Kitchens rise to stardom

The Varenna Kitchen island features a multilevel nook, pull up socket, chopping board with weighing accessory.

Blame the cooking channels or the gregarious celebrity chefs. Whatever the reason, gourmet grade kitchens with luxury kitchen appliances and designer pieces are must-haves for today’s affluent homebuyers.

These days, when one thinks of the kitchen in any home, it’s almost certainly the star of the show where families gather at holidays and any day of the week, or where families discuss the day’s activities.

And with today’s open floor plans, it’s no wonder why several of today’s kitchens are fast becoming the focal point of many interior design or even redesign projects.

Luxury developer Ayala Land Premier understands this, a reason why the upscale condominium residences of its soon-to-rise masterpieces, the 69-storey Park Central South Tower at the intersection of Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue and the 52-storey Two Roxas Triangle along Cruzada Street, will feature sophisticated kitchen designs.

To achieve this, Ayala Land Premier partnered with three of the world’s best names in business: Smeg (kitchen appliance partner in Two Roxas Triangle and Park Central Towers); SieMatic (kitchen systems partner for Two Roxas Triangle and also at The Suites at One Bonifacio High Street); and Varenna (kitchen systems partner for Park Central Towers).

The flocked SieMatic insert mats have a unique look and feel and are also easy to clean.

Retro-inspired

Founded in 1948 in Northern Italy, Smeg brings everyday objects to life through originality, creativity and quality.

Most of its creations feature retro-inspired designs, their appliances bring classic Italian style straight to the heart of the home: the kitchen.

Selling everything from dishwashers, to cooktops, to refrigerators, Smeg was founded by Vittorio Bertazzoni of Guastalla, a small town in northern Italy. Interestingly, Bertazzoni family’s entrepreneurial history begins way back in the 19th century as they became famous for building cookers.

Knowing how to combine technology with style—retro look—is the key for Smeg in creating products which become truly iconic.

In fact, Smeg’s internal design studio, which carries out painstaking research into aesthetics and style, has the support of internationally renowned architects such as Guido Canali, Mario Bellini, the Piano Design studio, Marc Newson and Giancarlo Candeago.

Another important factor is the company’s “green approach” as all of Smeg’s appliances are designed to meet certain environmental considerations like the materials for their products are easily recycled, such as steel, glass, aluminum, and brass.

Smeg’s 60cm wall mounted chimney hood

In addition, Smeg also limit their use of materials such a lead, mercury, PBBs, and PBDEs all are which frequently deemed as hazardous.

It’s worth noting that Smeg didn’t get the reputation and respect as a manufacturer just from selling quality refrigerator units and powerful cooking ovens. They sell a number of other appliances as well including microwave ovens, coffee machines, gas cookers, kitchen mixers, toasters, and even dishwashers.

Leading brand

Ayala Land Premier’s other partner is SieMatic, recognized as one of the leading brands for premium kitchen furnishings from Germany.

Founded in 1929 beginning with kitchen dressers, it now dominates the international market for luxury kitchen design systems, cabinets, countertops and niche kitchen panels, with presence in over 70 countries. In Asia, SieMatic is present in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Here in the Philippines, SieMatic is exclusively distributed by Focus Global (SieMatic has been in the Philippines since 2002).

With the MultiMatic Interior Accessories System, you don’t sacrifice a single centimeter because the system can be put together and adjusted individually.

SieMatic’s impeccable knowledge on material combination allows it to offer clients practical and smart kitchen solutions. There’s the patented MultiMatic track system that allows one up to 30 percent more storage space than conventional kitchens, and the SieMatic Interior Design System featuring modular interior accessories that allow versatile, personalized solutions to kitchen drawer organization based on changing individual needs.

SieMatic leads the market in the open kitchen design, recognizing that today’s kitchen is a living space, much a part of the living room with common elements like spaciousness and creative flair.

For the environment, SieMatic fully supports the “green idea” where sustainability of home plans and fixtures are incorporated both in its own manufacturing process and in the projects it undertakes, as shown by the company’s environmental standard certifications.

Constantly updating itself with trends as far as emerging tastes and lifestyle changes in its niche market are concerned, SieMatic is currently going for the natural trend when it comes to employing certain materials. To discover SieMatic’s latest ideas, one may drop by its showroom at the Twenty-four Seven McKinley building, located at the corner of 24th street and 7th Avenue, McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig); at the corner of Pioneer and Reliance Streets in Mandaluyong City; and at the Design Center of Cebu, at the corner of P Remedios and AS Fortuna Streets, Mandaue City in Cebu.

The SieMatic GripDeck prevents pots, pans, and plates from rattling around in drawers and pullouts.

Creativity and Italian design

Varenna collection offers personalized solutions to suit contemporary tastes and styles. Elegant in form and highly flexible in design and detail, these high quality systems can be customized to complement one’s unique personality.

A kitchen division of Poliform (a leading Italian furniture manufacturer and a renowed design brand), Varenna brand was acquired in 1996.

Varied collections feature exclusive kitchen systems made entirely in Italy, guaranteeing rigorous quality control during all stages of production.

SieMatic presented its first handle-free kitchen to the world in 1960 and has since become a model for many.

Varenna products are built in modules and shipped fully assembled in order to preserve the quality and precision of the final product. It is known for its exquisite detailing and of course, for its “lack2 of handles or cupboard pulls.

Extension

Indeed, what was once a purely utilitarian space has now become an extension of not only the dining room but also the living room.

The kitchen masterpieces that will be created by these Ayala Land Premier partners at both Park Central South Tower and Two Roxas Triangle will truly be the epitome of sophistication and luxury.

Park Central South Tower will only offer 281 private residences with 12 different unit designs and layouts.

Smeg’s 60cm Beveled Edge Four Zone

With unit sizes ranging from a two-bedroom unit at approximately 138 sqm to a three-level penthouse unit called Anadem Villa One at approximately 1,635 sqm (inclusive of a limited common area and 281 sqm pool deck), Park Central South Tower will offer 54 Aquaview Villas (with own private elevators and a 5.7 meter high living room area that flows out to a private plunge pool and lounge deck); 54 Skyview Villas (with floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows that wrap around a 5.7 meter high living room space); 54 Gallery Villas (with private elevators opening up to a gallery where discerning homeowners can feature prized possessions or works of art); and 112 Glass Suites, aptly named because all of the rooms feature floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows maximizing views and bathing these luxury apartments with natural light).

Park Central Towers’ first tower will begin turnover in 2024.

Two Roxas Triangle, on the other hand, will only have 182 flats—ranging from 302 sqm to 633 sqm (a four-bedroom Penthouse with balcony)—that follow the design of American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) and local counterpart Pimentel, Rodriguez, Simbulan and partners.

Turnover of Two Roxas Triangle starts in the first quarter of 2019.