Livingetc Style Awards 2021 winners: Kitchen Design category

As chosen by our judges, Livingetc editor Pip McCormac, Livingetc Editorial Director Sarah Spiteri, Livingetc columnists and interior designers Linda Boronkay and Minnie Kemp and fashion stylist legend Lucinda Chambers, these are the best pieces of kitchen design you'll want to use in your home now.

Appliance - winner: InstaView Door-In-Door Fridge Freezer by LG

This sleek appliance has a patented InstaView panel which illuminates when knocked on twice, as well as Door-in-Door technology, both of which reduce need to open the door keeping food fresh for longer, and keeping energy consumption down. Normally, when a fridge is opened, it has to ramp up its cooling as warm air floods in. 

Packed with the latest cooling technology, the unit is available in a stainless steel or a finger-print resistant matte black finish. 

“This fridge freezer addresses problems I didn’t know I had” says Pip McCormac.  “It really pushes the boundaries of kitchen tech.”

Shop this fridge freezer here.

Appliance - Design Icon - winner: Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer dishwasher

Having entered the marketplace over 20 years ago to global acclaim, the DishDrawer™ Dishwasher minimises bending and is a world-first in terms of design and configuration. The ergonomic design contains a range of flexible racking options, and the black stainless-steel model is the newest addition, joining the built-in oven and French door fridge freezer in the same collection. It still feels revolutionary, and still feels like a brilliant solution to the problem of lack of space, or using too much energy to run a conventionally sized dishwasher.

“When the DishDrawer was launched it was such a step forward, and it this version has been updated in a brilliant modern finish’ says Sarah Spiteri.

Shop this dishwasher here.

Sink - winner: Italian Marble Sink by deVOL

Made to order at a quarry in Carrara in Italy, each sink is machined from a single block of either Carrara or Arabescato Corchia marble, then hand-finished for a tactile honed surface. This allows the beautiful natural veining of the marble to travel through bowl seamlessly without any seams that might occur with a slab-built sink. 

“This sink is heaven” says Pip Mc Cormac. “It’s a real investment for life.”

Shop this sink here.

Tap - winner: Armstrong Kitchen Tap by Perrin & Rowe 

Inspired by brothers Joseph and George Armstrong who built over 800 locomotives at the Stafford Road Works near the Perrin & Rowe foundry in Wolverhampton, the Armstrong range features hand-cast bodies and stamped handles. The handsome collection is available in a wide variety of finishes including aged brass, satin brass and polished brass unlacquered finishes that will patina over time.

"I'm impressed by how unusual the handles are - it's rare to find a tap design that is truly surprising," says Pip McCormac. "Even better, they're really lovely to hold."

Shop this tap here.

Pantry - winner: Lotte Larder Cabinet by Cox & Cox

Handcrafted in Europe from solid pine treated with a washed paint finish, this traditional style freestanding cabinet has five adjustable shelves and additional storage inside each door. 

Providing plenty of space for groceries, small appliances and other kitchen paraphernalia it’s a flexible piece that will add character to any kitchen. 

‘This piece is a great addition to any kitchen and would be really easy to use and adapt” says Minnie Kemp.  

Shop this pantry here.

Bespoke Kitchen - winner: Eggersmann Design

This bespoke kitchen by Eggersmann Design includes a monolithic island unit encased in book-matched Coffee Brown marble and cupboard doors clad in Maro Ebony composite formed from sustainably grown timber. 

Behind pocket doors is 1.5m of workspace, enough for a washing-up station, coffee machine and toaster. “I like the commitment that the island unit brings” says Sarah Spiteri “It's a real statement design and it has taken a bold aesthetic and pushed it to new boundaries.”

Shop the kitchen here.