GlassArt Ltd. Glass Splashbacks in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
Glass Effects Range
The Art of Beautiful Glass
June 2010
GJ Gardner Show Home
Welcome to the very first GlassArt Feature Kitchen, where we showcase the latest trends and colour schemes happening in kitchen design.
This month we are presenting the GJ Gardner show home kitchen, located in The Lakes, Tauranga. This is a very unique kitchen as it has a GlassArt customised splashback. I recently caught up with Kirsty McConnell, from GJ Gardner Homes, and asked her a few questions about what the inspiration for the splashback was.
What inspired the design for this splashback?
There are many iconic NZ images represented throughout the show home, and this one is of a line of Toi Toi or beach grass swaying in the sea breeze. This image is also visible on the cushions in the adjacent lounge to match the kitchen.
(**See below for copyright note**)
The design is quite subtle, what inspired the colours?
The kitchen forms part of the 'Pilot Bay Living Pavilion'. So we drew on Pilot Bay at the Mount for our theme colours. We used alot of soft warm beiges (sand) and blues (sea) as well as graphical elements that would be seen in a typical still-water bay environment. We needed the splashback to be subtle in colour and strength because the actual design was very big (approx 5 metres long) and very, very detailed. If the design had been any stronger it may have dominated the overall look of the kitchen.
Did the splashback achieve the desired results?
Yes we absolutely love it. GlassArt were really helpful in suggesting several ways we might achieve the desired result. In the end we settled with a background colour of Dulux Colours of NZ 'Haast'. This colour was double the strength of the wall colour (Haast half), and we used a warm white with a pearl lustre finish for the Toi Toi image. It ended up achieving a 3D effect, when caught in the right light, so we are thrilled with the result.
The design of the kitchen also had to achieve a distinctive look and feel. Tracey Smith, from Heirloom Kitchens, Tauranga, had this to say about the kitchen:
My objective was to create a streamlined contemporary kitchen showcasing the latest in finishes and design features. I was given design flexibility to achieve this by being involved at an early stage. I altered and moved a window, which enabled the full width of the overhead cabinetry. For this I used Bestwood’s Recon Veneer ‘Toffee Zebrano’, the remaining cabinetry was lacquered in high-gloss ‘Resene White’. These colours, combined with Caesar Stone ‘Ice Snow’,sit well with Kirsty’s chosen colour theme. I also used a mirrored toe-kick to achieve a floating effect to the island and added a strip of the ‘Toffee Zebrano’ veneer to bring together the flooring and overhead cabinetry. I used Heritage Hardware integrated handles to compliment the length of the splashback and overhead cabinetry.
More photos of the kitchen and the rest of the show home can be viewed on the GJ Gardner website, or take a drive out to 6 Rexford Heights, The Lakes Tauranga. You won’t be disappointed.
If you like the look of the kitchen and would like to discuss some ideas with Tracey about your new kitchen, visit the Heirloom Kitchens showroom: 35 Koromiko Street, Judea Tauranga. Or call Tracey on (07) 578 6361
Please Note: Toi Toi design used here is strictly copyrighted. We (GlassArt) can not reproduce the design unless given permission. We do however, have our own range of designs available here
