Winner of CaesarStone kitchen design comp off to Milan

The judges, Darren Bester of It Is Design and Elloise Rudman of Sharson Contractors, selected Philip Richards of Blu-Line Living in Gauteng with Malissa Barnard the CaesarStone consultant as the winner. They win an all-expenses paid trip to the 2010 Eurocucina Kitchen Fair in Milan, which includes, return flights, accommodation, entry to Eurocucina, spending money and a two-day visit to Rome, valued at R30 000 each.

The second prize of R5000 was awarded to Mariaan van Zyl of Alpine German Kitchens in Cape Town and her CaesarStone representative Chantelle Grobbelaar.

Functionality key in winner's design

"Firstly, I would like to congratulate all the entries; it was a tough and long process to narrow down the top ten finalists for the competition. It showed that the level of entries for the first year of this competition was of a high standard, showcasing some exciting new designs within our industry,” comments Bester.

“It is sometimes easy to be seduced by aesthetics alone and as judges we felt that the winning design reflected all the aspects of a well-conceived and well-executed design. In today's modern living environment of limited space, function plays a key role.

“The winning design not only encompassed the functionality of a small kitchen but also was aesthetically pleasing and carefully detailed. The zoning of the kitchen into key areas and the designer's philosophical approach of ‘relational living' was well conceived and clearly set the design apart. Utility areas were clearly defined and consumable areas cleverly hidden. This simple, yet sophisticated kitchen is ‘high' design, of an international standard, yet it successfully fits within an African context.

“Although the combination of materials such as timber and natural stone cladding contrasts with the black gloss lacquered doors, they all work together to enhance the natural beauties of the company's stone and create a harmonious environment, which interacts well with the surrounding living spaces.

“This well presented entry is a worthy winner of the first kitchen competition and we look forward to seeing what our industry can produce for next year's entries."
Emporio Communications"