A Koivu case study: The yellow one
There are many Koivu kitchens in existence, each one carefully designed for its owners and each special and unique in its own way. But there are some that stick in the memory either because of particular challenges or simply because they are so bright and bold they just bring a smile to your face.
This month we wanted to share with you one such design – this contemporary yellow kitchen in northeast London.
The brief
Architect-designed and bold in character, this exciting Stanstead home had become tired and in need of an uplift. The family who live there saw the kitchen as the centre of the home and key to family life so what better place to start?
With young children and busy lives to contend with, the couple knew they wanted something bright and cheerful but also highly practical for a family of four. This meant including seating for quick meals and a sociable area for entertaining or for the kids to do homework.
The family chose Koivu Kitchens as they felt we could help them achieve a modern retro look that was in keeping with the original style of the building. And they knew that our ability to design everything completely bespoke meant they could achieve the perfect layout for their space.
The challenge
Key elements of the brief were:
- To keep the look clean and ‘uncluttered’ and avoid tall units if possible.
- To include a breakfast bar with seating for four.
- To find a solution for a wall jutting into the main kitchen area as it meant a traditional square island would make the room too small to move around in.
What we did
Following detailed conversations with the homeowners and the submission of their plans and measurements, we felt we were in a position to begin working on the design.
Required building work had already been done to remove part of a wall to improve the space and to lay the fabulous geometric black and white tiled floor.
As a well-used family kitchen, storage was an important element and, in some ways, the start point for the designs. To make sure there were plenty of places to keep things, despite avoiding roomy tall cabinets, we incorporated lots of useful deep drawers – including fridge drawers – and open shelving, The perfect solution for storing cups, glasses and crockery and showing off much-loved pieces while still keeping the layout ‘light’.
Next step was to work out how to incorporate a reasonably sized island without creating issues with flow around the room. That’s why we went for a T-shaped island that allowed plenty of workspace plus some of the requested breakfast bar seating.
Colour was hugely important to the overall design and Formica never disappoints when it comes to bold and brilliant choices. The family deliberated for a few days before plucking up the courage to choose Spectrum Yellow. And wow! When paired with the black frame of the kitchen window and the monochrome flooring, we all agreed it was the perfect way to achieve their desired bright, retro look.
Formica Polar White laminate was chosen for the worktops to keep the overall look fresh and clean. As well as to show off that lovely plywood edge detailing.
What the client thought
When the family visited the Koivu website they immediately knew we would be able to give them the statement kitchen they were after. They were inspired by the examples of bright, bold colours in our Gallery, and were delighted to see that we use the highest quality Finnish plywood created from sustainably forested birch trees.
And they were very pleased with the designs we came up with too. They loved the fact the hob is integral to the design and allows the cook to be a part of the family group. And they were thrilled we successfully kept to the brief by designing all the cabinetry at a low level, including avoiding cupboards above the eye-height oven and using fridge drawers to replace the need for a tall fridge freezer. Along with the crisp white chosen for the walls and of course the large windows, it makes the room feel incredibly spacious and uncluttered.
In fact, this modern yellow kitchen manages an overall relaxed feel despite the brightness of the colour.
Fancy a bright, bold kitchen but not sure where to start with the design? Get in touch with our talented team today.