Clutter bug
Pantry Magic, a factory-direct kitchen supply shop recently opened by Robert Esser in Central's Pedder Building, is an example of a commercial space whose design philosophy would translate seamlessly into the kitchen at home.
Designed and built by Nunu Luan of Golconda Vistas in Hong Kong, Pantry Magic presents a European-inspired vision of a bountiful kitchen - packed with bright enamel casseroles, bowls and utensils, with polished brass and chrome pots and pans hanging overhead.
Foodies love filling their kitchens, which is evident in the kit that shops such as PanHandler and Pantry Magic sell. They also have definite ideas about what they want their cooking zones to look like. So did Esser. For the design of Pantry Magic, he specified the raw appeal of a New York shop and a decor that would appeal to foodies.
In response to this brief, Luan highlighted rather than hid the bones of the building. To achieve a New York feel, the floor was done in a mosaic of white, mustard and chocolate-brown hospital tiles, and an exposed brick feature wall was added to give an industrial effect.
These elements blend well with the warm white of the walls and the stainless steel accents of the hanging racks and metro-floor shelving that line the walls while complementing the European accents, such as a round French country-style kitchen table used for displaying speciality wares.
'I've always put a fanatic emphasis on practicality, though I want the space to look good, too,' says Esser, who based the layout of Pantry Magic on the kitchen he designed and built for his home in Malaysia, where he lived before moving to Hong Kong recently. Because, he says, every kitchen should have an island, Pantry Magic is outfitted with several of these large work/storage stations.
To achieve a Pantry Magic look at home, Luan advises paying attention to scale. Pantry Magic is 680sqft - bigger than some Hong Kong homes. It's also filled with more pots, pans, pitchers and utensils than even the most compulsive home cook would ever need, so reducing the number of islands, metro shelves and racks wouldn't be a challenge.
Luan used solid maple for the tables, islands and some shelving. 'In a home you have to be careful about the kind of wood and consider water-proofing it to prevent mould and warping,' she says. It's also essential to choose the right strength bolts and cables for hanging racks.
'Different gauges of chain hold different weights, so it's important to figure out how heavy a rack will be and do the maths.' According to Luan, the hanging racks used in Pantry Magic would be good for people lacking cupboard space. They also work well for families with young children because everything is displayed, including knives affixed to magnetic strips at countertop level, well away from reaching hands.
However, the look isn't for everybody. 'An exposed kitchen is generally not suitable for people who aren't good at organising,' says Luan. Nor would it appeal to those into minimalism.
Shop customers have reacted positively to the design. In fact, Luan has been approached by a potential client wanting the look for the kitchen of their French country house.
