The Kitchen Is King

the house was built of concrete, it has no bearing walls, so the kitchen could be completely opened up to the living spaces. The only constraint was the polished concrete floor, which had a radiant heatingsimplicity. Artwork and souvenirs collected by the owners maintained a discrete presence. The decor was replete with natural textures and neutral colours. Linen, bamboo, leather and ‘Chanel-type’ fabrics were combined with concrete and steel. The selection of materials, furniture and colours gave the space its unique flavour, warmed by the light streaming in through the many openings on the floor. The entrance now displays photographs by one of the owner’s friends. The largest of these pictures, created for the space, graces the wall separating the kitchen from the entry. The centrepiece of the design became the suspension lamp in the dining room, a work in blown glass by Gabriel Scott. Relieved of its partitions, the space can now express its full potential: an open plan, testimony to the grand theories of modern architecture. The textures, the materials and the pertinence of the design are highlighted in this home where the finely interwoven living spaces add to the joy of its occupants, a couple, young grandparents who travel extensively