Upon entering the kitchen with your guests you hold your breath, a technique you have learned over the last number of weeks which enables you to detect subtle, barely audible gasps of delight. You know that this human response was top of your list when you briefed your kitchen designer and you are now beginning to acknowledge that the visual stimulators being given off by your kitchen are powerfully achieving the desired “Wow Effect”!
The “Wow Effect” is something kitchen designers get asked for a lot, but when it comes to kitchen design what makes a “Wow”? Everyone’s “Wow” is different and can be determined by the level of stimulation achieved through the five senses; the resulting physical reaction will most likely depend upon the physiological make up of the individual and their social profile. It is the job of the kitchen designer to read the situation, the client and their demographical situation to deliver on the required “Wow Effect”!
The social profiling of each individual is relative to achieving their subjective “Wow” threshold, as the level of “Wow” can be directly linked to an individual’s social and financial circumstance. If an individual is wealthy it may take a lot more stimulation to create the desired effect due to their social conditioning and unconscious belief that they should be surrounded by beautiful things!
But “Wow” is not just about how much a kitchen cost, it can be about breaking the rules, redefining design trends and being bold and brave enough to do something different. A “Design Appreciation Wow” is a little more difficult to achieve as the designer needs a client who is prepared to walk the fine line between “Wow” and criticism. The connection between the client and designer must also be fluid with ideas being able to flow easily and without any raised eyebrows.
Staggering the effect also helps amplify the overall impact with good designers achieving the “Wow Ripple Effect” by layering their designs. Stage one is the initial visual impact whereby the viewer gets their first glimpse of the new kitchen. In order to achieve the secondary level “Wow” the kitchen must have a visual hook, a feature that draws the viewer in and appeals to their inquisitive nature, third and forth level “Wows” can be more technical allowing the client to explain the features of the kitchen to their guests, classic examples of this are shape shifting elements like a downdraft extraction system, pocket door systems or controllable mood lighting!
A “Coffee Morning Wow” can be achieved without even seeing or experiencing the kitchen. This is a social phenomenon whereby the client is able to obtain social approval from their peers by citing their design choices, the company who installed the kitchen or the designer who penned the creation. This is not bragging or boasting it is simply the legacy of our childhood whereby we sought the approval of our parents; this natural human trait means that we will all seek the approving glances of those we like and respect!
The final “Delayed Wow Effect” is achieved long after the visual stimulation of having a new kitchen has faded. This “Wow Effect” is introverted and is defined by the functional capacities of the kitchen. It is only by using and experiencing the kitchen over a period of time that the client will understand its complexity and will then fully appreciate the knowledge and professionalism bestowed upon them by their kitchen designer – The Wow Maker!
By: Darren Morgan
Posted by Darren Morgan on January 25th, 2012 at 7:52 am.
Maggie’s cancer treatment centre by Piers Gough of CZWG with interiors by Sir Paul Smith is inspirational. Now that’s an over used word but I defy anyone with an interest in design and its impact on people’s lives to look at these pictures and watch the video without a sense of the passion behind this project and the knowledge that talented people have used their undoubted ability to improve the lives of our fellow human beings. And that goes for everyone at Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres as well. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on November 14th, 2011 at 10:35 am.
Victoria and Albert, manufacturers of extremely desirable baths, were one of the sponsors of the recent Modenus BlogTour during London Design Festival. Bob Borson of Bernbaum-Magadini Architects, and author of the much celebrated and highly entertaining blog, ‘Life of an Architect’ , was one of the participants of the aforementioned adventure. So when we discovered that Bob is a fan of Victoria and Albert, having specified it for more than one of his recent projects, we thought it made sense to ask him about it.
The project in question is interesting for a number of reasons, not least because of what it reveals about Bob’s approach.
It all started when a client wanted a space for a grill, a bathroom with a shower and a seating area. And as the client started talking to Bob they found someone who was receptive to their ideas and encouraging their questions and visions.
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Posted by Modenus on October 11th, 2011 at 5:28 pm.
DuVerre has been a Modenus favorite long before there was a Modenus. As a young and rebellious kitchen designer I was always on the lookout for great surface materials, unique hardware or that one cabinet finish that no one had ever used before – often to the dismay of my suppliers. With hardware there was never a question and one of my main go-to’s for unique and highly sculptural design was always DuVerre. So imagine my excitement when I heard DuVerre had decided to join Modenus’ new concept, Blogtour, as a sponsor; why it was a match made in heaven. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on October 11th, 2011 at 5:46 am.
Kitchen design seems to be entering a new stage of acceptance and designers are finding a new found freedom to redefine the boundaries of their discipline. Just as the members of the feminist movement in the late 60’s were rumoured to have burned their under garments in an act of independent defiance so too are kitchen designers refusing to accept architecture or even gravity for that matter as a restrictive force within the design process.
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Posted by Darren Morgan on August 31st, 2011 at 8:13 am.
Design is in the details and when those details are perfectly chosen to complement the rest of the space then they can be a constant source of pleasure. I feel that way about the right door hardware. All too often does a builder or architect try to run the homeowner through the selection process with choices like “Do you want brass, brushed nickel or bronze” when really door hardware is yet another place to celebrate creativity. Here a few of our faves. Rocky Mountain Hardware‘s Roger Thomas Collection above. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on April 23rd, 2011 at 8:48 am.
Somewhere between wild, crazy avant-garde architecture we all too often see as concepts only and the practical but boring boxes that are frequently the result of battles with building committees and budget revisions, there exists Bjarke Ingels Group, also known as BIG. Ingels talks about ‘pragmatic utopian architecture’ and it is testimony to his approach that his practice seems to have a knack of making the extraordinary actually happen. BIG display their projects on the front page of their website and it is possible to reorder them in a variety of ways including status. And when you do you will see 77 ideas, 34 in progress or under construction and sixteen completed. We think that’s a fairly good return.
We wanted to give you a taste of what they do and tempt you to explore their work. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on April 4th, 2011 at 6:34 am.
Some things are of their time. London’s red phone boxes, any phone boxes in fact, typewriters, film for cameras. And until we saw these wondrous mouldings from Solomon and Wu it didn’t occur to us that there was such as thing as a truly modern ceiling rose, skirting, cornice or architrave. Legend has it, well lets be honest, Jake Solomon told us, the idea came to Jake and Michael as they wandered around the grand public spaces and found themselves more entranced by the architectural details than the art on display. They say their aim is to create mouldings that belong to the world we inhabit today. We say bravo and wonder why no one else seems to have thought of it. This is known as Linear Structure and it comes as architrave as well. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on March 30th, 2011 at 12:50 pm.
Ok. I love Hermès as much as the next girl. The trademark scarves, the leather goods, the home wares. The styling is classic with just enough wit to never make it dull and the company has proven over and over that it’s willing to push the boundaries with quirky design elements and even it’s fun, albeit slightly cumbersome, new website. All good. What I don’t get is the new Paris showroom. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on March 21st, 2011 at 2:20 pm.
Featured blog sponsored by Reveal Designs
The third a final part of our mini-series on Innovation and Inspiration gets downright architectural with a collection of architect inspired and designed hardware for not only cabinetry but the entire home. Have a look at Reveal Design’s complete line of architectural hardware, because if you’re anywhere near as impressed as we are you’ll start designing a house just around this stuff, really, we mean that. So, to get the unique look, Reveal partners with exceptional architectural or design firms to create their collections. And because we love to name drop as much as the next good design blog, the pulls from Grand Mesa and Abacus collection (above) were designed by award winning kitchen designer Matthew Quinn and more impressive names are on the way. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on March 7th, 2011 at 10:33 pm.
