Recently at Apartment Therapy, we visited Mike & Bea's Raised Kitchen, built by Tim Sloan of Levitate Architects (who brought us The Amazing Staircase). The above photo is what this kitchen looked like post-renovation; check out the full house tour to see more of what it looks like now. Tim designed the 407-sq.-ft. flat on the first floor of a Georgian house in Islington for himself, and lived there for years before renting it out.
Here’s what the architect had to say about the renovation of the (trapezoidal!) flat, with more photos:
The house has a trapezoidal floor plan meaning that none of the walls are at right angles to one another making fitting any furniture tricky. The living/dining/kitchen space is wide and dominated by two lovely large full height sash windows. The original kitchen had a screen wall that cut across the windows and spoiled the balance of the room.
The concept for the kitchen was to create a simple piece of white furniture designed as a 'box of tricks' that housed all of the unsightly household items (including washing machine, fridge, freezer, waste bin, ironing board, vacuum cleaner) and created plenty of storage. It was positioned at the back of the room opposite the windows so that it doesn't cast any shadows and lifted to make use of the 3-meter high ceiling, creating large amounts of storage space beneath.
The added benefit of this is that when seated in the living room, the top of the kitchen counter is not visible. The storage boxes beneath the kitchen slide out to form a standing deck in front of the sink and hob. The boxes have also been used as a bench along one side of the dining table for occasional dinner parties.
- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. If you have an idea for a European kitchen tour, please write kristinh @ apartmenttherapy . com
The concept is interesting.
It seems though, that the left side of the countertop is not accessible. It looks like maybe 12" of the right side is not accessible either.
Is there a solution for this?
view art's profile
Also, that you would have to make a conscious effort to remember this in order not to fall off the side?
view Lesley - London's profile
too odd looking for me
view Sassy in SF's profile
Very problematic. Is the storage always supposed to be "out" or "in"? If it is always "in" you then eliminate useable counter space. You walk in with groceries or flowers or mail... how do you place it on the counter? Step one pull our risers/storage, step two - step up, and step three place things on counter. It just doesn't work. I see how he got there with the design but take a reality check and its a dead end.
view AlexPDL's profile
Creative, but impractial and stupid!
view CheapNLazy's profile