Chef's kitchens are rising in popularity thanks to an increase in technological advances in kitchen design meaning that creating a professional or gourmet kitchen – once reserved for the best restaurants – at home is even easier to achieve than before.
Diane Keaton's former kitchen, crafted in 1999 by celebrity favorite Stephen Shadley, is a true testament to culinary design. 'I want to be pure about this,' Keaton said in Shadley's book Designing Hollywood Homes. 'The simpler the better.'
Planning a true chef's kitchen requires precision planning. Your chosen material is perhaps the most important element. Hygienic, seamless and extremely robust, stainless steel is the professionals’ top surface choice for good reason.
There are practical reasons for why metals, such as stainless steel, work well in chef's kitchens: they can take the heat, literally, and are easy to clean. While scratches and patina are part of their charm, they can achieve striking clean lines, and a growing interest in this material goes beyond durability.
'Stainless steel is durable, low maintenance and extremely hygienic, so it's the ideal kitchen countertop material for our present times, says Tom Edmonds, design director at Lewis Alderson. 'It can be made into large complicated pieces with sinks and drainers welded in, virtually eliminating joints where bacteria and dirt could accumulate.' While it is more associated with contemporary kitchens, stainless steel can prove a surprisingly good fit amid classic cabinets. 'In a traditional kitchen, stainless steel lends a modern edge and, in time, will gain small swirl marks, which will settle into a lovely mellow patina that requires little fuss,' adds Tom.
A natural partner for stainless-steel appliances, chrome hardware is also a classic choice that works especially well with lighter color schemes, according to Simon Temprell, interior design lead at Neptune. ‘It is suited to both modern and traditional styles and has a clean, fresh look that really perks things up,’ he adds. ‘Chrome handles shouldn’t fade or lose their shine, just buff with a cloth to remove sticky fingerprints. Many kitchen appliances come with chrome finishes, and it’s also a great metal to pair with polished nickel on taps and lighting, keeping your kitchen looking fresh, bright and shiny, similar to Keaton's.
These days, the best kitchen designers are flexing cool-toned metal a touch further, applying it across more architectural features, incorporating even more sophisticated finishes and highlighting its ability to amplify light.
‘Today, steel is detailed in a more architectural manner, offering a broader range of application options and enabling it to serve multiple functions,’ notes Eva-Marie Prineas, principal of Sydney’s Studio Prineas. And while cool metallics are having a moment well beyond the kitchen, it seems no area in the cooking space is off-limits for steely accents. Whether to bring a streak of minimalism or a ray of light into the heart of the home. Metal accents are upping the ante in home kitchens.
Shop the look
Hand-crafted using aluminum and stainless steel the NewGen mimics the look of the classic Vario toaster – designed in 1945 – but adds a handful of modern features. Each of the NewGen’s toast slots works independently, so you only use enough energy to heat the slices you need. There’s also a handy defrost setting. Available in 13 colors, the NewGen isn’t cheap, but all its parts are replaceable. It’s a toaster for life.
If you want to add chrome to your kitchen without a complete overhaul, wine glasses with chrome handles are the simple way to do so. The Ramono set was an instant hit when Anthropologie launched the range last year, and it is easy to see why these industrial-inspired retro glasses are back in the zeitgeist once again.
The wonderful thing about stainless steel is that it works beautifully with just about any other color. Turquoise is a color that is never cold. Evocative of warm tropical seas, paradise islands and luxurious infinity pools, it is a color that brings calm and happiness to every space. With its associations of a gentle lapping sea, it promotes a sense of calm and relaxation – a must in a busy gourmet kitchen. Made in the USA, this serving bowl will look striking filled with lemons.
Far from being a passing fad, industrial-style chef's cooking spaces are a kitchen trend that has exploded in a big way. We love how the mix of utilitarian surfaces, pared-back architecture and functional, salvaged objects create a look that is raw, contemporary and unpretentious.
