Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year Episode 9
Designer-Homeowner Collaboration Wows Kitchen Design Competition Judges
Diane Heron of Bishopscourt and Lyall Wilcox of Bristle et Hues were the power homeowner-designer duo behind the modern classical kitchen design that wowed its way into the Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year competition finals.
Having very successfully worked together before on a previous home in Camps Bay, Diane was set on using Lyall as her interior designer for her new home overlooking the Constantia valley. Lyall not only designed the kitchen, but worked with Diane to create the modern, classic interior throughout the house.
“I’m inspired by natural elements. I love symmetry. I’m a bit of a traditionalist, but I like to throw in a bit of contemporary edge. I like balance, I like open space and soft colours,” says Lyall about his personal design inspiration.
For Diane, the kitchen is the central hub of her home and had to complement her lifestyle, “I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I cook while the grandchildren sit at the breakfast bar doing homework, so the kitchen area had to be in the centre of our living space. And of course, the view is outstanding,” says homeowner Diane Heron.
The final design in the top 8 of the Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year competition, this kitchen exemplifies tasteful, luxury living, even featuring a chandelier above the island. Homeowner Diane Heron was very involved in shaping the kitchen design, “I said to Lyall that I wanted a chandelier in my kitchen and I think he thought I’d lost it, but I found the chandelier and I love it – I just think it adds a little bit of class to something that is absolutely beautiful”.
“My favourite part of this kitchen is the Caesarstone London Grey top – I love the marble finish because of its quiet, understated elegance,” says Lyall. He continues, “We used a 4.5 metre island, which gives us a lot of working area and a lot of storage space, but being so big we also wanted to raise it off the ground because it would have felt a bit too heavy otherwise. Small stainless steel legs raise the island off the ground to get a bit of air underneath and a bit of space”.
Bielle Bellingham, editor of Elle Decoration; celebrity chef, Reuben Riffel; creative director of the Expresso Morning Show, Bradley van den Berg; Mor Krisher, head of product design for Caesarstone International; and former Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year winner, Beth Haynes were the judges behind the selection of the eight finalists in the Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year competition.
“What I love about this kitchen is that it’s a marriage between the architecture and the kitchen design. The kitchen has this incredible view and they’ve definitely maximized it,” says judge Bradley van den Berg.
This kitchen design is the last finalist in the Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year competition series. Keep up with the competition series on The Home Channel to find out who the judges will pick as South Africa’s top 3 Caesarstone Kitchen of the Year finalists, or follow the series on the Caesarstone SA YouTube channel.