keep the area ventilated.”
Functionality and personalisation
This being a modular kitchen, it has been personalised to the minutest detail to suit the client’s requirements, claims the architect. Designated spaces have been provided for smaller appliances like mixer, toaster and hand blender. “Cutlery drawers, vegetable basket, waste bin as well as a corner display for fancy items have been carefully planned in the kitchen. The overhead cabinets are made in purple high gloss acrylic while the bottom cabinets are in pale grey high gloss acrylic.”
On the selection of appliances, Shami says, “Although using built-in appliances is a preferred option, we haven’t used them in this kitchen. We have created specific spaces for each appliance keeping in mind its function and usability.”
On how they set out to achieve the desired outcome, the designer duo says, “It was clear from the start that we were to keep the flooring and kitchen counter untouched. Fortunately, we were designing the apartment for a young and enthusiastic couple who were open to experimenting with bold colours and new ideas. The layout and functionality were equally important and we have achieved that successfully.”
When asked what excites the architect most while designing a kitchen, Shami opines, “The wide range of materials available for a kitchen design gives the designer endless options to create something unique. Also, advanced kitchen systems and hardware ensure ease of use and durability, making kitchen designing a very interesting aspect of home design. As a designer, it is very challenging to understand how every inch counts and very fulfilling to come up with a layout and look that is tailor-made to suit the client’s requirements.”
Understanding the client’s needs and fulfilling their requirements by using the latest products helps in optimising the thought process to create a seamless layout – this makes a sound design philosophy.
"For this kitchen, we have tried to achieve a simple clean look with a dash of colour and a retro touch keeping with the theme of the rest of the apartment."
Team GA Design
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