Mzizana - Zimbali

The 2014 Kitchen Designers Competition saw an impressive level of talent across the two categories: Luxury (projects with a budget above R100,000) and Comfort (up to R100,000).

I designed the winner of the Luxury category. My brief was to create a space that was in harmony with the rest of the open-plan living area. The island is a multifunctional storage, prep and seating unit, but instead of just having a typical seating extension, it had to be striking because it is a focal point of the approach towards the kitchen area.

I wrapped the kitchen island in Caesarstone Shitake and created a cut-away timber-clad recess. From this I floated an oak-veneered extension, which defines the seating area. The result was "a sophisticated kitchen which embodies the intersection of aesthetics and functionality".