It’s the big kitchen reveal! With delicious design, budget battles and spicy commentary from the judges, it’s a recipe for drama and excitement.
On the final day of the kitchen challenge, all of the design duos found themselves in a race against the clock to add the final sprinkles of style. The Caesarstone team visited each site to ensure the outstanding quality of product and the installation while the design duos put the finishing touches on the spaces.
Although the design duos are proud of the spaces they’ve created, budgets have become a problem.
Team Habitat spent R66,000 on their kitchen and have R68,000 left in their total cash budget. Team VISI spent R63,000 on their kitchen and have R64,000 remaining in their total cash budget. Team House and Leisure spent R57,000 on their kitchen have only R48,000 in their total cash budget to cover the last two spaces that must still be decorated.
For this challenge the guest judge on the panel was Jonathan Anstey, a renowned architect with great appreciation for functional design and regular adjudicator of Caesarstone’s prestigious annual Student Designer Competition.
As the kitchens were revealed, Team House and Leisure unveiled a minimalist but still artistic space where natural tones give a warmth and simplicity to a functional design. The judges felt that this kitchen lacked a bit of soul although it had fantastic design. Jonathan went so far as to say the best thing about the kitchen was the cake on the counter. Despite not feeling very inviting, the judges did commend Team House and Leisure on the high level of functionality in their design.
Team House and Leisure
Team House and Leisure's kitchen
Team VISI’s kitchen is revealed to be modern and a continuation of their monochromatic palette. Fortunately, both Mpho and Lesego have kitchen design experience and created a highly functional kitchen but with a distinct urban edge for their fictional bachelor client. The judges felt it might not work for a family that cooks big meals but it’s highly functional design, modern open shelving and sleek colour palette were big positive attributes.
Team VISI
Team VISI's kitchen
Team Habitat’s kitchen is all about maximising the space. This duo installed cupboards all the way to the ceiling and created a dining table with an extension of their Caesarstone countertop. The judges loved the bold statements with the eye-catching light fixture, dining area and unusual choice of Plascon paint colour. Despite these big design elements, their ladder didn’t feel secure and didn’t work smoothly and, shockingly, the judges felt the kitchen lacked the usual personality infused into Team Habitat’s other spaces.
Team Habitat
Team Habitat's kitchen
It was a mixed masala of feedback from the judges but they felt that Team VISI were the clear winners of the kitchen challenge. The victory was sweet as Team VISI scored their second consecutive win but, with everyone feeling the pinch of tight budgets and not knowing what challenge will be next, not being able to fulfil the vision for the completed homes might be a bitter pill that all the design duos will have to swallow in the coming weeks.
Team VISI's kitchen
Team VISI's kitchen