Meet the Winners - The Culture of Living: The Inspired Kitchen Contest

For Gaggenau, The Inspired Kitchen is a contest that pays homage to the heart of the home by inspiring design that assures, entertains, and sparks conversation. Designers were invited to put their creativity and design philosophy to the test by creating a culinary space where luxury is expressed through emotion, materials, craftsmanship, and aesthetics. Each designer submitted 3-to-6 kitchen illustrations, renderings, or drawings, including three Gaggenau appliances, as well as a written narrative describing their design inspiration and appliance selection. And, in the spirit of giving back, for the first 20 entrants, Gaggenau donated $500 per submission to The James Beard Foundation—an organization whose mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable.

The five winning designs were chosen based on creativity, originality, and functionality:

JENNIE BISHOP - Studio Gild

Jennie Bishop and design partners Melissa Benham and Kristen Ekeland define the kitchen by “understated drama, sophisticated custom detailing, and plenty of space in which a young family could entertain and expand.” The look and feel echoes the modern, minimalist design of the house. Anchored by an 18-foot island with seating for six, the space features a book-matched marble slab as a backdrop for a custom brass hood over the cooktop. Gaggenau appliances seamlessly blend into the overall design without distraction for an end result that is light, clean, and functional.

Gaggenau Appliances incorporated:

36” 400 series gas cooktop
30” 400 series double oven
24” 400 series dishwasher
24” stainless steel built-in microwave drawer
30” 400 series warming drawer

DANIELLA VILLAMIL - Daniella Villamil Interiors

Villamil’s kitchen brings the outside in with finishes and detailings that reflect the native landscape, which takes centerstage through glass walls. “Every single detail in the kitchen was thoughtfully planned to connect with an environment and evoke a feeling of luxury, comfort, and connection,” Villamil says. The kitchen hood was finished in a burnished copper to mimic the sunsets; the backsplash was chiseled from rock excavated during construction, the wood for the cabinets was sourced locally, stools were sculpted from tree stumps by a local artist, and the islands were crafted from unfinished wood to contrast with the concrete floors and ceilings.

Gaggenau Appliances incorporated:

36” and 15” 400 series gas cooktops
30” 400 series oven
30” 400 series combi-steam oven
30" 400 series warming drawer
30” 400 series refrigerator / freezer
24” 400 series dishwasher

STEFANO VENIER - Canova

A study in sculptural simplicity, Venier’s kitchen is designed for the sophisticated gourmand. “The kitchen combines style and performance for the aesthete who entertains, providing elevated culinary experiences assisted by technological innovations,” he says. While functional, the forms of two central elements—the Italian Bronzo Amani marble stone island and the oxidized bronze wall unit—appear as sculptural pieces yet hide state-of-the-art functionality. When electronically raised and recessed, the island reveals a host of appliances as well as a work area with a welded sink, a retractable faucet, and a custom teak cutting board.

Gaggenau Appliances incorporated:

24” 400 series under-counter wine storage
24” 400 series dishwasher
12” 200 series induction cooktops
6” 200 series downdraft ventilation
12” 200 series teppan yaki griddle
30” 400 series oven
24” 400 series espresso machine
24” 400 series warming drawer
30′′ 400 series refrigeration column
30′′ 400 series freezer column

MARIE FLANIGAN - Marie Flanigan Interiors

Designed with longevity, functionality, and simplicity in mind, Flanigan’s kitchen combines softness and variation through a landscape of hard surfaces. “Reclaimed stone flooring, exposed wood beams, plaster, and rift-cut oak cabinetry create a symphony of primitive materials and natural beauty, expertly highlighting appliances,” she says. Creating a seamless canvas was key, so Flanigan fully integrated appliances. For instance, the flat Gaggenau Vario 400 series full surface induction cooktop aligns perfectly with the plaster countertop while the downdraft ventilation allows for the range to be on the island without a large overhead vent hood.

Gaggenau Appliances incorporated:

15” 400 series induction wok induction
36” 400 series full surface induction cooktop
400 series downdraft ventilation
15” 400 series teppan yaki
30” 400 series combi-steam oven
30” 400 series oven
30" 400 series warming drawer
30” 400 series refrigeration and freezer with custom cabinet panel
24” 400 series dishwashers
24” 200 series fully automatic espresso machine
24” 400 series wine climate cabinet

DAVID JAMESON - David Jameson Architect Inc

In Jameson’s modernist space, the open-concept kitchen combines bespoke woodwork and custom-crafted marble. “This project was designed for the client who appreciates the craft and beauty of design in all aspects of the home, including appliances, fixtures, and materials,” he says. Appliances are effortlessly woven into the design. The cooktop and dishwasher are concealed within two large islands and the refrigerator and freezer are artfully hidden within flush wood wall paneling, which is also home to speed and steam ovens. Behind the wall panel is the butler’s pantry, which showcases two wine refrigerators. “Assembled with extraordinary precision and craft, the curated project attempts to create a spatial experience where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts,” Jameson says.

Gaggenau Appliances incorporated:

30” 400 series combi-steam oven
30” 400 series combi-microwave oven
30” 400 series oven
36” full surface induction cooktop with 36” retractable downdraft
24” 400 series dishwashers
30” 400 series integrated freezer and refrigerator
24” 400 series wine refrigerator

MEET THE JUDGES
Three AD100 judges, along with Sven Baacke, Head of Design for Gaggenau, chose the five winning designs based on creativity, originality, functionality, as well as a short written description.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest