By Patrick Avenell

Fans of 1950s fashion with a spare $11,000 burning a hole in the pocket of their vintage Jackie Kennedy pink Chanel suit should consider a new kitchen design by former Australian Designer of the Year Mal Corboy.

This high concept design includes five Smeg appliances: a fridge/freezer, a dishwasher, an induction cooktop, a microwave oven and a rangehood — all built around an island bench.

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“Island benches are now the focal point of the most important room in the home,” Corboy said. “Consumers are wanting bigger kitchens as they expand their culinary skills: we are increasingly cooking, eating and entertaining at home thanks to shows such as MasterChef, and all this takes place around the island bench. 

“So today’s island will very likely have one section as a food preparation area and the other as dining table.”

Mal Corboy's 1950s kitchen.

Smeg’s company philosophy is to partner with leading architects and designers, such as Guido Canali and Marc Newson, to create new styles for its Italian-manufactured appliances. This is a little different, with Corboy using pre-existing models in the range to configure a new kitchen look.

“Smeg’s individual approach to kitchen appliances means you can achieve a more customised look in kitchen design, be it the retro curves of the FAB range; the contemporary, colour block approach of its Marc Newson collection; the elegant, timeless style of Guido Canali’s Classic range; or the almost futuristic look of Linear in stopsilver glass and stainless steel.”

The appliances used in this design are:

FAB32-7 Refrigerator/Freezer (RRP $3,190)
BLV1 Retro 60cm Dishwasher (RRP $3,990)
SIHP264S Four Zone Induction Cooktop (RRP $2,290)
SA37X Stainless Steel Microwave Oven (RRP $650)
PUM60X Concealed Undermount Rangehood (RRP $790)

Total: RRP $10,910