Designing a Kitchen with Good Feng Shui
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice of using design to enhance harmony and balance within the home and directly translates to “the way of wind and water.” Though it is a centuries old practice, feng shui has much to offer modern homes and was a non-negotiable for these PIRCH customers.
The homeowners had a clear idea of all the changes they wanted to make to this new two-story home located in La Jolla, CA including a pool, theater, and lower motor court driveaway. Most importantly, they worked with a renowned Feng Shui Master to provide consultation to their home.
In the process of home construction, the homeowners collaborated closely with PIRCH Sales Consultants Freddy Dietvorst and Suzi Mullins, Inplace Studio’s team of designers, Architect Jennifer Bolyn from EOSARC, and Victor Lee, interior designer in Sydney, Australia. Let’s take a closer look at the kitchen and the bar!
The Kitchen & Bar
To many, the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, vital to the health of its residents. Thus, to encourage positive chi, the kitchen should combine the five elements that are fundamental components of feng shui design – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Ultimately, a home must balance all the elements to be in total harmony.
When beginning the design process for this kitchen, the homeowners had some specifics in mind, including an “excellent workflow, efficient cabinetry and a high level of organization…”. With these criteria, they visited PIRCH and embarked on the journey of selecting their appliances and fixtures for their new kitchen and met Freddy. After learning about and considering a few different brands, the pair ultimately decided on a full suite of Gaggenau appliances. “It all started with learning about the technology of the Gaggenau 400 Series Oven, and once we decided on the oven, we knew we wanted the full suite” said the homeowners. With a clear vision, the selections of the Gaggenau refrigerator and freezer, microwave, 400 Series Teppan Yaki, 400 Series Gas Wok, and 400 Series Gas Cooktops came very easily. As scientists in the biotech field by day, the homeowners conducted their own rigorous research on Gaggenau as a brand and were impressed by the extensive history of the company, simplistic Bauhaus design, and high standards of German craftmanship and performance.
With the fire element satisfied by the Gaggenau appliances, the homeowners moved onto metal. “The metal element in feng shui provides clarity, strength, and resilience,” the homeowners commented. Keeping to their desire for a sleek and modern aesthetic, the homeowners selected two Franke sinks for their kitchen and one for the bar area. When asked why they specifically chose Franke stainless steel sinks, they explained that “the Franke sinks are very modern in the sense that they have very clean lines and the professional series fits really well with a modern design.” With an excellent workflow in mind, one larger sink was placed directly across from the cooktops for dish washing and the other beside the cooktop to fill pots and prepare vegetables. When it came to the faucets, “the Dornbracht faucets were recommended by Suzi knowing that the concept of the design was very simple with clean lines” explained the homeowners.
Upon selecting appliances and fixtures, the kitchen cabinet design was next on the list. With a penchant for German engineering and design, the homeowners decided on the award-winning SieMatic SLX kitchen design with channel lighting, designed and installed by Inplace Studio in collaboration with the homeowners and Victor. The unique features of this specific line of cabinetry by SieMatic include wide drawers, zero-matic laser edge banding, soft close doors, rubber seals to minimize dirt, and is completely handle-free for a sleek look. The lighting channels incorporated into the design also create a Zen-like ambiance in the space. To provide contrast to the high gloss surroundings, SieMatic oak wood paneling was specified to surround the refrigerator, freezer, ovens, and to outfit the cabinet doors in the bar area. “Elements of wood are important in kitchen design, because wood adds to the fire element and enhances good fortune,” the homeowners noted.
Creating good feng shui in your home may not be the simplest task, but the juice is truly worth the squeeze. Because “feng shui uses energy forces (chi) to harmonize the home with its surrounding environment, it is critical for the health and well-being of the residents. Following cosmic energy and designing a home with that in mind will create a positive and prosperous environment and avert negative chi” cites the homeowners.
