Welcome back to our Q&A series. In this article we are giving you access inside the mind of another one of our very own designers – Anne.
Anne is a professionally trained Interior Designer. After she graduated with distinction from London based Limperts Academy of Design she worked as an interior design consultant and store manager at a high-end furniture retail store in Ireland. Her experience there and knowledge gained about furniture design is something that she draws on, on a daily basis at Kitchens by Kathie. From there she moved into the kitchen and cabinet design industry and was named as one of the top three young kitchen designers in Ireland in 2010 by Ireland’s Kitchen Trade Magazine. Anne joined the Kitchens by Kathie team in 2012 after her move to Australia and was a finalist in the Kitchen & Bathroom Designers Institute Design Awards in 2013. She brings a love and respect for all interior and design styles and is passionate about creating the perfect design to suit each individual client’s needs.
How would you describe your own style? How does this reflect in your kitchen at home?
My personal style has always been rather eclectic and relaxed. My home is furnished with a collection of new, old, thrifted and custom designed pieces that all work together to create a welcoming and homely feel in an otherwise all white interior.
I like to cook from scratch and our kitchen is quite small so functional storage helps to keep everything organised. I like to keep items that we use every day such as our coffee machine, kettle and toaster out on the bench for easy access. Some plants, a tea canister from a memorable overseas trip and some framed art by my children add some personal touches that make the all white kitchen ‘our space’.
Do you have some household items that you couldn’t live without?
The two most used items in my kitchen (apart from the essential coffee machine) are my stand mixer and my dutch oven. I love to cook and bake at home and spend a lot of time in the kitchen with my children. I use my dutch oven to bake bread, braise meat and cook meals such as shepherds pie and curries. I love that its so versatile and I can use it both on the cooktop and in the oven.
What kitchen trend has been catching your eye most?
I’m loving the fact that solid timber is being used more in kitchens and interiors in general again. I started my interior and kitchen design career in Ireland where we used a lot of solid timber to manufacture kitchen cabinet fronts and benchtops. Timber elements bring a certain warmth to a space that just can’t be replicated with any other material.
I’m not a big follower of trends. I believe a kitchen, or any interior space, should be designed to suit each clients personal taste, the style of their home and their lifestyle in a way that is both practical and timeless regardless of the era it was designed.
Tell us about one of your favourite designs that you have worked on.
One of the most exciting projects I had the pleasure of working on recently was designing cabinetry for a client who was converting a small two bedroom Queenslander into a large Hollywood regency style home in Greenslopes. We had so much fun choosing colours and design features to create the look that my client envisaged. My favourite elements of the design were the gold colour shadow line detail under black granite benchtops in the kitchen, the ‘hidden’ walk in pantry, and the colonial style timber legs that we had painted in a high gloss black to sit under the vanity in the super glamorous powder room. As manufacturers of custom cabinetry we have the freedom to get creative with our design work.
What should clients keep in mind when working with a kitchen designer?
The more information you can give your designer about you, your family and your lifestyle the better equipped they will be to create the ultimate design that is tailored to your individual needs.
