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Designer's Notebook Photo courtesy of Beverly Leigh Binns, Binns Kitchens + Bath Design, Pickering, Ontario, www.binns. net; photography by Tim McLean Photography, Toronto, Ontario. A very diferent approach to creating a shape is employed in this plan. Rather than countertop or splash contrasting with base or wall cabinet fnishes, the countertop and the splash echoes the fnish on the wall cabinets. This increases the visual impact, forming one unifed horizontal fnished area. Shapes do not have to be large and overbearing to be efective. They can be delicate, open and airy. In this small kitchen example, the back wall could have been an entire block of cabinetry – but the designer wisely added an open area at the end of the run so the room has some breathing space. She then echoed this open shelf detail on the peninsula extension separating the kitchen from the adjoining dining area. Whereas the back detail is a painted enclosure with a cabinet matching shelf, the peninsula detail features a panel to match the cabinets extending from the countertop to the ceiling with the shelves dying into that similar material. Also note the textured stainless steel used at the backsplash: adding interest, but not introducing strong contrasting colors, textures or shapes. Photo: Courtesy of My House Design/Build/Team, Vancouver, British Columbia, www.myhousedesignbuild.com; photography by Reuben Krabbe, Whistler, British Columbia, www.reubenkrabbe.com. This space showcases an excellent use of curves in various elements throughout the kitchen. The curved wall and island is accentuated by a curved eating area, curved hood and curved light fxture. This repetition of one shape in smaller proportioned applications maintains the room's drama, but makes it very comfortable to look at. can create large room kitchen layouts that focus on the concept of combining lines into various shapes, and by defining space by the forms that are created within a room. Consider these tips for working with shapes: The shape of an object has a dramatic impact on the sense of fuidity within the room. › A rectangular shape is horizontal in nature – it is easy for everyone to live with. How to Use in a Kitchen Plan: Utilize the same materials or colors in long horizontal sections of the plan. › A square shape can be used as a "standalone" element. A word of caution: repeating square shapes can become stagnant. How to Use in a Kitchen Plan: Encase ("frame") a series of functional elements (think of a refrigerator with an oven next to it) with a material that creates a square form. The viewer then does not concentrate on the dissimilar appliances – they "see" the framed form. › D i a gon a l , a ng le d or triangular shapes give an impression of movement – it can dominate a design. › Curved or circular shapes are comfortable for the viewer to look at…and live in and around! Repeating curved shapes within the space creates a fowing sense of space. 42 | Kitchen & Bath Design News September 2013 Photo: Courtesy of designer Tim Scott and co-designer Erica Westeroth, CKD, XTC Design Inc, Toronto, Ontario, www.xtcdesign. com; photography by Donna Griffith Photography, Toronto, Ontario, www.donnagriffith.com. PERCEPTION IMPACTS FORM When designing blocks of shapes, it's important to remember that the space (the envelope) of the room we are working with impacts how we visually see the shape. The form of an object is determined by its structure, apparent weight and ornamentation. By this we mean that a form is not just the physical shape of an object; rather it is determined by its overall structure and the relationship of this specifc shape with others adjacent to it. Now, if this all sounds a bit confusing, let me share some beautiful examples with you. Across North America, designers are fnding more clients interested in contemporary environments. A contemporary room needs to have personality! The room needs to be rich in detail – but not ornamental detail. The bottom line is that designers create details diferently in a contemporary room than in a traditional one. › In a traditional space, architectural accoutrements in woodworking details and classic joinery used to create complex door styles can lead to a wonderful Old World feeling. › In a contemporary room, the space needs to look crisp and simple, but it also needs to be mystically detailed. Too often, designers plan a kitchen exactly the same for a traditional aesthetic or a contemporary one – they just choose diferent door styles. But, the diference between these two styles is not a diference in the door style; rather, it is a diference in how the space is constructed, how it is molded into a vibrant, yet simple and inviting kitchen. Bigger rooms in which people both cook and live in, as well as the consumer's interest in simpler contemporary environments, are adding new challenges for kitchen designers. › Our frst challenge is rethinking how we visually defne the shapes of our storage system, leading to more unifed forms in